News

【Z-kai Group】
RareJob, Inc. and Z-kai form a business alliance for online English lessons

February 15, 2016

The development of real skills adapted to the new university entrance examination system

February 15, 2016 – Zoshinkai Publishers Inc. (Headquarters: Sunto-gun, Shizuoka, Japan; CEO Takaaki Fujii, “Zoshinkai”) today announced that the company has formed a business alliance with RareJob Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO Gaku Nakamura,”RareJob”) for the joint marketing of online English lessons and the development of English language educational services. The two companies will promote these businesses through Z-kai Inc. (Headquarters: Sunto-gun, Shizuoka, Japan; CEO: Takaaki Fujii, “Z-kai”) and other subsidiaries of Zoshinkai (“Z-kai Group”).

1. Purpose of the Business Alliance

Companies today are rapidly expanding their businesses overseas. There is a need for the development of human resources not confined to home but able to act on the world stage. This being the situation, English will become a required subject in elementary schools, and junior and senior high schools will offer classes taught in English. Furthermore, the Japanese education system is due to be reformed in 2020*1 to improve students’ English language communication skills, in particular speaking and writing skills.

Since its foundation in 2007, RareJob’s main business has been the provision of one-on-one online English lessons to fulfill its mission to “Encourage 10 million Japanese to speak fluent English”. RareJob’s strong points include its low cost, the provision of ample speaking opportunities, and its high quality. RareJob has already provided more than 20 million lessons to more than 400,000 users, is used by 674 corporations and educational institutions, and tops*2 the ranks of online English education services in Japan.

Z-kai and other Corporate Data have since their establishment focused not only on helping students to pass entrance examinations, but also on developing “real academic ability” that will be of use in the future. To incorporate this philosophy, the Z-kai Group provides services for which a high level of attention is given to detail, from the selection of texts to the specifics of teaching. The Z-kai Group has focused consistently on English language education and has an excellent reputation not only for its distance correspondence courses which are its principal business, but also for its vocabulary building series “Sokudoku Eitango” and English text book series “NEW TREASURE”.

This alliance will enable the two companies to create and provide new English language educational services to meet the demand for the four English language skills. Through these services, the Z-kai Group will contribute to social innovation and development through the development of human resources with the communication skills that enable them to work together with others in the global community.

Main Businesses

The two companies will:

  • Starting from March 2016, jointly market RareJob’s online English lessons to Z-kai Group customers.
  • Offer Online English lessons using the English textbook “NEW TREASURE” provided by the Z-kai Group to junior and senior high schools.
  • Market RareJob’s online English lessons to schools, cram schools and preparatory schools with the Z-kai Group acting as sales agent.
  • Undertake the joint development of English language education services.

This alliance will enable the two companies to make the most of the interactive effects of the high quality and value of our services to help improve the four English language skills. There is currently an increased demand for English skills due to the reform of the university entrance examination system*1. The Z-kai Group and RareJob will create new English language education services based on universal values.

For increased business efficiency, Zoshinkai will hold RareJob shares (shareholding ratio: 4.33%) .

Message from CEOs

“I am pleased to announce today that we have formed a business alliance. The education environment is changing rapidly and we are entering a new era of education,“ said Takaaki Fujii, CEO of Zoshinkai Publishers Inc. “The Z-kai Group is devoted to improving its services so as to deliver to each of our customers excellence in education. I am sure this alliance with RareJob, a top-ranked company offering online private English lessons, is a big step towards the development of new ICT-based English education services. We will make the most of the strong points of our two companies to bring about the successful development of English language education. We will combine our strengths to meet our customers’ expectations.”

“We have reached an agreement with Zoshinkai to collectively provide online English lessons and to create new products for mainly elementary, junior and senior high schools to deliver a higher learning experience,” said Gaku Nakamura, CEO of RareJob Inc. “We have decided to innovate English language education in Japan and create more effective products with Zoshinkai because we understood its philosophy. I am also an alumnus of Z-kai who studied using its distance correspondence course from junior to senior high school. We will expand its high quality services throughout our sphere of influence that is English conversation, and escalate our business to fulfil our mission to “Encourage 10 million Japanese to speak fluent English”.

About RareJob

Corporate headquarters: 2nd floor, Kyosera Harajuku Building, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Gaku Nakamura, CEO
URL ： https://www.rarejob.com/
Business & vision:
Based on its group vision, “Chances for everyone, everywhere”, RareJob provides online one-on-one English lessons in order to fulfil its mission to “Encourage 10 million Japanese to speak fluent English” and thus help create a society in which many more people can play an active part throughout the world, regardless of nationality or language RareJob’d strong points include its low cost, the provision of ample speaking opportunities, and its high quality. Listed in the Mothers section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange since June 2014, RareJob has already provided its online lessons to more than 400,000 users, is used by 674 corporations and educational institutions, and tops*2 the ranks of online English education services in Japan.

Main businesses:

About Zoshinkai Publishers Inc.

Corporate headquarters: 105-17, Shimotogari, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka-ken
Representative: Takaaki Fujii, CEO
URL：http://www.zkai.co.jp/

Business & vision:
Based on its corporate philosophy of “Excellence in education for future global leaders”, Zoshinkai offers educational services such as distance correspondence education services, cram schools and a publishing business that aim to develop genuine academic abilities. More than 230,000 students and adults use the services each year. In order to adapt to the coming Japanese educational reforms the Corporate Data will, under the leadership of Z-kai whose main business is distance correspondence education services, create and provide new comprehensive courses as part of the distance correspondence education service; implement a new learning structure, “Metheus”, for cram schools; and operate Cambridge English Examinations. The Z-kai Group is going forward with the aim of delivering to each of its students excellence in education.

Main business:

- Z-kai Inc. (Distance correspondence education)
“Comprehensive course” for junior high school students (grades 7 and 8)
- Z-kai Inc. (Publishing)
- Z-kai Inc. (Video education business)
- Z-kai Educe Inc. (Cram school)
“Metheus”, new learning structure
- Z-kai CA Inc. (services for university students and adults)
- 21st Century Learning Research Institute, Inc. (Assessment)

［Notes］
*1. The current National Center Test for University Admissions will be terminated in 2020 and replaced the following year by a new achievement test provisionally named the “Academic Ability Assessment Test for university entrance applicants”. The current Center Test has been set just once each year and sat by some 500,000 candidates. The new system will assess their academic achievement two or three times a year, and will include English language tests to assess the four skills (Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing).

*2. From the “Survey of the use of online English lessons” by MOBILE MARKETING DATA LABO, 19 June 2015.

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