"Work and Smile" Hokuryu Town Signs Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Persol TempStaff to Eliminate Labor Shortages and Revitalize the Region

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Signing ceremony for a partnership agreement between Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd. and Hokuryu Town to address the labor shortage and revitalize the local community

On Wednesday, August 20th, a signing ceremony for a comprehensive partnership agreement between Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd. and Hokuryu Town was held at the Health Center within Hokuryu Town Hall.

This agreement was concluded based on mutual support for both Hokuryu Town's "Town Development Project Leading to the Future Aimed at Hokuryu Himawari Holdings" and Persol Temp Staff's "Community Co-creation Initiative."

In particular, the plan emphasizes the aim of attracting and developing talent, revitalizing the region, and creating a sustainable town through support for the "Specific Regional Development Business Cooperative Association," which Hokuryu Town is preparing to establish.

Agreement signing ceremony

The event was moderated by Yayoi Kawamoto, Section Chief of Hokuryu Town's Urban Future Strategy Section.

Introducing the attendees

• Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd.:
  • Hokkaido Sales Department, General Manager Asaka Samurai
  • Akiko Matsuzaka, Director of Corporate Communications (Public Relations)
  • Yuki Baba, Corporate Communications Office (Public Relations)

• Hokuryu Town:
  • Yasuhiro Sasaki Mayor
  • Masaaki Okuda Deputy Mayor
  • Yoshiki Tanaka, Superintendent of Education

Greetings from Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki of Hokuryu Town

"This is our fourth agreement this month, and unlike our previous agreements with educational institutions, this one is focused specifically on human resources issues. Hokuryu is a small town with a population of 1,600, but its residents work with enthusiasm. By utilizing Persol Tempstaff's know-how, we aim to make this small town a 'shining town.'

Our town's main industries, agriculture and construction, are suffering from a serious labor shortage. In particular, in the construction industry, if we had more staff, we could receive more orders, but currently there is a shortage of labor. In agriculture, we aim to produce a large amount of delicious "sunflower rice," a product of which Japan is proud, and increase farmers' incomes, but securing labor is just as important.

"The group vision of Persol Temp Staff, 'Work and Laugh,' really resonates with me. The other day, I dressed up as Bakabon's Dad at the town's Bon Odori festival, hoping to bring a smile to the faces of the townspeople. I believe that laughter leads to positive thinking. I have been mayor for a year and a half, and have made progress through various steps. I would appreciate your continued support," said Mayor Sasaki.

Greetings from Mr. Jiro Asaka, General Manager of Hokkaido Sales Department, Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd.

"I am extremely grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to work with Mayor Sasaki and the people of Hokuryu Town. This agreement is an attempt to build a new future together through collaboration and cooperation, while thoroughly discussing various human resources-related services with the townspeople and listening to their voices.

As a core company of the comprehensive human resources service "Persol Group," we operate nationwide. Over the past two to three years, we have been focusing on "regional co-creation," and aim to participate in regional revitalization and urban development in collaboration with local governments and universities, rather than simply providing workers to traditional companies.

This agreement will create a strong support system for the "Specific Community Development Business Cooperative Association" that Hokuryu Town is currently preparing to establish. Through support for the association's operations and human resource development, we aim to go beyond simply securing a labor force and secure human resources for sustainable urban development in sparsely populated areas, and to build a new system for job creation.

We hope that you will continue to give us your warm support and cooperation. Thank you very much.

Company Profile

• It is a core company of the comprehensive human resources service "Persol Group" and is primarily engaged in temporary staffing and outsourcing businesses.
• We operate 46 businesses nationwide, and since our founding in 1973, 2025 will mark our 52nd year.
• Persol Holdings is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and has approximately 148 group companies and 672 locations both in Japan and overseas.
• We entered the Hokkaido region in 1984, and 2025 will mark our 41st year there. Our Hokkaido sales department currently has four bases: Sapporo, Hakodate, Obihiro, and Chitose (formerly Tomakomai).

Management philosophy and business development

• The group's vision is "Work and laugh," and the company excels at matching job seekers with companies.
• We respond to diversifying working styles (remote work, part-time work, balancing work with child-rearing or elderly care, etc.) and provide jobs that meet the individual's desired conditions.

Focus on regional co-creation

• Over the past two to three years, we have been focusing on "regional co-creation," aiming not only to provide workers to traditional companies but also to revitalize the local area and participate in urban development.
• Our sales departments in regional cities are particularly focused on this initiative, working with local governments, universities, and local businesses to resolve local issues.

Summary of the agreement

• The purpose of this agreement is to realize Hokuryu Town's brand, "Sunflower Living," by valuing each individual and continuing to support the challenges of everyone so that they can live positively and true to themselves, by attracting and developing talent and utilizing the human, intellectual, and material resources that each party possesses, leading to sustainable development.

Background and Objectives of the Agreement

• Since April 2025, Hokuryu Town has been promoting the "Town Development Project Leading to the Future Aiming for Hokuryu Himawari Holdings," aiming to create a system for co-creating and realizing a new future in collaboration with townspeople and external talent.
• Persol Tempstaff's "regional co-creation" initiatives (solving regional issues, developing human resources, creating a connected population, and creating new businesses and jobs) and Hokuryu Town's project mutually support each other, leading to the conclusion of this agreement.

Specific contents of the agreement (4 items)

1. Support for attracting and retaining talent.
2. Matters related to supporting the education, development and retention of human resources to revitalize the region.
3. Support for providing know-how through dispatches aimed at revitalizing local communities.
4. Any other matter that both parties deem necessary through consultation.

Support for "Specific Regional Development Business Cooperatives"

• This agreement will create a strong support system for the "Specific Regional Development Business Cooperative Association" that Hokuryu Town is preparing to establish.
• Based on national law, this union aims to create jobs throughout the year and secure workers by dispatching personnel to local businesses, and has currently been established in 123 regions across the country.
• Persol Tempstaff supports the development of human resources and organizational management through support for union management (education of the secretary general, attracting, educating, evaluating and following up on workers).
• Through this, we aim to go beyond simply securing a workforce, to secure and develop human resources for sustainable urban development in sparsely populated areas, and to build a new system for creating jobs.

Katsuyoshi Takahashi, Director of Policy Planning for Hokuryu Town, explained the history and background of the agreement.



"This agreement will continue to support the challenges of realizing Hokuryu Town's brand, 'Sunflower Living,' by valuing each and every individual and enabling everyone to live positively and in their own way.

Through this, the two parties aim to attract and develop talent through collaborative activities aimed at revitalizing the region, as well as to utilize each other's human, intellectual, and material resources, thereby achieving sustainable development.

Since April 2025, Hokuryu Town has been working with townspeople and diverse external talent through the "Hokuryu Himawari Holdings Town Development Project: Connecting to the Future We Aim for," to create a system and promote town development that will co-create and realize the future of Hokuryu Town, centered around seven pillars.

Meanwhile, Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd., based on its group vision of "Work and Smile," is promoting "community co-creation initiatives" that contribute to the revitalization of the local economy by solving local issues through consortiums with local governments, organizations, universities, local companies, etc., and working to develop human resources, create a connected population, and create new businesses and jobs.

"It is with mutual support for these efforts that we have come to conclude this agreement," explained Director General for Policy Studies Takahashi.

Agreement signing ceremony and Q&A session

Two copies of the agreement were made and signed by Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd. and the Mayor of Kitaryū.





commemorative photograph







question and answer session

Regarding Persol Temp Staff's collaboration with other local governments

• In Hokkaido, a comprehensive partnership agreement was signed with Kaminokuni Town and Kikonai Town in the southern Hokkaido region on August 1, 2024, making this the third such agreement in Hokkaido.
• The company collaborates with multiple local governments nationwide, particularly in the Kyushu region.

Establishment and purpose of the Specific Regional Development Business Cooperative

• Progress in preparations for establishment: Preparations are underway for establishment in April 2026, with the aim of starting activities and operations from next fiscal year.
• Background to establishment: In 2024, several people in the town requested the establishment of an organization, and the town is providing support to recruit members and is currently preparing for its establishment.
• Union objectives: We aim to encourage relocation by dispatching personnel to a variety of jobs within Hokuryu Town.
• Cooperation from Persol Temp Staff: With the help of Persol Temp Staff, we plan to help create a system to attract people from within the town and create places to work by training a secretary-general to bring the organization together and providing know-how on dispatching personnel from outside.
• Aiming for urban development: Aiming to create a town that attracts young people with promising futures, we are currently discussing and finalizing ways to create attractive jobs, promote the area externally, and provide career support to those who come.
• Recruiting Secretary General: We plan to recruit someone who can interact widely with townspeople and lend a hand to Hokuryu Town.

Why Persol Tempstaff signed an agreement with Hokuryu Town

• Although there was no direct business relationship with Hokuryu Town before, through conversations with the business partner, it was discovered that the two companies shared a common interest in Hokuryu Town's ideas and in the specific community development business cooperative, leading to the signing of an agreement.

Measures and challenges to attract talent to Hokuryu Town

• Utilizing existing tools: We plan to make maximum use of tools by utilizing Persol Temp Staff's online announcement system and brands such as doda, a group company.
• Creating attractive jobs: The key to attracting talent is creating attractive jobs, and we plan to work with towns to deepen discussions on how to identify and highlight areas where there is a shortage of talent.
• Securing human resources for the agriculture and construction industries: Agriculture and construction are thriving industries in this region, and securing human resources in these fields is a challenge.
• Improving the town's attractiveness: Since there are limits to securing human resources through corporate efforts alone, it is recognized that it is important to increase the town's attractiveness, such as providing a good place to live and an education for children.
• The importance of collaborative efforts: It is important to provide food, clothing, and shelter and to enhance the town's appeal, and Persol Temp Staff intends to participate in town development and work together to create a better town.
• Hopes for the future: By having young people from the agricultural and construction industries join the Specific Regional Development Business Cooperative, we hope to foster a generation of people who will take on the future 10 or 20 years from now, and to make the town a "town of choice for young people and women."

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, we wish Persol Tempstaff Co., Ltd., which utilizes its advanced expertise in a variety of fields to help resolve human resource issues in companies and local communities, a brilliant collaboration, co-creation, and development between the town of Hokuryu and the town's new future.

More Photos

Click here for 30 photos of the signing of the comprehensive partnership agreement between Persol Tempstaff and Hokuryu Town >>

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