Our Journey to Revitalize Rural Japan

Marking Our 5th Anniversary

Since our establishment in 2018, Parthenon Japan has remained dedicated to making a positive impact while providing professional, hands-on services to our clients. As a purpose-driven organization, our mission at Parthenon Japan is to facilitate successful strategic communications with stakeholders while encouraging positive and impactful dialogues among businesses, the government, and civil society.

February 1, 2023 marked our 5th anniversary as well as an opportunity to reflect on where we stand today. Over the course of this past half decade, we have worked with leading global companies, providing integrated communications consulting. Through these experiences, we have served clients across our three core practices: strategic communications, government relations, and public relations consulting.

Purpose Beyond Business

Realizing meaningful dialogues is a vital aspect of our mission. We have achieved significant successes by initiating conversations between industries and the Government of Japan, resulting in positive legislative changes. As new technologies emerge, we continue to advocate for changes that serve the best interests of society, extending our impact beyond business concerns.

To accomplish our goals, we established Akiya & Inaka in August 2020, an independent business unit of Parthenon Japan devoted to helping individuals discover, enjoy, and consider real estate investments in the Japanese countryside. Our aim is to assist both non-Japanese individuals and investors seeking a connection to rural Japan. With over 8 million akiya (vacant homes) across Japan, we recognized the opportunity to help individuals find suitable properties. However, we discovered that the majority of akiya are not listed for sale, presenting challenges in the fragmented real estate market. Financing rural properties below ¥10,000,000 Yen is also challenging. Despite these obstacles, we remain committed to realizing our vision.

Finding Purpose in Rural Revitalization

Our Akiya & Inaka experiences revealed the need for rural revitalization in Japan. Parthenon Japan’s President & CEO Parker J. Allen and Senior Advisor David Wagner embarked on a research project focusing on six key areas: Energy Independence, Real Estate Realities, Government Initiatives, Technology & Healthcare, Immigration, and Business Opportunities. The insights we gained from this research emphasized the potential for rural Japan to be a land of opportunity while highlighting the work required to achieve meaningful growth and investment outside urban centers.

From Insights to Action

In July 2023, we plan to open our first satellite office in a previously vacant junior high school in rural Saitama Prefecture, becoming the first PR firm to take such an initiative. This office will serve as a space where our team can work and host events and seminars, showcasing the possibilities beyond Japan’s major metropolitan areas.

We actively strive to raise awareness about rural depopulation and encourage people to get involved in solving this critical issue. Through newspaper, TV, and radio interviews, we empower others to join us in revitalizing rural Japan.

This is just the beginning. We firmly believe that increased awareness and action can make a significant difference.