Aeon : The Roots of AEON - AEON BOOK（17,906KB）(new window. for

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TheRoots

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Aeon

A E O N B O O K

We have been constantly changing since the company was founded.

Today, we are still taking on new challenges.

But no matter how times change, our spirit stays the same.

We have created this booklet to tell as many people as possible the stories behind the ideas at the root of our initiatives.

Once you have read the whole booklet, we are sure you will understand

the essence of the Aeon Foundational Ideals of pursuing peace, respecting humans, and contributing to local communities.

Why is Aeon here today, and where will Aeon be heading in the future? We hope that you will understand what drives us a little better.

We want to tell everyone

The Story

of

theRootsof

Aeon

02

03

The

Roots

Story

Meeting

Eiichi Shibusawa The sixth Soemon Okada

while peddling wares

on the Tokaido

The sixth Soemon Okada, the father of Takuya Okada, Honorary Chairman and Advisor to Aeon, graduated from a commercial school in Yokkaichi City, The peddling trade was a particularly prominent subject at the school. To get to grips with the subject, Soemon and five friends came up with a grand plan to sell their wares while traveling the Tokaido during the summer holidays to Tokyo to meet Eiichi Shibusawa, the most important figure in the industrial world, and they made it happen. In fact, our roots lie in the peddling trade where it is important to interact face to face with customers.

A storefront in the Taisho period

The customer has been the starting point

for the business at Aeon ever since we started out in the peddling trade in the Edo period.

The first Okadaya store was located down a side street from the main road, so simply sitting in the store did not meet many demands.

This is why the tradesmen hoisted the peddler's pole and went from house to house in all the villages in the area to find out what customers wanted.

Our customer-first spirit was forged in the early days of trading by listening to the real voices of customers in the Edo period and later.

The young Soemon carried local products on his back and earned his travel expenses by trading. He treasured these encounters with customers on the road, which is probably why he finally made it to Tokyo and managed to meet Eiichi Shibusawa in person.

This is the DNA that makes Aeon who we are today.

04

05

opp h s

Story The Roots Story

Finding answers to problems made Aeon who we are today.

Why has Aeon grown to a point where we trade all over Japan?

Of course, the larger a company is, the better it is able to satisfy customer needs, but if pushed, we would say that Aeon has expanded naturally while responding to one customer problem

at a time. To live well, we need things and we need a place where it is possible to shop at moderate prices. We also need to pay for the things we want when we want them.

Aeon has become who we are today by finding answers to problems ever since the days when many of the things we take for granted today were not possible.

We also want as many customers as possible to enjoy the shopping experience, so we connected with like-minded partners across Japan to increase the number of stores.

1990

Cooperated with natural cosmetics brands

in anticipation of the health and environmental boom.

2001

Conceived the Aeon drugstore alliances.

1985

Opened the first overseas store

in response to a request

from the Malaysian Prime Minister.

1990

Provided financial services in various countries to encourage shopping.

1981

Launched a credit service for housewives,

which was not available at banks.

2007

The banking business stays open

until 9 pm 365 days a year.

Aeon

Answers

Products

Health

& Wellness

Discount

Store

International

Supermarket

1974

Developed private brand to counteract

price increases by manufacturers.

2021

Froze prices on 5,000 Topvalu products to support daily life under inflation pressure.

1987

Developed the discount format in response to price sensitivity.

2008〜

Expanded compact discount stores to accommodate

the population concentration in cities.

1982

Developed compact supermarkets

in response to restrictions

on large retail store openings.

2010〜

Formed business alliances

with supermarkets nationwide aiming to be No. 1 in each region.

It is our job to make sure you have everything that

you cannot do without.

Is shopping at the store

the only way to shop with satisfaction!?

in

g

ap

1973

Launched a clothing specialty store business.

1984〜

Cooperated with international brands of clothes, general goods, and other products.

Financial Services

Services

1970〜

Started a travel agency, and food service.

1987

Launched a building maintenance business

focused on retail premises.

1990〜

		n	d
Aeon believes that the role of a	Today we deliver products using a wide range	a
H
retailer is to perform a consumer	of methods including online markets and
subrogation function. It would be	mobile shops, so that customers can enjoy
difficult for consumers to procure	shopping anywhere and anytime in ways that
all the products and services they	are comfortable and convenient. Trading by
need on their own.	hoisting the peddler's pole has changed into
Therefore, we procure products on behalf of consumers and offer	digital technologies and mobility services, but our wish to enrich
them at affordable prices. We want to support the good life	life through shopping and the idea that the customer is the
through such initiatives.	starting point have not changed at all.

1758 Founded

Started out by peddling wares,

continued to respond to customer needs.

１９６０〜

Developed chain stores

and self-service by learning from the USA,

the leading retail country

2010〜

Introduced a product assortment

that can hold its own

against emerging specialty stores.

Specialty

Store

Shopping

Center

Development

General

Merchandise

Store

Developed indoor playgrounds and cinemas for shopping centers.

1969

Started as Japan's first commercial developer

in anticipation of the car society.

1990〜

Created new hubs by opening stores

in rural areas with few services.

2010〜

Developed locations near railway stations

and business complexes.

06

07

The

Roots

Story

A customer standing

in line for a bargain sale

and weeping forjoy

is proofof peace

	The Okadaya store burnt down in the Second World War, but the
	year after the war ended, the store organized a bargain sale at the
	burnt-out site. The company president at the time, Takuya Okada,
	noticed a customer grasping a flyer tightly and weeping tears of
	joy, saying "The war is really over." This is when Mr. Okada realized
	that thriving retail is a symbol of peace. As retailers, we have
	constantly campaigned for lasting peace even as Japan experienced
Okadaya after the war	rapid economic growth and enjoyed a period of prosperity.

It takes more than ordinary effort to maintain an ordinary life.

A retailer opens a store and customers come to do their shopping.

We can do these ordinary, everyday things because our world is peaceful.

However, corporations also need to put in the effort to create and maintain an environment where many customers can comfortably enjoy their shopping.

Creating well-stocked stores is a given, but we look at the issues from many perspectives to ensure that the retail industry remains the cornerstone for peace.

Through our business, we engage with social activities, environmental protection, saving and generating energy, respect for human rights, and prevention of disasters and epidemics.

We also work hand-in-hand with producers to grow high-quality agricultural produce.

08

09

Story The Roots Story

							2000～		2011～
We pledge to join everyone to help each other across Asia.		solutions.
							■ Believing that basic education is indispensable to realize a	■ Launched the Asia Youth Leaders program where high school
in times of joy and times of sorrow.			peaceful society, we supported the construction of schools	students throughout Asia discuss social issues and propose
		a fundraiser for disaster relief after the earthquake in	develop human resources for the global
							■ Launched a domestic disaster relief fund starting with a	■ Launched the Asia Students Environment Platform (ASEP),
							fundraiser for the Mt. Usu volcanic disaster relief fund.	which brings together university students from Asian countries to
							■ Launched an international disaster relief fund starting with	discuss and make proposals across national borders. The aim is to
					1990～
						western India.		environmental field.
The retail industry has always been close to the consumer and knows what products and	■ Launched the Small Ambassadors (now,	■ Launched an international humanitarian aid fund
Teenage Ambassadors) program to	starting with fundraising for the ZERO
services people want.					deepen mutual understanding of society	Landmine campaign.
				and culture by inviting high school
Today when values are diversifying and the days of standard products flying off the shelves have ended,	students from other countries to Japan
and sponsoring visits by Japanese high
we still have access to this information.				school students to other countries.
This is why we want to help enrich life by bringing people the things they truly need.							2017
Of course, there are enjoyable aspects to shopping, our business has become an indispensable social
infrastructure and lifeline. and a part of the social infrastructure						2001～		■ Brought back the Fujyukai
in case of a disaster or some other tragedy.					1996～		scholarships to support high
				■ Started the Aeon Happy Yellow Receipt
				prefecture.
										school students in Mie
We want to join hands with everyone in the community			1991～	■ Believing that environmental problems	Campaign, which donates 1% of purchases on
		the 11th day of each month to community	2022
					have no borders, we planted trees at the	organizations.
in the hope of spending peaceful moments together.				Great Wall in China. The tree-planting
			■ Launched "Aeon Hometown
					Forest Program" in the hope	activities have continued across Asia.	■ Issued Waon Cards with 0.1% of the amount	■ Launched the Aeon
							spent anywhere in Japan going toward	Fundraising to Rescue
					of turning the stores into a	■ Launched the Kodomo Eco Club (now,
					revitalization of local communities.	Children in Ukraine.
					modern version of the chinju-	Aeon Cheers Club), a store-based
				1965
				no-mori woods that bring	activity to teach children about the		At Aeon,
				people together.	environment and community life.
				■ Canceled the opening party					we share your feelings and we
Okadaya is		■ Organized the Fujyukai	for the Okazaki store. Instead,	Mutual acceptance is
	to create a place of rest for		match your donations.
1758		1958		we donated cherry tree saplings	the watchword for international exchange.
established		scholarship	system for the	local residents. The place is still
		rising number of children	famous for its cherry trees.					As retailers we take advantage of the ability to
		orphaned by traffic accidents		We support young people to grow into internationally-minded individuals in an	contribute to society together with the customers
		as the car society expanded.
					atmosphere of friendship and goodwill and to deepen mutual understanding	who use Aeon. We match the amount of donations
					through international cultural and personal exchanges. Teenage Ambassador, an	received through fundraising campaigns and deliver
Education	Tree-planting	International	Fundraising	Community	exchange program where Japanese and international high school students visit	the donations to places where they are needed. In
Exchange	each other's countries, and the Asia Youth Leaders program, where high school	recent years, we have matched the amounts raised
We support the young	We continue tree-	We provide learning	We stand with our	We create systems that	students throughout Asia discuss shared social issues and propose solutions, are	from customers in support of the Aeon New
people who are the	planting activities	opportunities to hand	customers and match	allow customers to
two representative programs. We hope that participants will join forces to build a	Coronavirus Medical Worker Support Fund and the
leaders of the next	across national borders.	down a prosperous	their donations.	contribute to society
generation.		society.		through their purchases.	bright future for Asia through international exchanges that accept diverse values.	Aeon Fundraising to Rescue Children in Ukraine.

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11

Story The Roots Story

We plant trees with an eye to the future of the planet.

Tree-planting started in Malaysia

before coming to Japan?!

The Aeon Hometown Forest Program started at the Jusco Melaka store (now, Aeon Melaka Shopping Center) in Malaysia in 1991. In other words, the first anniversary was at an overseas store. One year later in 1992, the Jusco Shinhisai store (now, Aeon Hisai store) in Tsu City, Mie prefecture, was the first store in Japan to plant trees. Since then, we have poured our energy into activities at stores both in Japan and abroad. As of 2023, the initiative has expanded to 11 countries. The trees that we planted in the early years have now grown into forests with lush ecosystems. They are also well-loved by the local communities.

Regeneration at the Great

Wall of China started by collecting acorns.

In addition to store premises, we have also raised saplings to plant at the Great Wall of China. When we researched the local area, we discovered that Mongolian oak

forests used to grow near the wall in areas where we only found low shrubs and vegetation. So, with the help of the local community, we collected 300,000 acorns from the Mongolian oak species and grew saplings. The Aeon Environmental Foundation planted the first trees in 1998. In the first three years, as many as 4,000 people from Japan paid their own travel expenses of more than 100,000 yen to participate. With so much support, the greenery at the Great Wall of China has been restored.

Since the launch of the Aeon Hometown Forest program in 1991, we plant trees together with our customers every time a new store opens. The initiative was partly inspired by the heavenly bamboo shrubs in the garden of Takuya Okada's family home in Yokkaichi City, Mie prefecture. These garden shrubs stopped forming seeds in the 1960s.

In those days, atmospheric and marine pollution caused by industrial complexes presented Yokkaichi with serious problems. Mr. Okada sensed the abnormal changes in the global environment and came up with the idea for the Aeon Hometown Forest program, which uses the most important feature of a retailer: contact with customers. The aim was to recreate the chinju-no-mori that used to be at the heart of communities by planting a forest at the stores where people gather.

Do the saplings we plant really turn into a forest?

The Aeon Hometown Forests are planted each time we open a new store at a time when we open new stores, but do they really have the function of a forest? With the cooperation of our customers, we surveyed 101 store premises for two years from 2021 to 2022. We discovered 1,318 species of organisms, which confirms that these forests play a role in increasing the biodiversity value in the local area. It is clear that planting trees together with customers has an effect on the natural environment in the communities.

12

13

Story The Roots Story

Being eco-friendly is linked to the future of the planet.

We are focusing our energies on the realization of a decarbonized society

as well as biodiversity conservation, better use of resources, and waste reduction. These activities look to the future of the planet as well as the local community. We are working together with our customers with one goal in mind

and in the spirit of a retailer.

The simple concept of turning used

PET bottles

into new ones.

Since February 2021, we have promoted the Bottle to Bottle Project, which aims to use fully circular PET bottles. We recycle PET

We award points for

renewable energy

generated at home.

We opened the Aeon Fujiidera Shopping Center where 100% of the energy consumption is provided by renewable energy sources in Fujiidera

GET

POINTS!

bottles collected at Aeon stores and use the reprocessed PET resin raw material to make bottles for the Topvalu range. In March 2022, we released four flavors of Topvalu Gurinai Organic tea beverages at approximately 1,600 stores across Japan. We recycle the PET bottles returned to the collection boxes and deliver them to the customer one more time.

City, Osaka prefecture in 2019. Since then, stores that use 100% renewable energy have popped up one after another. Meanwhile, we have also launched new initiatives to finance renewable energy within the regions. Customers who own both solar power installations and EVs charge their vehicles with renewable energy generated at home and drive to our stores where they can discharge excess renewable energy in exchange for points from Aeon based on the amount of electricity they discharge. In the future, we will gradually expand the plan beyond the Kansai area.

Exchange excess energy for points!

Create

renewable energy

by using EVs

Bottle

to

Bottle

Project

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					Earn
					points
Charge		Drive to		Discharge
at home		the store		at the store

14

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Story The Roots Story

It is the future that we nurture together with producers.

We are more than a mere vendor selling agricultural produce, animal products, and marine products.

We maintain a presence at the points of production, and we continue to provide good quality products in a responsible manner. Currently, we are also expanding the lineup of products in our stores.

The narrative is our approach of seeking out truly good products

that consumers want, and our strong partnerships with many producers.

30 years since the launch,

there is love in Gurinai.

In 2023, the Topvalu Gurinai brand celebrated 30 years since it was launched as the Aeon's private brand in 1993. The brand started out by focusing on agricultural produce grown without chemically synthesized pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Today, Topvalu Gurinai Organic has grown to become the largest brand among the private brands of organic products developed by retailers in Japan. By the way, did you know that the brand name Gurinai stands for nature and ecology (green) combined with ai, which has three connotations: ai for love in Japanese, I for the self, and eye for seeing.

Sustainable seaweed to the dining table.

To preserve marine life for future generations, the Topvalu brand promotes sustainable seafood, including a range of products certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). The MSC certification stands for marine products caught by sustainable fisheries that take marine resources and the environment into consideration. The ASC certification is given to seafood produced in sustainable aquacultures. Purchasing products that carry either of these labels supports fishermen who conserve resources and the environment. In November 2022, Jusanhama Wakame from Miyagi prefecture, sold under the Topvalu Guriani Natural label, became the first ASC certified wakame in Japan.

AUSTRALIA

The safety of	TASMANIA
Tasmanian beef is

certified by the state premier!

In 1974, Jusco (now, Aeon) established joint ventures with farming businesses in Australia and Brazil to provide tasty beef at unbeatable prices. The same year, we set up a cattle farm in Tasmania, Australia. To remove concerns about the safety of imported meat, the farm uses absolutely no growth hormones or antibiotics to raise the animals. But at the time, the beef could not be certified because no accrediting agency existed. So, we negotiated with the premier of Tasmania, carried out numerous controls at the farm, and received a Certificate of Assurance from the premier. Even when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was discovered in the United States in 2003, and questions were raised about the safety of imported beef for human consumption, Aeon continued to deliver safe Tasmanian beef.

We are a good friend to the

Organic Farm Town.

Aya-chou, which is situated in the middle of Miyazaki prefecture, is a successful example of rural revival with an increasing number of people moving here from all over the country attracted by the "Organic Farm Town" slogan. The whole town is engaged in organic farming and the municipality is the first in Japan to qualify for the Organic JAS certification. Since the spring of 2023, we have sold red leaf lettuce, green lettuce, sweet potatoes, carrots and other organic vegetables under the Topvalu Gurinai Organic brand at the Aeon Miyazaki Store. It is a win-win situation that benefits both local consumers and local producers, who have expanded their sales channels.

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There is a reason we kept the stores open despite the disaster.

As long as there are groceries, we will distribute them.

We know there is more we could do.

After the earthquake disaster, we worked hard to contribute to the recovery in the area by moving

Aeon stores are not only places to shelter in case of a natural disaster, but they also play an important role as lifelines providing water, food, and clothing. When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in March 2011, all stores in the affected areas were

severely damaged, but we still provided local people with shelter and worked hard to resume business as quickly as possible and to return to normal. Here, we share some of the stories in the immediate wake of the earthquake disaster.

The Aeon Sendai Nakayama Store suffered major damage when the third floor of the three-story building collapsed and everyone escaped from the store. The staff nevertheless decided to open up the store even though all they had were the products inside the building. They set up rows of carts on one side of the parking lot outside the store and started to sell the products. Word spread and lines of people were forming from around

people and goods from all over Japan to the area to reopen stores as soon as possible. But there must be more we can do to ensure a safe and secure everyday life. Our stores used to have fire drills twice a year and earthquake drills once a year, but we increased the earthquake drills to twice a year after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We are also developing

Aeon About 600 people spent 26 hours

Tagajo Store on the roof before they were rescued.

six the next morning. Realizing that they would quickly run out of groceries, and knowing it was reckless, staff still entered the store to gather up products to

disaster prevention measures and we fully understand that our stores are a lifeline for the local community.

In Tagajo City, Miyagi prefecture, about 600 people took refuge on the roof of the 5-story Aeon Tagajo store and its 4-story parking garage. Immediately after, a tsunami triggered by the tremors washed away homes and cars. A fire also broke out at a nearby petrochemical complex. The terrified people spent a long time on the roof, but the Self-Defense Forces finally rescued everyone

"This is normal,

but it makes me really happy."

sell while keeping an eye out for broken glass and other damage.

A drill taking place at Aeon

Mall Iwaka Onahama

Let's join together to create a Bustling Tohoku

by the evening of the next day. About five months later, on August 4, the store reopened two floors for business. However, we tried to respond to customer needs as well as we could by selling Aeon supermarket products at the nearby Maxvalu Tagajo Tsurugaya Store as early as April 2.

When the Aeon Ishinomaki Store recruited volunteers on the fifth day after the disaster, local junior high school students turned up. As a result, they inspired other local people to participate. On March 20, we started to sell bicycles, which were in high demand, and on March 31, we

Let's stay cheerful and join forces to pull through.

Warned by local police that a ten-meter tidal wave was coming, Aeon Mall

Pulling together as a group to prepare for the worst.

Sometimes ATMs are out of order in

In 2016, we launched a campaign to revitalize the region where the disaster had struck based on the Nigiwai Tohoku - Join Hands and Foster the Power of Hometown slogan to demonstrate our continued support for

The store became

a symbol of recovery.

Despite major damage to the Aeon Kesennuma Store, we resumed business on the roof of the store as early as April 1. At the morning meeting before the store reopened, the staff were so overcome with emotion that they shed tears saying, "We are so glad for the sake of the customers," and "We will work hard to become a symbol for the recovery in Kesennuma."

The busy rooftop at the Kesennuma store when business resumed

res u m e d sa les of groceries. A customer who came to the store said, "This is normal, but nothing has been normal these past few weeks, so it makes me really happy."

Ishinomaki decided to let people shelter inside the store. By the second day, the number of evacuees had swelled to 2,300 persons. To look after the people inside the building, the staff were assigned duties such as securing food from the food department, rationing meals, or managing the toilets. Everyone performed their respective duties and the policy was to stay cheerful. They were constantly urging each other to join forces to pull through.

areas struck by disaster, and yet cash is necessary for everyday life. This is why Aeon Bank dispatches mobile ATM vehicles in case of a disaster. We also want to protect the safety of family pets. Aeonpet Co., Ltd. promotes microchipping of pets as a form of preparation for disasters. They also have a "Doctor Car" that can be rushed to disaster areas to transport and treat pets.

Tohoku even though five years had passed since the disaster. Rather than to support the reconstruction, the aim is to create a bustling community, including environmental and social activities through exchanges between Aeon staff and local people, and to roll out products processed in

Tohoku from raw materials grown in Tohoku. We will continue these activities in the spirit of building the

future together.

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