Sumitomo : Participation in Community Healthcare Coordination Platform, Inc.

Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Kuniharu Nakamura) has made an investment, via a third-party allocation of newly issued shares, in Community Healthcare Coordination Platform, Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Shinsuke Muto and Tsutomu Kunisawa; hereinafter, 'CHCP'), a company which provides business management support to healthcare providers in Japan.

With Japan's fast-aging society leading to ever higher healthcare expenses, capping growth in social security spending has become a matter of great urgency. As about 60% of the population reportedly prefers home healthcare to facility-based healthcare, the establishment of a system which enables the elderly to live independently in areas in which they have become accustomed to living is crucial. Accordingly, the Japanese government is developing an 'Integrated Community Care System' which will provide services in an integrated fashion through collaboration among medical care, nursing care, and long-term care providers. As many healthcare providers are small and widely dispersed, strengthening the collaboration among these companies is of great importance.

CHCP was established in May 2017 with funding from Unison Capital Partners IV, LPS and Unison Capital Partners IV (F), L.P. (Fund IV). Through investments in healthcare providers, CHCP aims to provide management expertise and resources, promote collaboration among healthcare providers, and introduce new technologies and best practices. The objective of CHCP's business is to work with medical/nursing care companies to contribute to the construction of the Integrated Community Care System promoted by the government.
Sumitomo Corporation will endeavor to increase the accessibility of home healthcare/nursing care and promote the use of such care by helping build the foundations for the Integrated Community Care System and resolving issues through its participation in CHCP. Teaming up with such partners as Tomod's Inc. (Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hideyuki Tokuhiro), a Group company that operates pharmaceutical-dispensing drug stores, and eWeLL Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka-shi, Osaka; President and Representative Director: Norito Nakano), a company in which Sumitomo Corporation invested in June 2017 that develops and operates the iBow administrative and operational support system for home-visit nursing-care providers, Sumitomo Corporation will strive to expand its healthcare and home-based care-related businesses.