Outside Directors and Outside Corporate Auditors
To strengthen the supervision of business execution, we have appointed six outside directors, representing half of our total of 12 directors, who possess extensive management experience and knowledge. These six outside directors are registered with the Tokyo Stock Exchange as independent directors. (Our Board of Directors aims for independent outside directors to constitute at least 50% of its members.) Of these, three serve as members of the Nomination Committee and the Compensation Committee, which are advisory committees to the Board of Directors, thereby establishing a system for fair deliberations.
Attendance of Meetings in 2024
    
        
            |  | Name | Independent Officer
 | Committee Member
 | Attendance of Meetings in 2024 | 
        
            | Board of Directors
 | Board of Auditors
 | Nomination Committee
 | Remuneration Committee
 | 
    
    
        
            | CorporateDirector
 | Makoto Tani
 | ― | ○ | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | ― | 5 out of 5 times (100%)
 | 3 out of 3 times (100%)
 | 
        
            | Minoru Kanaya
 | ― | ○ | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | ― | 3 out of 3 times (100%)
 | 1 out of 1 times (100%)
 | 
        
            | OutsideDirector
 | Fumio Tahara
 *Lead
 | ○ 
 | ○ | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | ― | 5 out of 5 times (100%)
 | 3 out of 3 times (100%)
 | 
        
            | Ayako Sano
 | ○ | ○ | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | ― | 3 out of 3 times (100%)
 | 1 out of 1 times(100%) | 
        
            | Hirohiko Imura
 | ○ | ○ | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | ― | 3 out of 3 times (100%)
 | 1 out of 1 times (100%)
 | 
        
            | Director, Audit & Supervisory
 Committee Chair
 | Makoto Suzuki
 | ― | ― | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | 14 out of 14 times (100%)
 | ― | ― | 
        
            | Outside DirectorAuditor & Supervisory
 Committee Member
 | Tatsuya Aoyagi
 | ○ | ― | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 | 14 out of 14 times (100%)
 | ― | ― | 
        
            | Reiko Okuhara
 | ○ | ― | 13 out of 13 times (100%)
 
 | 14 out of 14 times (100%)
 
 | ― | ― | 
    
    - * Of the officers as of March 2025, officers who took office after the Shareholders Meeting held in March of the same year are excluded.
- * Lead Independent Outside Director. 
Support System for Outside Directors
Support for outside directors is primarily handled by the General Affairs Group of our company, which provides internal information necessary for their supervision or auditing. Specifically, information related to management is provided as appropriate, and a system is in place to share important policy and risk information as needed, in accordance with the Group Emergency Response Regulations. Furthermore, the General Affairs Group serves as a contact point for questions and suggestions from outside directors, coordinating with relevant internal departments to ensure two-way communication.
In addition, we regularly hold study sessions for outside directors at least once a year, inviting external lecturers to discuss themes such as risk management. Moreover, as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of our business and its risks, we regularly hold liaison meetings for independent directors two times a year, where they conduct on-site confirmations of risks by inspecting our stores and factories.