（Source:Shukuba JAPAN）
Shukuba JAPAN, a company specializing in planning and operating community-integrated lodging facilities centered around the Shinagawa area, is committed to addressing social issues through its guesthouse and travel business initiatives. Recently, the company signed an agreement with the South Korean social enterprise “Empathy Seeds” based in Daegu. Both organizations, sharing a common goal of solving social problems through guesthouses and the travel industry, have embarked on a collaborative effort under the slogan “LOCAL CONNECT” to build a new tourism community.
Shukuba JAPAN has been engaged in the planning and operation of community-integrated lodging facilities, starting from the historical Tokaido Shinagawa Inn. Their philosophy is to spread the circle of “SHUKUBA” nationwide. Through inspiring experiences that begin with small lodgings, they aim to connect local communities with the world and realize a multicultural coexistence society. Moving forward, they plan to expand their activities globally, creating opportunities to address social issues through guesthouses.
On the other hand, Empathy Seeds is a South Korean social enterprise aiming for social change through local tourism and international exchange. Established in 2003 as a support organization for North Korean defectors, it took steps to become a social enterprise in 2013. Currently, it operates guesthouses and a travel agency, allocating a portion of its profits to support North Korean defectors.
（Source:Shukuba JAPAN）
The agreement between the two parties is based on their shared commitment to solving social issues, exploring new paradigms of tourism for the modern era. With the consensus of both companies’ representatives, they have agreed to advance their collaboration and joint initiatives under the slogan “LOCAL CONNECT.” Six guesthouse companies from Japan and South Korea have endorsed this initiative, planning to foster new insights and practices in addressing social issues for travelers through online and offline exchanges.
The essence of the “LOCAL CONNECT” agreement lies in realizing a symbiotic society based on mutual empathy between regions, building sustainable local communities, and solving social problems. Based on these principles, regions across national borders will collaborate to address each other’s local issues.
Going forward, Shukuba JAPAN, Empathy Seeds, and other participating companies aim to face social challenges beyond regional and national boundaries, building a new tourism community. This will serve as a platform to showcase the charm of various regions, foster exchanges among people who will shape the future, and nurture mutual understanding and multicultural coexistence. The goal is to deepen interpersonal exchanges through travel, making the world a better place.