Today, Japan faces a major challenge related to the demographic trends of a low birth rate and increasing numbers of elderly persons. It is no longer feasible to try to increase the birth rate in order to delay the demographic crisis. However, it is possible to offer support in the difficult tasks of raising children and caring for the elderly, so that the women who bear the brunt of these tasks can enjoy a more productive, socially active life. At Benesse Style Care, we are keenly aware of the social responsibility we have accepted in providing nursing care, and have tried to develop our business operations accordingly.

Our nursing care operations is dedicated to the "Benesse" ideal, and seeks to ensure that it applies to everyone involved. We do our best to enrich the lives of our nursing home residents, sharing their daily activities and interests while providing their family members with satisfaction and peace of mind. But this is only half of the equation. Benesse Style Care understands that it is essential to ensure that caregivers are also able to "live well." Nursing care is certainly not an easy job, but it can potentially offer caregivers a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment which transcends the day-to-day difficulties of the job. We want to give young people a chance to understand the sense of fulfillment that nursing care work can provide. To this end, in April 2009 we established a Benesse Style Care course of study at Ehime Women's College, which has already attracted 20 energetic enrollees. As they, and other caregivers have the opportunity to realize the Benesse philosophy, I am confident that Benesse Style Care will grow into a new pillar of the Benesse Group's operations.