Toward the realization of the drugstore
that contributes to the health of
each and every one of our customers

Hideaki Kirisawa

Representative Director, 

President and Chief Operating Officer

 

  We would like to thank you for your continued support.

 

  At the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in May 2024, our company made significant changes to our management structure. All of the directors appointed to the board are highly aware of the expectations of our stakeholders for "Welcia" and the important role it should perform in the community. With this in mind, we will do our best for the development of the company's business.

 

  Now, with the development of medical care, universal health insurance, and changes in dietary habits, the average life expectancy of the the Japanese has increased to 84.3 years (WHO World Health Statistics 2024), the highest in the world. Japan also ranks first in the world in terms of healthy life expectancy, but unfortunately, the last 6 to 10 years of life are often spent in a state requiring nursing care or support. Healthy life expectancy is the period of time during which a person can live independently, both physically and mentally, without being limited in daily life by health problems.

 

  In Japan, consumers are becoming more thrifty in response to rising prices for food and other items due to the weakening of the yen and soaring import prices. In addition, we are faced with the need to aggressively improve compensation for employees in order to securing employees. We always think about “what our customers want” and view these tough changes in the business environment as opportunities for new growth.

 

  Based on the corporate philosophy of “providing customers with enriched social lives and healthy lifestyles,” we will promote the Welcia model centered on four major policies (“drug store with dispensing pharmacy,” “counseling,” “late-night hour,” and “ long-term care”) and aim to become the “No. 1 health station in the region” by 2030.
  To achieve this goal, our nationwide network of 2,800 drugstores is the point of contact with local customers. In order to help customers in any of the areas of unwellness, prevention, treatment, and nursing care, and to bring each of these to health status, our 8,000 pharmacists, 19,000 registered pharmaceutical sales clerks, and other qualified personnel will work with each customer to help them achieve good health.

 

  In our product initiatives, we emphasize contributions to environmental and social issues by adopting SDGs in our product development standards, while developing products based on customer feedback through the “Voice of Karada and Kurashi” on our official website.
  In addition, we are taking on the challenge of creating new values to provide infrastructure functions that offer peace of mind to the local community, such as by setting up a “Welcafe” in the store as a place for community collaboration or interaction, and by conducting business through the "Uetan-gou" mobile vending vehicle that makes the rounds.

 

  We have continued to grow through the merger of more than 20 companies, and in doing so we have fostered a corporate culture that respects diversity.
  In order to achieve sustainable growth in the future, it is necessary to secure and develop human resources capable of continuously improving corporate value based on a business portfolio that is in tune with the changing times. Furthermore, it is necessary to build a more diverse organization by circulating human resources within and outside the company.

 

  We are facing unprecedented changes in the business environment, but we will do our utmost to take this as an opportunity for further business reform.
  We look forward to your continued support.

 

June 2024