{"id":4709,"date":"2026-08-03T10:10:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T01:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/?page_id=4709"},"modified":"2026-08-03T10:10:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T01:10:39","slug":"vol152-uni-square","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/en\/vol152\/vol152-uni-square\/","title":{"rendered":"vol152-uni-square ENG"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\r\n    .page-section-inner h2 {\r\n        display: flex;\r\n        flex-direction: column;\r\n    }\r\n\r\n    .page-section-inner h2 span.sub-title {\r\n        font-size: 18px;\r\n    }\r\n<\/style>\r\n<div class=\"page\">\r\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\">\r\n\r\n        <!-- CONTENTS ====================-->\r\n        <article>\r\n            <div class=\"page-wrap\">\r\n\r\n                <div class=\"page-title-wrap\">\r\n                    <p class=\"page-category\">\r\n                        UNI-SQUARE\r\n                    <\/p>\r\n                    <h1 class=\"uni-square-title\">SHINING STAR 2025<br>\u201cThe Challenge to Change the Future\u201d has already begun.\r\n                    <\/h1>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n\r\n                <div class=\"uni-suare-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1927\"\r\n                        src=\"\/uni-sight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/152_uni_square_cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\"\r\n                        height=\"269\" \/><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n                <div class=\"page-section\">\r\n                    <div class=\"page-section-inner\">\r\n                        <p>In the previous issue, we introduced the winners of the UNIVA AWARDS 2025 Grand Prize. Behind their outstanding achievements lie the challenges and evolution that each company and team has accumulated over time. In this issue and the next, we will introduce those selected as \u201cShining Stars.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>The Shining Star award is presented to individuals and teams selected as the top 10 in the UNIVA AWARDS 2025 and highly recognized through the FINAL CONTEST. What all of this year\u2019s recipients have in common is that they did more than simply achieve results. Faced with barriers such as \u201cunprecedented,\u201d \u201cdifficult,\u201d or \u201ctaken for granted,\u201d they did not stop. Instead, they continued to ask, \u201cDoes this truly lead to the future?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>A challenge that redefined the value of print media.<br> A challenge that broke into new markets by leveraging local trust.<br> A challenge that created a \u201csystem people actually use.\u201d<br> And a challenge that rebuilt the very foundation supporting the company\u2019s core.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Each of these challenges embodies UNIVA\u2019s distinctive \u201cdetermination to shape the future.\u201d In this issue, we introduce four individuals and teams as our \u201cShining Stars.\u201d<\/p>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n\r\n                <div class=\"page-section\">\r\n                    <div class=\"page-section-inner\">\r\n                        <h2><span class=\"sub-title\">SHINING STAR 2025<br>Naturally Plus Co., Ltd.<br>Yumiko Ikari<\/span>\r\n                            Rather than thinking \u201cpaper is outdated,\u201d<br>we reexamined the \u201cvalue that only paper can deliver.\u201d<\/h2>\r\n                        <div style=\"position: relative; margin-bottom: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\"\r\n                                src=\"\/uni-sight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/152_uni_square_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\"\r\n                                style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\" \/>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <p>The world is shifting toward the digital age. The decline of print media is a trend affecting society as a whole. Amid this shift, \u201cFrais,\u201d the Naturally Plus newsletter that has been published for over 20 years, was also facing a major turning point.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>The monthly publication is packed with a wide variety of information\u2014not just product details, but also tips on health, beauty, lifestyle, and business applications. While it has long been cherished as a \u201cpoint of connection\u201d between members and the company, its annual production costs amounted to approximately 31 million yen. With the growing popularity of the \u201cCONPUS\u201d app, the option of \u201cmoving to the web\u201d was becoming a realistic possibility.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>However, Yumiko Ikari did not opt for a simple digitization. She believed that the real question was not \u201cCan we eliminate print?\u201d but rather \u201cWhat is valuable to our members?\u201d So, the first step she took was to quantify the \u201cvalue\u201d of the newsletter Frais.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>After analyzing the number of prize entry submissions and feedback received from members, they found that the response rate had risen from approximately 0.27% a decade ago to 0.5%. This level far exceeded that of typical direct mail, clearly demonstrating that Frais was a print publication that people actually read.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Furthermore, upon delving deeper into reader feedback, she discovered that Frais had evolved from being merely a reading material into a \u201ctool used in the business world.\u201d Readers were using product features directly as sales materials and incorporating the conversation examples from the magazine into their seminars. She also received comments such as, \u201cI want to hand out this booklet so people can learn about Naturally Plus.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>That is precisely why Ikari chose the path of \u201credefining\u201d the magazine rather than \u201cdiscontinuing\u201d it. Starting in 2026, the publication switched to a bimonthly schedule. She established a system that achieves annual cost savings of approximately 15 million yen while maintaining quality and convenience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>But the challenge didn\u2019t end there. They planned the \u201cFrais Special Edition,\u201d a compilation of popular past features. They produced Health Care and Beauty Care editions, handling much of the layout and production in-house. Furthermore, by introducing a made-to-order production system, they launched sales while minimizing inventory risk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As a result, cumulative sales reached 24,622 copies.<br> Sales totaled approximately 6.7 million yen, with a gross profit margin exceeding 85%.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>What was particularly impressive was how thoroughly she thought through every detail, right down to \u201chow to deliver\u201d the products. For the first release, she asked the in-house staff to assist with packaging and shipping to keep shipping costs down. Later, as the volume of orders increased, we revised our logistics system for the second release, successfully balancing quality and speed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>This was neither a mere cost-cutting measure nor a simple sales promotion.<br> We never compromised on the \u201cvalue of having it delivered right to your doorstep.\u201d<br>It is precisely because we live in the digital age that there are things that can be delivered into people\u2019s hands.<br>Ikari\u2019s challenge was an initiative that not only shaped the future of newsletters but also prompted a fresh examination of \u201cwhat communication that connects people truly is.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>View Ikari\u2019s presentation here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=onr-oBbHgCs\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=onr-oBbHgCs<\/a><\/p>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"page-section\">\r\n                    <div class=\"page-section-inner\">\r\n                        <h2><span class=\"sub-title\">SHINING STAR 2025<br>UNIVA Energy<br>Sayuri Okayama<\/span>\r\n                            In a region prone to heavy snowfall, she turned conventional wisdom on its head.<br>It\u2019s a \u201cwinning renewable energy strategy\u201d that began in Niseko.<\/h2>\r\n                        <div style=\"position: relative; margin-bottom: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\"\r\n                                src=\"\/uni-sight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/152_uni_square_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\"\r\n                                style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\" \/>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <p>\u201cIt\u2019s impossible in Niseko.\u201d That was the local conventional wisdom regarding solar power generation. A region of heavy snowfall. Strict landscape regulations. Challenging construction conditions. On top of that, a competitive market where major corporations were also entering. It was by no means an easy environment in which to expand a renewable energy business.<br>However, Sayuri Okayama saw potential in those very \u201cchallenges.\u201d<br>In October 2024, Okayama began installing Niseko Town\u2019s first \u201cvertical solar power generation facility.\u201d Unlike standard rooftop installations, this required special specifications to accommodate heavy snowfall and preserve the landscape.<br>There were few precedents, and awareness within the community was limited. Nevertheless, she remained committed to delivering results first. After installation, the project garnered significant attention locally. In particular, the high praise she received from the town\u2019s Planning and Environment Division and Makino Industries\u2014a local infrastructure company\u2014significantly altered the course of subsequent developments.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>What Okayama built was more than just a business relationship.<br> It was a sense of trust\u2014the belief that \u201cwe can rely on this person.\u201d<br>Building on that trust, projects began to come in one after another.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Niseko Town Hall.<br> School Lunch Center.<br> Homma Shoten Business Site.<br> Collaborative projects with local companies\u2014<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As a result, the company was responsible for all five solar power installations in Niseko Town. The total contract value reached approximately 50 million yen. Particularly symbolic was the proposal for the School Lunch Center project. Major corporation Air Water Inc. was also among the competitors.<br>Normally, large companies hold the advantage in terms of price and scale. However, Okayama asked the president of Makino Industries\u2014a local company and the first to install vertical solar power systems in Niseko Town as part of this series of projects\u2014to join her for the presentation. They conveyed the actual results of the vertical solar power system they had installed as \u201creal feedback from the community.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As a result, they beat out the major competitor and won the contract. This was not merely a matter of sales prowess. It was the moment when they transformed the trust of the local community into their own competitive advantage. Furthermore, this success was not limited to a one-off project. By leveraging the \u201cbarriers to entry\u201d\u2014such as heavy snowfall and strict landscape regulations\u2014and positioning the project as a high-value-added initiative, they also achieved a highly profitable model with a 42.5% profit margin. Naturally, this success was made possible by the ingenuity of North Energy\u2019s construction team and the support system within the company\u2019s sales department when undertaking construction on land with no prior track record. The entire team took on the challenge and defied conventional wisdom.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>It is precisely because the market is challenging that we can differentiate ourselves.<br> Okayama proved that potential in Niseko.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>View Okayama\u2019s presentation here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2NTx8Ej9GoA\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2NTx8Ej9GoA<\/a><\/p>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n\r\n                <div class=\"page-section\">\r\n                    <div class=\"page-section-inner\">\r\n                        <h2><span class=\"sub-title\">SHINING STAR 2025<br>Naturally Plus<br>Khachic Checker Team<\/span>A business communication tool for a 200-million-yen venture!<br>An Approach That Goes Beyond \u201cJust Lending\u201d\u2014It\u2019s About \u201cGetting People to Use It\u201d<\/h2>\r\n                        <div style=\"position: relative; margin-bottom: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\"\r\n                                src=\"\/uni-sight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/152_uni_square_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\"\r\n                                style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\" \/>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <p>Inventory has no value simply by being held. Naturally Plus\u2019s only rental business, \u201cKhachic Checker,\u201d began by confronting that reality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>In 2020, based on President Tajima\u2019s vision that \u201cbusiness can be conducted entirely with a single smartphone,\u201d the rental business launched with just 70 units. It garnered attention as a measurement device capable of \u201cvisualizing\u201d carotenoid levels in the body, and the number of units in use gradually increased.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>However, once the initial round of rentals to interested customers was complete, a challenge arose: approximately 100 units were left sitting in inventory. How could they ensure that this wasn\u2019t just a matter of \u201crenting\u201d the device, but that it became a \u201ctool that delivers results\u201d? The Khachic Checker team thoroughly examined this fundamental question.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>A \u201cfirst month free\u201d campaign. Bundled product offers. A zero-deposit plan. While lowering the barrier for members to \u201cjust give it a try,\u201d they simultaneously designed ways to utilize the device in real-world settings. A particularly significant turning point was the \u201cBusiness Support Campaign\u201d they launched in 2025.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>This initiative was more than just a sales promotion. It was an effort that packaged the \u201cconversion funnel leading to new registrations\u201d itself. Generating interest through measurement. Promoting understanding through an introductory booklet. And offering a sample of \u201cSuper Lutein Milt Plus.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>And a continuous customer journey that naturally led to a second measurement\u2014moving from \u201cmeasuring\u201d to \u201ccommunicating,\u201d and then to \u201cbuilding a lasting relationship.\u201d They designed a single system based on the actual workflow used in the business environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As a result, we secured 94 applications against an expected 50. Monthly contract volume reached 418 units, setting a new all-time high. What\u2019s even more noteworthy is what happened afterward: 61.7% of organizations that participated in the campaign saw an increase in new registrations. The number of referrals from subscribers themselves also rose by 37.2%. In other words, the Khachic Checker had begun to function not merely as a rental device, but as a \u201csales tool that connects people.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>This initiative also yielded significant results from a business management perspective. By 2022, the company had recouped the approximately 56 million yen in implementation costs. By June 2025, cumulative sales exceeded 200 million yen. Even after deducting license fees, the company generated a gross profit of approximately 180 million yen. Moreover, this is stable subscription-based revenue that is less susceptible to fluctuations in bonus payments.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>However, the true value of this initiative lies not only in the numbers. It lies in the fact that we created a system that supports the \u201ccommunication\u201d between the company and its members, and between members and new customers. What the Khachic Checker team created was not merely a rental business, but an \u201cexperience that leads to results\u201d in and of itself.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Click here for the Khachic Checker team\u2019s presentation:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pWLyJPsnBYY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pWLyJPsnBYY<\/a><\/p>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"page-section\">\r\n                    <div class=\"page-section-inner\">\r\n                        <h2><span class=\"sub-title\">SHINING STAR 2025<br>UNIVA Paycast<br>Finance Department Team<br>They never stopped questioning the assumption that \u201cit must be right.\u201d<\/span>\r\n                            They are rebuilding the \u201cinvisible foundation\u201d that supports the company\u2019s future.<\/h2>\r\n                        <div style=\"position: relative; margin-bottom: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\"\r\n                                src=\"\/uni-sight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/152_uni_square_04.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\"\r\n                                style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\" \/>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <p>For a payment processor, \u201ccustomer deposits\u201d are more than just numbers. They are precious funds entrusted to us by the merchants. In other words, they represent \u201ctrust itself.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>For many years, UNIVA Paycast had been grappling with an issue regarding these customer deposits. The accounting balance did not match the theoretical balance calculated from payment and settlement data. There was a discrepancy between figures that should have matched. Moreover, this discrepancy was growing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As of September 2023, the discrepancy had increased by approximately 200 million yen since the previous investigation. As the business expanded, leaving this issue unaddressed posed a significant risk for future audits and the expansion of financial services. However, the problem was that the cause was unclear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Was it due to unpaid funds from the acquirer? An accounting error? A system issue? With millions of transactions, no one knew where the discrepancy was occurring. Therefore, the Finance Department team set out to \u201cmake the invisible visible.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>First, they set up subsidiary ledgers for each service and subdivided customer deposits. They also reclassified outbound transactions\u2014such as refunds, fees, and settlements\u2014and redesigned the system to allow for tracking the reasons behind balance fluctuations. On that foundation, they embarked on a full-scale payment reconciliation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>There were approximately 750 sets of overseas PSP deposit data entries each month\u2014more than 100,000 transactions. Payment amounts, refunds, fees, adjustment amounts\u2014they painstakingly verified each one, one by one. In the process, they uncovered numerous issues that had never surfaced before.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Accounting entry errors. Payment system malfunctions. Internal test payments that were not canceled. Missed chargeback processing\u2014. In short, this initiative was not merely about reconciling numbers. It was a project to reexamine the very foundation of the company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>As a result, they achieved a state where the accounting balance and the theoretical balance match almost exactly every month. Furthermore, they established a management system capable of explaining \u201cwhy\u201d they match. This doesn\u2019t just mean improvements in audit readiness. It also means that the foundation has been laid for obtaining financial licenses in the future, launching new services, and evolving into a larger financial business.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>It\u2019s not something that\u2019s easily visible from the outside. But someone had to do it.<br>What the Finance Department team tackled was the very \u201ctrust necessary to move forward into the future.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n                        <p>Click here for the Finance Department team\u2019s presentation:<br> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2FAgaU9R8-M\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2FAgaU9R8-M<\/a><\/p>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n\r\n        <\/article>\r\n        <!--\/\/ CONTENTS ====================-->\r\n\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UNI-SQUARE SHINING STAR 2025\u201cThe Challenge to Change the Future\u201d has already begun. In the previous issue, we  [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4697,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-discussion.php","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/?page_id=4695","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4709","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","en-US"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4709"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4711,"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4709\/revisions\/4711"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/univacap.com\/uni-sight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}