Proof-of-Concept of Semi-Essential Commodity Sharing ServiceInitial testing to be conducted at Shimokita Railway Street Vacant Lot

Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Masayuki Hyodo) will be working with Hakuhodo Inc. (hereinafter, “Hakuhodo”) to begin proof-of-concept of a semi-essential commodity (Note 1) sharing service (hereinafter, “the Service”) aimed at smart city development that will encourage sharing, mutual aid, and co-creation among residents. The initial proof-of-concept (hereinafter, “PoC”) of the Service will take place from February 1, 2020 through the middle of April in the “Shimokita Railway Street Vacant Lot” operated by Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

Recently, comfortable servicies and communities are demanded from the perspective of smart city development.. There seems to be a particular need for creating opportunities for residents to interact with each other in their neighborhoods and elsewhere.

The Service will enable sharing of leisure goods, toys and other items that would be convenient to share within a neighborhood, a district or some other specified community, and the Service can create relationship between residents. Shared containers placed in neighborhood parks, vacant lots and other public spaces or in the common areas of apartment buildings/complexes allow residents to lend out or borrow goods.

One shared-use container will be placed in the 1,400m2 Shimokita Railway Street Vacant Lot, about five minutes by foot from Shimokitazawa Station. The Shimokita Railway Street Vacant Lot offers rental spaces and dining areas with significant pedestrian traffic. Sumitomo Corporation and Hakuhodo will prepare about 50 different goods in the container and lend them out to borrowers who want to use them, collecting data on items in high demand, usage rates and other elements. The companies will also be verifying if the program prompts lending and borrowing between residents, and confirming user convenience and efficiency as well as the safety and commercial viability of the service.

Sumitomo Corporation will be using lending and borrowing as a starting point to encourage interaction and mutual aid as well as to promote communication among residents in neighborhoods and communities by rolling out the Service against a backdrop of growing demand for sharing services. Sumitomo Corporation is also considering deploying its smart city concepts outside Japan in northern Hanoi, Vietnam, with the aim of commercialization.

Sumitomo Corporation together with Hakuhodo will begin with this PoC to accumulate knowledge and know-how on commodity sharing services and contribute to building comfortable and exciting neighborhoods replete with lifestyle-related services.

(Note 1) Commodities that are not absolutely essential for day-to-day life but are convenient if available for occasional use

<Reference>

■Image of service

■ Photos
 [Set-up of shared-use container] 





■Sumitomo Corporation’s Material Issues
Sumitomo Corporation Group positions “Six Material Issues to Achieve Sustainable Growth with Society” as an important factor in developing business strategies and in the decision-making process for individual businesses. Going forward, we will pursue sustainable growth by resolving these issues through our business activities. This project especially contributes to “the Development of Local Communities and Industries”, “Establishing a Foundation for Comfortable and Enriching Lifestyles” and “Providing Diverse Accessibility”.