ORIX Invests in Educational Software Development and Sales Company, LINES

TOKYO, Japan – October 1, 2024 – ORIX Corporation (“ORIX”) announced today its investment in LINES Co., Ltd. (“LINES”), a company engaged in the development and sales of educational software, with its strength in digital workbooks for elementary and junior high schools. ORIX will hold a majority of the issued shares and plans to jointly operate the business with the existing shareholders, the current management team.

LINES has approximately 40 years of experience in the education sector and holds a top-tier market share in Japan in the development and sales of digital workbooks for elementary and junior high school students, which are installed on ICT devices such as tablets. Their flagship product, LINES eLibrary Advance, boasts a wide variety of subjects and an extensive number of assignments in its digital workbooks. In addition to this, the product features a download function that allows the use of teaching materials even in environments without internet access, and it offers strong after-sales support for teachers. It has been introduced in approximately 9,000 public elementary and junior high schools nationwide.

With the launch of the GIGA School Program^*1, led by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (“MEXT”) in 2019, and the subsequent expansion of tablet and PC device implementation in public elementary and junior high schools to almost 100%^*2 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “EdTech” services, which combine education and technology, are expected to continue to grow sustainably in educational scenes. These services include digital workbooks that reflect the latest educational guidelines and communication features that allow direct messaging between teachers and students.

Through this investment, ORIX will support the business growth of LINES by strengthening its sales capabilities to expand its market share and enhancing talent acquisition. Additionally, ORIX will aim to contribute to the digitalization of the education sector and increase corporate value by leveraging the expertise it has gained through business investments to build a strong governance system and a highly competitive business organization.

ORIX will continue to support the growth of companies and industries that have a stable business foundation and unique services, and are expected to achieve further growth, while leveraging its expertise and experience in business investment.

*1 An initiative by MEXT aimed at equipping every elementary and junior high school student with one ICT device and establishing a high-speed communication network to realize fair and individually optimized education and ICT environments for all students. Source: MEXT, “Realization of the GIGA School Program”[1.03MB](in Japanese)
*2 As of March 2023. Source: MEXT, “Status of the Provision of One Device per Student in Compulsory Education”[256KB](in Japanese)

Contact Information:
Investor Relations and Sustainability Department
ORIX Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3435-3121

About ORIX Group:
ORIX Group (ORIX Corporation TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX) was established in 1964 and has grown from its roots in leasing in Japan to become a global, diverse, and unique corporate group. Today, it is active around the world in financing and investment, life insurance, banking, asset management, real estate, concession, environment and energy, automobile-related services, industrial/ICT equipment, ships and aircraft. Since expanding outside of Japan in 1971, ORIX Group has grown its business globally and now operates in around 30 countries and regions across the world with approximately 34,000 people. ORIX Group unites globally around its Purpose: “Finding Paths. Making Impact.” combining diverse expertise and innovative thinking to help our world develop in a sustainable way.
For more details, please visit our website: https://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/
(As of March 31, 2024)

Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements:
These documents may contain forward-looking statements about expected future events and financial results that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results that differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those described under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and under “(4) Risk Factors” of the “1. Summary of Consolidated Financial Results” of the “Consolidated Financial Results April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024” furnished on Form 6-K.