Tamiya Home Wins Next Hero Award at Business & Innovation Award Ceremony

Tamiya Home: A Beacon of Innovation

On September 26, 2025, the esteemed Business & Innovation Awards ceremony took place at the Media Plus Hall, organized by Bunka Hoso. Tamiya Home, headquartered in Tokorozawa, Saitama and led by President Akihiko Tamiya, proudly took home the Next Hero Award. This award acknowledges the innovative efforts of small and medium enterprises that contribute significantly to solving societal challenges.

Tamiya Home's recognition stems from its distinctive corporate culture, where nearly 90% of employees have athletic backgrounds. The company effectively combines the sportsmanship cultivated through athletics with a pressing social problem: vacant houses. By altering the image of the demolition industry, Tamiya Home has created a business model that addresses two societal issues simultaneously.

Award Significance: Synergy of Athletic Mindset and Societal Solutions

The foundation of Tamiya Home’s philosophy is rooted in President Tamiya’s experience as a rugby captain at Urawa Gakuin High School, fostering a spirit of teamwork, individuality, and helping those in need. This ethos led the company to connect the potential of athletes, who often face uncertainty post-retirement, with the issue of vacant homes, of which there are approximately 9 million in Japan.

By applying athletes' grit and teamwork to the clear objective of demolishing vacant properties, Tamiya Home positions these individuals for success through intense personal growth and skill development. The company has established a unique system to nurture top-notch demolition planners, maximizing athletes' attributes like resilience and adaptability.

Key Points of Recognition:
1. Innovative Human Resource Strategy: A training approach that develops athletes into premier demolition planners, tapping into their self-transformational abilities.
2. Positive Rebranding of Demolition Industry: Transforming the traditional, often negative, perceptions of demolition through a customer service approach rooted in hospitality.
3. Future-Forward Business Model: Accelerating solutions to the vacant home issue through the cycles of demolition, regeneration, and value creation.

Next Hero Award Trophy

Addressing the Societal Challenges: Two Significant Barriers

Tamiya Home aims to tackle two pervasive societal impediments: the increasing vacant home crisis and the pressing concern of retiring athletes’ careers.

1. Intensifying Vacant Home Crisis

According to the latest census by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Japan has reached an unprecedented total of 8.99 million vacant homes, reflecting a 13.8% vacancy rate. This alarming trend exacerbates urban decay, posing risks in terms of safety and vitality to local communities. Unsurprisingly, in many rural areas, these homes have become burdensome liabilities, severely impacting the aesthetic and functional quality of neighborhoods.

2. Challenges Related to Athlete Career Transitions

In Japan, the transition from athlete to civilian work remains a significant issue, as noted in reports by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. With only 44.9% of sports organizations providing career support and just 27% of universities implementing tailored programs for athlete students, the gap in transition assistance is glaring. Consequently, many athletes face anxiety regarding their post-sport potential, leading to a societal loss of talent and enthusiasm.

Insights from President Akihiko Tamiya

Accepting the Next Hero Award, President Tamiya expressed immense pride on behalf of the company and its employees. He articulated that this recognition validates Tamiya Home’s values of sportsmanship in addressing societal challenges effectively. The firm believes in elevating athletes' capabilities, shaping them into skilled professionals, thereby contributing not only to the company's progress but also to a future where everyone can pursue their dreams with positivity.

Introduction to the Business & Innovation Award

The Business & Innovation Award 2025, hosted by Bunka Hoso, honors individuals and enterprises at the forefront of innovation with the aim of resolving societal issues. The awards highlight various examples of sustainable growth and organizational transformation. Each entry undergoes rigorous evaluation by industry experts.

Future Prospects: From Demolition to Regeneration

As part of its commitment to enhancing value, Tamiya Home is set to launch its Real Estate Solutions business in 2025, focusing on property transactions before and after demolition. Additionally, a renovation initiative is in the works to tackle issues proactively before homes become vacant.

This strategic evolution from mere demolition to revitalization exemplifies Tamiya Home's ambition to transform its industry image while addressing a pressing community need.

About Tamiya Home

Founded in June 1997, Tamiya Home is expanding its core competencies in demolition, construction, real estate solutions, and vacant home regeneration, embodying the motto, ”Demolition brightens the future!”