SEGA SAMMY : Partners with Katana Inc., an Elite Marketing Company Led by Tsuyoshi Morioka, One of Japan’s Top Marketers ~ Aiming for Success in IR ~

NEWS RELEASE

January 27, 2020

SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS, INC.

SEGA SAMMY's Integrated Resort Initiative (2)

SEGA SAMMY Partners with Katana Inc., an Elite Marketing Company Led by Tsuyoshi Morioka, One of Japan's Top Marketers

~ Aiming for Success in IR ~

It is hereby notified that SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC. (headquarters: Shinagawa-ku,

Tokyo; President and Group COO (Representative Director): Haruki Satomi; "SEGA

SAMMY") has partnered with Katana Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tsuyoshi Morioka; "Katana") led by Tsuyoshi Morioka, one of Japan's top marketers, as part of SEGA SAMMY's initiatives to enter into the integrated resort ("IR") business in Japan. The two sides have already been working together as strategic partners by designing and formulating a business plan for a Japanese-style IR towards the goal of realizing an IR in Yokohama, the candidate area. SEGA SAMMY is making this announcement and showcasing this partnership at the JAPAN IR EXPO at PACIFICO Yokohama starting from January 29.

Mr. Morioka is one of Japan's top marketers and strategists and is widely known as the mastermind that quickly turned Universal Studios Japan around during its managerial crisis. Under its philosophy, "Energize Japan through Marketing," Katana, an elite marketing company led by Morioka, utilizes its unique and superior marketing knowhow to execute numerous projects. In addition, it has shown an extraordinary amount of passion to develop the tourism and entertainment industries as key drivers of the Japanese economy.

In order to succeed in creating an IR that would become a major catalyst for Japan's tourism industry and contribute to the long-term development of Japan's economy, SEGA SAMMY believes that it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the Japanese market and its consumers and execute a logical approach to acquire marketing knowhow that increases business success rates. Under the belief that Katana is the only company in the world that possesses this knowhow, SEGA SAMMY welcomed Katana as a strategic partner for its IR initiative. SEGA SAMMY and Katana have been engaged as partners in the design and formulation of a Japanese-style IR business plan for approximately two years. In the future, Katana will be fully integrated in all aspects of the IR project for the candidate area, from the business planning stages to the actual marketing phase.

SEGA SAMMY and Katana will continue to work together to create a world-class Japanese- style IR facility and will take steps towards the sustainable development of the facility and the region.

• Company overview of Katana Inc.

Katana Inc. is an elite marketing company led by Tsuyoshi Morioka, a strategist and a marketer who is widely known as the mastermind that in just a few years turned Universal Studios Japan around during its managerial crisis. Founded in 2017 under a philosophy to "Energize Japan through Marketing," it has taken the lead in numerous projects. After Katana Inc. entered into a partnership with Marugame Seimen, the noodle company's business recovered in just half a year. Katana Inc. also helped turn business around in a single year for the former Green-Pia Miki Resort (currently, Nesta Resort Kobe) which had gone bankrupt. Katana Inc. has already produced exceptional results in both mature markets and regional revitalization, i.e. the creation of sustainable businesses in regional areas.

Corporate URL: https://katana-marketing.co.jp/