ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Keita Ishii, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has concluded a capital and business alliance with Hongo Tsuji IT Consulting Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Ken Kuronita, President and Representative Director; hereinafter “Hongo Tsuji ITC”), the core company specializing in the digital field belonging to the Hongo Tsuji Group led by Hongo Tsuji Tax & Consulting, a major tax accounting corporation. ITOCHU will work with Hongo Tsuji ITC to promote the digital transformation (DX) support business for small, medium and mid-market enterprises.

A number of issues and risks^*1 have recently been identified, such as a shortage of IT personnel, readiness for information security, and rapid changes in the IT market. In particular, small, medium and mid-market enterprises (hereinafter “SMBs”) are facing the need to increase management efficiency and promote DX by utilizing information and digital technologies, among other means. It is important for SMBs to introduce IT systems and services tailored to solving issues related to their management environment and businesses and to operate the systems efficiently in the current environment where the rapid growth and popularization of SaaS and other cloud services permit the inexpensive introduction of business systems and others.

By utilizing the network held by Hongo Tsuji Tax & Consulting comprising over 17,000 clients and 88 bases, Hongo Tsuji ITC provides SMBs and other customers with DX consulting, IT system introduction, and BPO services (consigned system setting and operation support) from start to finish, helping increase customers' productivity.
As a DX support business for SMBs, ITOCHU and Hongo Tsuji ITC starts to offer the "DX support matching platform" that intermediates between SMBs that are going to promote or consider DX and companies providing varied supporting services. The platform allows SMBs to have a broader range of options for more flexible IT, systems, and other aspects according to their situation. In addition, service providers will be able to understand customer needs and offer proposals efficiently.

ITOCHU helps its customers promote DX by reinforcing the digital value chain; for example, making ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC), the core enterprise of its digital business portfolio,^*2 privately held. Through the alliance, ITOCHU will understand customer needs more widely so as to contribute to the realization of sustainable digital society through its market-in approach based on solving issues for the market and its customers. Meanwhile, ITOCHU will deepen its partnership with Hongo Tsuji Group in a range of business fields, in addition to the capital and business alliance.