#Japan #Tokyo #SMS #Job Support #Kabenashi

Introduction

SM Solutions, a Tokyo-based company, has officially launched its new brand, "Kabenashi," aimed at integrating various services within the disability welfare sector. This initiative includes the renaming of existing platforms—"Deigo Job Navi" to "Kabenashi Job Navi" and "Deigo Employment Support Navi" to "Kabenashi Employment Support Navi"—effective September 2, 2025. The primary objective of these platforms is to cater to the diverse employment needs of individuals with disabilities.

Social Background

As Japan faces a declining working-age population due to its aging society, the opportunities for diverse human resources to thrive have increased. Notably, companies have been consistently breaking previous employment records for individuals with disabilities for 21 consecutive years. Despite this progress, only 46% of companies currently meet the legal employment rate for disabled individuals. Furthermore, the demographic of disabled individuals is on the rise, leading to a corresponding increase in the number of employment support facilities. This has created a wider selection of options for individuals with disabilities seeking assistance, but it has also presented challenges in obtaining and comparing tailored information about programs that accommodate their specific needs. Simultaneously, service providers are experiencing intensified competition to attract users, compounded by the majority of them being small or mid-sized enterprises struggling with ICT adoption and management issues, which detracts from their ability to focus on providing support and information to disabled individuals.

SMS's Initiatives in Disability Welfare

To address these pressing issues, SMS has developed various services, including "Kaipoke," a business support platform for caregiving and disability welfare providers, and "Wellme Job," a job search site for caregiving, medical, and educational professionals. Launching in September 2024, SMS aims to enhance its support for individuals with disabilities, welfare providers, and employment companies through the new platforms, "Deigo Job Navi" and "Deigo Employment Support Navi." These services support individuals' choices regarding their careers while addressing the hiring challenges faced by employers. Additionally, the launch of the "Kabenashi Cloud," a system for business support services, aims to minimize the operational burdens on service providers, freeing them to focus more on care and support for individuals with disabilities. The ongoing evolution of these services highlights SMS's commitment to facilitating a more integrated approach to disability welfare.

The Kabenashi Brand

The establishment of Kabenashi is part of SMS's strategic plan to strengthen its infrastructure within the growing disability welfare market. By consolidating its existing services, SMS aims to create synergies that enhance interactions among various stakeholders, including individuals with disabilities, service providers, and employers. The term "Kabenashi" reflects the brand's underlying philosophy—the belief that disabilities stem from societal barriers rather than individual shortcomings. Through this brand, SMS aims to tackle the challenges faced by each stakeholder group and improve the quality of life (QOL) for individuals struggling due to disabilities.

Services Offered Under Kabenashi

With the onset of the Kabenashi brand, the previously named services "Deigo Job Navi" and "Deigo Employment Support Navi" will transition to their new names. The integration aims to reinforce collaboration among services under the Kabenashi label. Beyond enhancing existing values, the synergy created through this integration will enable SMS to expand support for individuals with disabilities, welfare providers, and employment entities.

Individuals with disabilities will benefit from matching opportunities tailored to their needs among various job offers and support programs, while both the job-seeking individuals and employers will receive ongoing support to increase retention rates post-employment.

Service providers will see enhanced operational efficiency and improved business management through the Kabenashi Cloud, along with user engagement support from Kabenashi Employment Support Navi. Moreover, the latter service aims to eliminate barriers to user recruitment by offering free listings for vocational support organizations until March 2027.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, SMS is committed to addressing diverse challenges within the disability welfare field through the Kabenashi brand. The brand will facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, leveraging insights, data, and service capabilities to foster synergies that enhance resource allocation. Importantly, SMS intends to utilize its expertise in health and caregiving to create innovative solutions that go beyond employment, addressing the overall QOL of individuals with disabilities.

Conclusion

Through the Kabenashi brand and its services, SMS envisions a future where societal barriers for individuals with disabilities are systematically dismantled. This initiative is poised not only to support active employment but to enhance the holistic care of individuals navigating life with disabilities.