Kawasaki and Tokyo, Japan, June 4, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Fujitsu Limited and Daiichi Life Group, Inc. today announced that they conduct joint research from April 2026 to March 2027 to advance asset management operations through the application of quantum technology in the insurance sector.This joint research will leverage the expertise of Daiichi Life Insurance Co., Ltd., a leading institutional investor in Japan managing approximately 30 trillion yen in assets, by addressing practical challenges in its asset management operations. Both companies will jointly design and develop quantum algorithms to optimize asset allocation across multiple asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, and alternative assets, considering risk-return balance and liability characteristics. They will also conduct performance verification using quantum computer simulators [1] (quantum simulators) and quantum computers.When making asset allocation decisions, it is necessary to simultaneously consider complex factors such as the balance between risk and return, liability characteristics, regulatory requirements, and investment constraints for each asset class. The two companies aim to conduct more comprehensive and efficient evaluations that take these factors into account under a wide range of economic scenarios, with the goal of researching and analyzing optimal asset allocation strategies.BackgroundIn recent years, advanced technologies such as AI and quantum technology have the potential to bring about transformation in various sectors of society. Particularly in the financial industry, these technologies are expected to enable more sophisticated risk analysis, improved customer experience, and enhanced operational efficiency, which were not achievable with conventional computers.Convinced that quantum computers are a key technology that will bring about revolutionary changes in society and business, Fujitsu is actively engaged in the research and development of quantum technology and is promoting its social implementation through joint verification with companies across various industries, with a view to practical application.Daiichi Life Group is working to enhance its cross-group IT and digital capabilities, aiming to leverage rapidly advancing cutting-edge technologies as a driving force for business growth as it strives to become an “global top-tier insurance group” and a “leader shaping the future of Japanese insurance industry.” Furthermore, Daiichi Life Insurance manages approximately 30 trillion yen in assets. If portfolio returns were to improve by even +1 basis point (1/10,000) through optimization, this would result in a return improvement of +3 billion yen (30 trillion yen × 1 basis point).Against this backdrop, the two companies have entered into a joint research partnership to accelerate the societal implementation of quantum technology in the insurance sector.Overview of the Joint Research1. Period:April 2026 to the end of March 2027 (planned)2. Verification Details:Both companies will develop technology for optimizing asset allocation patterns using quantum algorithms. By evaluating performance while varying constraints and simulation scenarios using quantum simulators and quantum computers, they will conduct pioneering verification of the effectiveness of asset allocation in asset management operations when utilizing future large-scale, high-performance quantum computers.3. Roles of Both CompaniesFujitsu: Provide expertise and technology related to quantum algorithms, and offer quantum computing environments such as large-scale quantum simulators consisting of 1,024 nodes and quantum computers.Daiichi Life Group:Designs research themes, defines evaluation metrics, and provides asset management data, business workflows, and on-site challenges (through Daiichi Life Insurance's practical operations).Future PlansThe two companies will explore the development of quantum technologies that can be widely applied not only to asset management but also to the insurance sector in the future. Anticipating progress in the practical application of quantum computers, they aim to rapidly deploy these technologies in business once large-scale quantum computers become a reality by conducting practical verification from an early stage. Furthermore, they will contribute to academic advancement and global technological progress by widely disseminating the insights gained through this joint research via academic papers and other publications.[1] Quantum computer simulator:A 40-qubit state-vector quantum computer simulator comprising 1,024 "FX700" supercomputers equipped with "A64FX" processors.About FujitsuFujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers around the globe, our 100,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: AI, Computing, Networks, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.5 trillion yen (US$23 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: global.fujitsuAbout Daiichi Life GroupDaiichi Life Group has built trust with stakeholders since its founding in 1902 as Japan’s first mutual life insurance company, while pursuing key transformations such as its demutualization in 2010 and transition to a holding company structure in 2016. In response to a rapidly changing environment, it defined its Purpose in 2024: “Partnering with you to build a brighter and more secure future,” and aims to deliver broader value beyond traditional life insurance as an insurance and related services provider. In April 2026, the Group changed its corporate name to Daiichi Life Group, Inc. and renewed its global brand as “Daiichi Life.” Looking ahead, it strives to become a global top-tier insurance group and a leader shaping the future of Japanese insurance industry by fiscal 2030. Find out more: Daiichi Life Group, Inc.Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic, Investor and Analyst Relations DivisionInquiries Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Suzuka City, Japan, June 4, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda will launch the SMILE RIDER PROJECT, a new initiative with Sanrio Co., Ltd. (Sanrio) aimed at communicating the appeal of motorcycles, motorsports, and the importance of road safety to people of all ages.Honda and Sanrio have previously collaborated on motorcycles and parts featuring Sanrio characters. Building on those efforts, the two companies are launching a joint project under the concept of “Making Children and Adults Smile.” By combining the strengths of both companies, the project will work to expand interest in motorcycles and motorsports among younger generations.In addition, Honda promotes its global safety slogan, “Safety for Everyone”*1, with the goal of realizing a society free from traffic collisions for all road users. Through this project, Honda will continue road safety education activities not only for riders and drivers, but also for elementary school students who will become future participants in traffic society. As one of the project's key activities, SANRIO CHARACTERS × Honda Kumamoto Racing will participate in the 2026 FIM*2 Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race 47th Edition (Suzuka 8 Hours), to be held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture on Sunday, July 5.For this collaboration, the Honda Ryokuyokai Kumamoto Racing comprised of employees from Kumamoto Factory - Honda’s domestic motorcycle manufacturing base-will be supporting the project. This is to mark the factory’s 50th anniversary since beginning of its operation in 1976 as well as in recognition of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE Suzuka 8 Hours racing model which is developed and manufactured in Kumamoto, Japan.The racing bike will feature special livery inspired by Sanrio’s popular character Kuromi. In addition, Hello Kitty, Kuromi, and Pompompurin will appear on helmets, racing suits, team wear, and inside the pit area, bringing colorful Sanrio character themes to the circuit.Through these activities, Honda aims to attract new audiences to motorcycles and motorsports.*1 A vision of creating a society free from traffic collisions where everyone who uses the road can travel safely, whether driving, riding, cycling, or walking.*2 FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (International Motorcycling Federation).To offer more fans the opportunity to experience the excitement and atmosphere of the Suzuka 8 Hours firsthand, the companies will offer 150 SMILE RIDER PROJECT Supporter Seats. The package includes reserved V2 grandstand seating overlooking Suzuka Circuit’s home straight, providing excellent views of the race start, finish, and pit works, along with exclusive supporter items including a commemorative baseball jersey and support flag created for the project.Tickets will go on sale through Mobility Station, Suzuka Circuit’s official online ticketing service, at 11:00 on June 8 (JST)In addition, the “16–23 ZERO Yen Pass“ for visitors aged 16 to 23 will also offer a SMILE RIDER PROJECT support flag.*3 Through this initiative, more fans will have the opportunity to support SANRIO CHARACTERS × Honda Kumamoto Racing and experience the excitement of motorcycle racing firsthand at Suzuka Circuit.At the Honda RACING Gallery inside Suzuka Circuit Park, visitors can also enjoy a special exhibition featuring past Honda vehicles created in collaboration with Sanrio characters, character greeting events, and limited-edition collaboration merchandise. The exhibition is designed to be enjoyed not only by racing fans, but also by Sanrio character fans.*3 Support flags are available in limited quantities and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.For more information about SANRIO CHARACTERS × Honda Kumamoto Racing, please visit: URL https://global.honda/en/motorcycle/SmileRiderProject/For details about the SMILE RIDER PROJECT support seats, please refer to the Suzuka Circuit official website. URL https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/8tai/ticket/fan-seat/ (Japanese)Another key objective of the project is to promote road safety awareness among elementary school students.Since 1970, Honda has actively conducted road safety education activities through its Traffic Safety Planning Department, targeting not only drivers and riders but also children, senior citizens, and all members of traffic society.Statistics show that seven-year-old children account for the highest number of pedestrian traffic casualties by age group*4. In response, Honda will work with the City of Suzuka, including its Board of Education and Traffic Security Division, to distribute Road Safety T-shirts featuring Sanrio characters and road safety messages to approximately 1,400 first-grade students across 28 elementary schools in Suzuka City.A presentation ceremony for the T-shirts is scheduled to take place at a Suzuka elementary school on June 24.Suzuka City will also hold road safety class at elementary school in Suzuka City using educational materials developed by Honda, including Ayatorii*5 Hiyoko and the Digital traffic Safety Karuta, providing opportunities for children to learn about traffic safety and develop greater awareness.Through these initiatives, the project aims to help create the kind of traffic society envisioned by the SMILE RIDER PROJECT—one where children and adults alike can smile.*4 Source: Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA), 2015.*5 Ayatorii is derived from the Japanese phrase meaning “explaining safety simply to help people understand.” Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Toyota City, Japan, June 4, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - GAZOO Racing (GR) held the world premiere today of the GRMN Corolla―the ultimate GR Corolla, engineered to deliver a confident, full-throttle experience on Germany's Nürburgring racetrack, the starting point for both GR, which is committed to building ever-better motorsports-bred cars, and Toyota Master Driver Morizo. The GRMN Corolla represents a comprehensive honing of the GR Corolla ignited by Morizo's strong desire to "bring back a Corolla that captivates our customers".The GRMN Corolla is to be available in limited quantities, primarily in Japan, North America, and Australia. In Japan, plans are to accept sales negotiations requests via the "GR app" smartphone app from around autumn 2026, with sales scheduled to begin in 2027. The new model is now on display at the Fuji Motorsports Forest Welcome Center until June 28.*1GRMN Corolla (prototype in Black Gravite)The GRMN Corolla, as the ultimate GR Corolla, enables a high level of car-driver unity even when pushing the limits.Its increased engine torque aims to unleash greater untamed energy.It features exclusively designed aerodynamic performance parts and a suspension honed through competing in the Super Taikyu Series and testing at the Nürburgring.Its 4WD control was optimized through repeated testing at the Nürburgring.The cockpit is equipped with a custom-designed driver's seat and a brush-metal instrument panel and has been evolved for enabling the driver to focus more fully on driving.In addition to the 2-seater GRMN Corolla, a 5-seater MORIZO RR version equipped with the GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission is currently being developed.Aiming for a car that can attack the Nürburgring at full throttleSpurred by the stance of Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman and Master Driver Akio Toyoda, a.k.a. Morizo, of: "If it's going to bear the GRMN name, it needs to be a car that can duly handle the Nürburgring", the development team honed the GRMN Corolla on what is said to be the world's most grueling race course. Going all out on the Nürburgring, which provides road inputs and surface variations not found on regular test courses, highlights a car's weaknesses. Developing the GRMN Corolla at the Nürburgring enabled crafting a car that can be controlled at will at all speeds, even on rough surfaces.In addition to development through track testing at the Nürburgring, the GRMN Corolla also went through its paces in Japan's Super Taikyu Series. It was also methodically validated using advanced driving simulators. But it was driving it at the Nürburgring that brought unexpected challenges to the fore. The development team overcame those challenges one by one in pursuit of achieving a high level of car-driver unity, enabling the car and driver to remain in constant, effective communication even when pushing the limits.GR has applied the insights gained from GRMN Corolla development to the evolution of the base GR Corolla. For the 2026 GR Corolla, announced in September 2025 and launched in November of that year, the application of structural adhesive was extended by 13.9 meters to 32.7 meters to reinforce the body structure, and an added cool-air duct reduces the rise in intake air temperature during high-load driving. Both were the result of applying lessons learned at the Nürburgring.GRMN Corolla main featuresAerodynamic performance: Super Taikyu Series-tested and Nürburgring-honedIn Super Taikyu Series and similar races and at the Nürburgring, cars constantly travel at high speeds and experience high g-forces. Maximizing vehicle performance under these conditions crucially requires that all four wheels maintain firm contact with the road. The GRMN Corolla features exclusively developed aerodynamic performance parts for enhanced road holding. Its hood duct, fender ducts, front side spoilers, and rear wing incorporate know-how gained from racing, tested on the hydrogen engine-powered GR Corolla that competes in the Super Taikyu Series. Based on all-inclusive Super Taikyu Series trial and error, fine-tuning came at the Nürburgring. This effort included adjusting the rear wing angle, which features a five-step adjustment mechanism, in 1-degree increments during driving tests with professional drivers to verify effectiveness and determine the optimal specification.Exclusive suspension fine-tuned through extensive Nürburgring testingThe GRMN Corolla's suspension employs exclusive front and rear monotube shock absorbers with rebound springs for improved inner-wheel traction during cornering and for enhanced high-speed cornering performance.The Nürburgring road surface includes environments that induce significant vertical suspension travel beyond that experienced on typical circuits. To ensure high stability for confident driving even in such conditions, extensive Nürburgring test runs facilitated optimization of bump-stop characteristics. The exclusive shock absorbers were developed by adjusting their stroke down to a millimeter at the front and rear for optimal balance. Furthermore, for enhanced cornering stability and braking performance, the GRMN Corolla sports 245/40ZR18 "Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2" high-grip tires, which are 10 mm wider than those on the base vehicle.The control program of the GRMN Corolla's EPS (electric power steering) has been modified from that on the base vehicle to generate the required amount of assistance torque even during cornering under high g-forces. The exclusively tuned 4WD control system provides optimal rear torque distribution during straight-line driving and enhanced stability at the onset of steering input at extremely high speeds.Internal combustion engine evolution via the hydrogen engine-powered CorollaGR has been gaining valuable lessons for the evolution of the internal combustion engine by competing in the Super Taikyu Series with a hydrogen engine-powered GR Corolla, as extended, high-load endurance racing helps heighten not only the potential of hydrogen technology but also that of fundamental internal combustion engine components. Applying insights gained from competing in the Super Taikyu Series has enabled the GRMN Corolla to achieve a maximum engine torque of 415 Nm*2, 15 Nm greater than that of the base vehicle. The development team optimized the GRMN Corolla's engine characteristics by analyzing the range of engine use during circuit driving, focusing on increasing torque in the 3,600-4,800 rpm mid-speed range, which is crucial for accelerating out of corners. To maintain stable, high engine output even during continuous full-throttle driving, the GRMN Corolla comes with an intercooler spray system, in addition to the cool-air duct added to the 2026 GR Corolla.Also, in pursuit of an even higher level of performance and an "untamed energy that captivates customers", the GRMN Corolla has no rear seats as part of an effort to achieve thorough weight reduction. The power-to-weight ratio has been improved by reducing weight by 30 kilograms compared to the base vehicle*3, providing customers with an unparalleled driving experience.A cockpit designed to unlock an even higher level of performanceThe GRMN Corolla boasts not only exclusively tuned driving performance but also a specially designed cockpit featuring a driver's seat and an instrument panel meticulously crafted to enable customers to unlock the value of genuine driving performance. The custom-designed full bucket driver's seat*4 was based on the driving position in Super Taikyu Series race cars to achieve holding performance capable of withstanding higher lateral g-forces. The carefully adjusted seat length facilitates clutch operation, and the seat's glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) construction helps reduce weight. In addition to safety being first and foremost, the aim was to create a driver's seat that enhances car-driver unity while considering everyday ease of ingress and egress. Development involved installing the seat in a car competing in the Super Taikyu Series and incorporating feedback from various professional drivers, including that from evaluations conducted while wearing a helmet.The cockpit's design and meticulously considered color scheme create a space that enables the driver to focus more fully on driving and features an exclusive flocked instrument panel and flocked front pillars. Carbon-fiber ornamentation―developed and manufactured by the Carbon Section at Toyota Motor Corporation's Motomachi Plant―adorns the instrument panel on the passenger side. Other special items include instrument panel padding bearing Morizo's signature, door trim and shift knob accented in Alumite Red, and a GRMN-exclusive serial number plate. GR Corolla MORIZO RR (concept model)Currently under development is the GR Corolla MORIZO RR, an ultimate 5-seater model of the GR Corolla equipped with the GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission, for which the unveiling and launch dates have yet to be determined. The GR Corolla MORIZO RR is now on display as a concept model alongside the GRMN Corolla at the Fuji Motorsports Forest Welcome Center until June 28.*1*1 Please check the Fuji Motorsports Forest website (https://en.fujimotorsportsforest.jp/) for information on closed days and public opening hours during the exhibition period.*2 415 Nm is the maximum engine torque for the Japan-specification model*3 Maximum engine torque and vehicle weight vary by market.*4 Only in Japan and Australia; semi-bucket seats in North AmericaToyota Motor Corporation works to develop and manufacture innovative, safe and high-quality products and services that create happiness by providing mobility for all. We believe that true achievement comes from supporting our customers, partners, employees, and the communities in which we operate. Since our founding over 80 years ago in 1937, we have applied our Guiding Principles in pursuit of a safer, greener and more inclusive society. Today, as we transform into a mobility company developing connected, automated, shared and electrified technologies, we also remain true to our Guiding Principles and many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals to help realize an ever-better world, where everyone is free to move.SDGs Initiatives: https://global.toyota/en/sustainability/sdgs/ Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com