Butter | Announcement Regarding Takeru Yoshida’s Two-Year Leave of Absence as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support and patronage of Butter.

We hereby announce that Takeru Yoshida, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Butter, will be taking an approximately two-year leave of absence from his activities at Butter in order to pursue higher education and take time to reflect on his future.

Throughout his time at Butter, Mr. Yoshida has devoted himself to the management and development of the organization. At the same time, he has made the decision to step away from his activities at Butter for a certain period in order to reconsider his future path and broaden his possibilities through his studies at university.

This leave of absence does not constitute Mr. Yoshida’s resignation from Butter. Rather, it is a temporary leave of absence to allow him to focus on his academic studies and personal growth as he looks toward his future.

Management Structure During the Leave of Absence

During Takeru Yoshida’s leave of absence, Satoru Kamiyama, who currently serves as Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs at Butter, will assume the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer (Interim CEO) and oversee the management and operations of Butter.

Throughout the leave of absence, Butter’s services, businesses, and activities will continue as usual.

Under Mr. Kamiyama’s leadership, Butter will strengthen collaboration among its various departments and remain committed to its principles and the work it has built over the years, while ensuring stable and continuous operations.

A Message from Takeru Yoshida

Since founding the Children’s Pride Committee when I was in my first year of junior high school, I have continued to think deeply and earnestly about society and, above all, about myself.

When I entered junior high school, I made the choice not to attend school. In general terms, this is what is commonly referred to in Japan as futoko, or school non-attendance.

However, for me, it was not simply a matter of being unable to attend school. After deeply reflecting on myself and thinking carefully about my circumstances, I made the decision not to attend school of my own will.

In our society, human beings have created certain frameworks for categorizing people, and within those frameworks, the concept of “school” has come to be regarded as something natural and fundamental.

Of course, there is no doubt that school is an important environment for many children.

At the same time, however, every person is different, and no two people are exactly alike.

For this reason, I believe it is only natural that there are children who feel that the current compulsory education environment does not suit them.

Rather than forcing children into a single definition of what they “should” be simply because they are children, I wanted to create a place where the voices of children living in diverse circumstances could be heard and embraced, where different perspectives could be respected, and where children could freely exchange their ideas with one another.

That vision is what led to the creation of the Children’s Pride Committee.

It has now been approximately five years and four months since I founded Butter.

Over these past five years and four months, I have experienced many things, thought deeply about many issues, and continued to face myself.

And now, another major moment of choice has arrived in my life.

I have chosen to go to university.

This decision does not mean that I am rejecting any of the choices I have made in the past.

I believe that because I once chose not to attend school, I am now able to see a new possibility: the choice to attend university.

At university, I will learn in a new environment, meet people from many different backgrounds, and encounter values and perspectives that I have never known before.

And through these experiences, I hope to expand the number of choices available to me in my own life.

I see this as an exciting journey to expand the possibilities and choices in my life.

For approximately the next two years, I will temporarily step away from my activities at Butter so that I can focus on my university studies and reflect on my future.

However, Butter’s related services will remain available as usual during my leave of absence.

I will also use this period to think about various ideas and prepare to create new innovations for the future.

I hope you will look forward to seeing what comes next.

To everyone who has supported Butter throughout the years, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

For a little while, I will be setting off on a new journey.

Until we meet again.

Takeru Yoshida

Looking Ahead

During Takeru Yoshida’s leave of absence, Butter will continue its activities under a new management structure led by Satoru Kamiyama, Interim Chief Executive Officer, while carrying forward the principles and values that Butter has established over the years.

Further details regarding the duration of the leave of absence and Mr. Yoshida’s return to Butter will be announced as they are determined.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported Butter throughout its journey.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support of Butter.

Butter

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Takeru Yoshida

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Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs

Satoru Kamiyama