Japan's Nambu to invest ₱4 billion in Philippine retirement sector
Japanese wellness firm Nambu Co. Ltd. is planning to expand in the Philippines by investing around ₱4 billion to build senior care and assisted-living facilities, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
In a statement, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said she met with officials of Nambu in Japan on Thursday, Sept. 11, to discuss the firm’s ₱4-billion investment pledge.
The company plans to develop a network of 10 Japanese-style retirement and wellness centers across the Philippines.
Nambu aims to open its first facility in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, which had its groundbreaking in January.
The firm’s expansion would train Filipino caregivers to meet the standards set by Nambu, which has over 100 years of experience in senior care.
Roque said improving the country’s workforce to meet Japan’s labor needs will simultaneously boost local employment.
“This project is more than an investment—it is a partnership for dignity, wellness, and opportunity for our people,” said Roque.
“By combining Japanese expertise in eldercare with our natural advantages—warm climate, hospitable culture, and skilled workforce—we can make the Philippines a second home for Japanese and global retirees,” she added.
Roque said the investment strengthens the Marcos Jr. administration’s drive to position the Philippines as a premier destination for retirement and wellness in Asia.
Nambu’s expansion plan will be supported by benefits provided under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act.
In a related development, a DTI-led delegation participated in the PH MODE x Tokyo show at the Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo, which showcased the country’s top products in the global eco-luxury market.
Organized by the DTI’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Tokyo, the Philippine team unveiled what it described as a “new product innovation.”
Essentially, the delegation presented a hand- and machine-made pineapple fiber featuring original works of Filipino artists Maria Angelica Tan and Monica Castillo, digitally rendered on fabrics through advanced Japanese sustainable printing technology.
The garments, developed from this pineapple fiber blend and other recyclable textiles, were paired with coconut-based accessories, which shows a clear commitment to circular fashion.
The DTI said the country’s involvement in the fashion week hosted by Rakuten is critical, citing the Japanese firm’s vast base of 1.6 billion e-commerce members worldwide and gross merchandise sales exceeding ¥6 trillion or approximately ₱2.34 trillion.