SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd.
Japanese elderly-care and lifestyle services company operating the nationwide 'Soyokaze' care brand, formerly part of the Unimat Group.
Last updated September 29, 2026
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Overview
SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company that operates elderly-care and related lifestyle services under the 'Soyokaze' brand nationwide. Its roots go back to June 1975, when Yutaka Kaminari — later known as the founder of Fuji Biomedix — established Saitama Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd. (有限会社埼玉臨床検査研究所), a clinical testing business. The company was incorporated in 1976, changed its name to Kanto Medical Research Institute in 1986, and registered its shares with the Japan Securities Dealers Association in 1990. In 2001 it became Medeca Japan Co., Ltd. and began building a care business alongside its laboratory operations. From the late 1990s the company expanded into elderly care, opening its first home-visit care station in Sendai in 1997 and its first day-service center in 1999. It opened its first group home in 2001, its first fee-based nursing home in 2002, and its first short-stay facility the same year. In 2008 it entered the Unimat Group through a capital and business alliance with Unimat Holdings and Unimat Life, and in 2010 it listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange JASDAQ market (later Tokyo Stock Exchange JASDAQ) under code 9707. It was renamed Unimat Soyokaze in 2011 and Unimat Retirement Community in 2015. Today SOYOKAZE describes itself as a diversified services company that does not limit itself to a single business. Its operations include nursing care (home-based and residential services), a meal-delivery business under the 'Shoku no Soyokaze' brand, life-planning services, community services such as the 'Koran Shonan Sajima' third place, future-creation services involving AI, app development and IT solutions, and consulting services aimed at preventing care-related turnover. The company positions itself around the idea of being professional and creating new value, with the slogan 'BE PROFESSIONAL' and the phrase 'a new breeze for senior life.' As of March 31, 2026, SOYOKAZE reported capital of 100 million yen and 10,933 employees including temporary, contract and part-time staff. Its representative director and president is Kiyohiko Nakagawa. The company was delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange JASDAQ market in June 2021 after a tender offer by Unimat Life, and in April 2023 it left the Unimat Group when the Asian investment fund MBK Partners acquired all shares, changing its name to SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd. In September 2024 it established a joint holding company, Japan Wellbeing Co., Ltd., with the MBK Partners-affiliated care provider Tsukui. In June 2026 the US investment fund Advent International acquired all shares of Japan Wellbeing, making SOYOKAZE part of the Advent International portfolio.
History
SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd. traces its origins to June 1975, when Yutaka Kaminari established Saitama Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd. (有限会社埼玉臨床検査研究所). Kaminari is also known as the founder of Fuji Biomedix. In December 1976 the company was reorganized from a limited liability company into a joint-stock company, Saitama Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd., headquartered in Konosu, Saitama Prefecture. In July 1986 it changed its name to Kanto Medical Research Institute Co., Ltd. In February 1990 its shares were registered over-the-counter with the Japan Securities Dealers Association. The company began its move into elderly care in July 1997, when it opened its first home-visit nursing station, the Sendai City Home Care Helper Station, in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. In April 1999 it opened its first day-service center, the Yamada Day Service Center (now Yamada Care Center Soyokaze), also in Sendai. In January 2001 the company changed its name to Medeca Japan Co., Ltd. In March 2001 it opened its first group home, Gyoda Care Center Soyokaze, in Gyoda, Saitama Prefecture. In April 2002 it opened its first fee-based nursing home with care services, Kameari Care Community Soyokaze, in Katsushika, Tokyo, and in November 2002 its first short-stay facility, Okegawa Care Center Soyokaze, in Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture. In December 2004 the clinical testing business was spun off into Medeca Japan Laboratory Co., Ltd. as a consolidated subsidiary. In March 2008 the company concluded a capital and business alliance with Unimat Holdings Co., Ltd. and Unimat Life Co., Ltd., and in April 2008 it carried out a third-party allotment of new shares to those companies, joining the Unimat Group. In October 2008 it transferred all shares of Medeca Japan Laboratory and specialized its management in the care business. In April 2010, following the merger of Jasdaq Securities Exchange and Osaka Securities Exchange, it listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange JASDAQ market (later Tokyo Stock Exchange JASDAQ) under securities code 9707. In March 2011 it absorbed Unimat Care Support Co., Ltd., taking over 13 offices. In April 2011 it opened its first nursery school business, Kazenoko Hoikuen, inside Toda Care Community Soyokaze. In September 2011 it changed its name to Unimat Soyokaze Co., Ltd. and moved its headquarters to the Unimat Aoyama Building in Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. In January 2012 it acquired shares of Japan Medicare Support Co., Ltd., making it a consolidated subsidiary, and in July 2012 it absorbed five consolidated subsidiaries and took over the business of one consolidated subsidiary. In September 2013 it began the retirement community business. In October 2015 it changed its name to Unimat Retirement Community Co., Ltd. In August 2016 its consolidated subsidiary Join Life Soyokaze was renamed Unimat Staff Company Co., Ltd., and it began a paid employment placement business. In January 2017 it moved its headquarters to the Placeo Aoyama Building in Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. In October 2017 it acquired shares of Berg no Shigatsu Co., Ltd., making it a consolidated subsidiary; through an absorption-type split, Unimat Precious Co., Ltd.'s restaurant business was succeeded by Berg no Shigatsu, which was renamed Unimat Caravan Co., Ltd. In January 2018 it established Shonan Koran Co., Ltd. as a consolidated subsidiary. In February 2019 it acquired all shares of Home Like Shonan Co., Ltd. and took over all its business in March of that year. In 2020 the company took over care facilities from Panasonic Age-Free Co., Ltd. and Unimat Life Co., Ltd., and in December 2020 it took over two group homes from Care Support Soyokaze Co., Ltd. In February 2021 it acquired all shares of Amenity Life Co., Ltd. In March 2021 a tender offer by Unimat Life Co., Ltd. succeeded, making Unimat Life the parent company with a 49.04% voting rights ratio. In April 2021 it took over six care facilities from Panasonic Age-Free. In June 2021 it was delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange JASDAQ market, and on June 14, 2021, following a share consolidation, its shareholders became Unimat Life Co., Ltd. and Yoji Takahashi only. In July 2021 it acquired all shares of Nadeshiko Co., Ltd. In June 2022 it transferred all shares of its consolidated subsidiary Unimat Caravan Co., Ltd. to Unimat Life Co., Ltd. In January 2023 it acquired shares of Dojin Life Co., Ltd. On April 3, 2023, the Asian investment fund MBK Partners acquired all shares, and the company left the Unimat Group and changed its name to SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd. In September 2024 it established a joint holding company, Japan Wellbeing Co., Ltd., with Tsukui, another company under MBK Partners. In September 2025 it moved its headquarters to its current location. In June 2026 the US investment fund Advent International acquired all shares of Japan Wellbeing.
Established Saitama Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd. (有限会社埼玉臨床検査研究所).
Reorganized into a joint-stock company, Saitama Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Changed name to Kanto Medical Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Registered shares over-the-counter with the Japan Securities Dealers Association.
Opened first home-visit nursing station in Sendai.
Opened first day-service center in Sendai.
Changed name to Medeca Japan Co., Ltd.
Opened first group home in Gyoda, Saitama.
Opened first fee-based nursing home in Katsushika, Tokyo.
Opened first short-stay facility in Okegawa, Saitama.
Products and positioning
A diversified Japanese care and lifestyle services provider positioning itself as professional and innovative, offering 'a new breeze for senior life' under the Soyokaze brand.
Home-visit nursing care
Day services
Group homes
Short-stay services
Fee-based nursing homes
Serviced housing for the elderly
Meal delivery 'Shoku no Soyokaze'
Life-planning services
Community third place 'Koran Shonan Sajima'
AI, app development and IT solutions
Consulting for care-related turnover prevention
Sources5 sources
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