Red Horse Corporation Co., Ltd. has signed an agreement with Maibara City in Shiga Prefecture under the Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur Program and has begun dispatching personnel under this initiative. The contract period runs from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, with the possibility of annual extensions for up to three years in total. On Thursday, December 18, a commissioning ceremony for the “Maibara City Tourism Promoter” was held at Maibara City Hall, where Sayuri Matsumoto of Red Horse Corporation Co., Ltd., who was dispatched as a regional revitalization entrepreneur, received her letter of appointment.
(Source: Red Horse Corporation Co., Ltd.)
The Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur Program is a project promoted by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, supported by special local grant allocations. It allows local governments to accept employees from private companies for a fixed period to utilize their expertise and know-how in enhancing regional appeal and revitalization. Red Horse Corporation Co., Ltd. has participated in this program—formerly known as the Regional Revitalization Corporate Personnel program—since 2021, dispatching employees to multiple municipalities. Under the current agreement, the company is collaborating with the General Incorporated Association Biwako no Moto DMO to promote tourism in Maibara City and attract visitors from a private-sector perspective.
The main duties include promoting tourism and marketing strategies utilizing local resources, developing and selling travel products through the discovery and refinement of attractions, and strengthening inbound tourism initiatives. Matsumoto is engaged in disseminating information through tourism websites, managing the DMO’s official Instagram and Threads accounts, supporting local event operations, and handling inquiries at the city’s tourist information center.
Maibara Mayor Koya Kakuta commented, “Tourism is the source of regional vitality and the core of community development. We hope she will promote initiatives that leverage local tourism resources, develop travel products, and bring new energy to Maibara through the unique perspective and experience of the private sector.” Matsumoto added, “Having been involved with Maibara’s hometown tax program for about six and a half years, I am deeply attached to the city and wish to give back and further contribute during this assignment.”
Red Horse Corporation Co., Ltd. has supported Maibara City’s hometown tax operations since fiscal year 2015, and this longstanding relationship led to the signing of the current agreement. The company intends to continue contributing to Maibara’s tourism promotion and regional revitalization through the discovery and communication of the city’s attractions.