rYojbaba Issues Letter to Shareholders Detailing 2025 Operational Highlights and 2026 Strategic Priorities
Rhea-AI Summary
rYojbaba (Nasdaq: RYOJ) issued a shareholder letter dated January 5, 2026 outlining 2025 operational highlights and 2026 strategic priorities. The company noted its successful IPO on August 14, 2025 and described expansion into Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand. Key initiatives include a Free Labor Union Program, partnerships with Guardian Girls International and Koyamada International Foundation, and planned ASEAN-first rollout with potential U.S. evaluation. The company emphasized three 2026 pillars: global expansion, strategic partnerships, and international sports-medicine programs, while noting all plans are subject to regulatory, market, and operational conditions.
Positive
- IPO completed on August 14, 2025
- Expansion into 5 Southeast Asian markets: Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand
- Launched Free Labor Union Program for cross-border worker support
- Partnership with Guardian Girls International and appointment to KIF board
Negative
- Collaboration with China Zhongqing described as uncertain in scope/continuation
- International expansion and U.S. evaluation subject to regulatory and operational conditions
- Planned initiatives dependent on additional agreements, local laws, and resources
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, RYOJ gained 6.37%, reflecting a notable positive market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -9.5% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $2M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $30M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
RYOJ’s -12.46% move contrasts with mixed peers: VCIG up 10.93%, AERT up 1.4%, while INTJ and GRNQ are modestly negative and ZGM is flat, suggesting stock-specific dynamics rather than a sector-wide shift.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 08 | Sports-medicine role | Positive | -0.7% | Subsidiary provided official training and medical support at 2025 Taipei Wake Open. |
| Dec 02 | Platform launch | Positive | -4.5% | Introduced AI-powered Worker Risk Intelligence Platform for institutional customers. |
| Nov 11 | ESG partnership | Positive | +2.8% | Joined Guardian Girls International as sole Asia partner for Ju-Jitsu project. |
| Oct 24 | Labor program deal | Positive | -4.3% | Expanded China Zhongqing partnership to deploy Free Labor Union Program in Japan. |
| Oct 17 | Global expansion | Positive | -21.3% | Announced international expansion via KIF and GGI with free labor-legal advisory program. |
Recent news has focused on partnerships, platforms, and international expansion, yet the stock has often traded lower on these ostensibly positive catalysts, indicating a tendency toward negative or fading reactions to good news.
Over the last few months, rYojbaba has highlighted a consistent strategy around ESG-aligned labor and health services. Key milestones included expanding its Free Labor Union Program with China Zhongqing on Oct 22, 2025, internationalizing consulting and osteopathic services via KIF and GGI, and launching an AI-powered Worker Risk Intelligence Platform on Dec 2, 2025. Sports-medicine visibility grew through the Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu project and the 2025 Taipei Wake Open. Despite these developments, four of the last five news events saw negative 24-hour price reactions.
Market Pulse Summary
The stock moved +6.4% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with management’s emphasis on global ESG, labor, and health platforms, but would contrast with prior patterns where four of the last five positive updates saw negative 24-hour moves, including one at -21.33%. Investors monitoring sustainability of gains could weigh the company’s long-term expansion narrative against past post-news weakness and the stock’s position 76.64% below its 52-week high, which may reflect lingering skepticism or execution concerns.
Key Terms
esg financial
osteopathic clinic medical
judo therapy medical
specified skilled worker program regulatory
ai-powered worker risk intelligence platform technical
whistleblowing system management regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
FUKUOKA, Japan, Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- rYojbaba Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: RYOJ) (“rYojbaba” or the “Company”), a Japanese labor consulting and health services company, today issued a letter to its shareholders addressing recent operational highlights and future business initiatives and growth strategies.
From the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ryoji Baba
Dear Shareholders,
First and foremost, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our shareholders and stakeholders who have supported rYojbaba throughout our journey. The successful public listing on August 14, 2025 marked a defining corporate milestone and is one that could not have been achieved without the continued support of our employees, partners, clients, and now, you, our shareholders.
From the start of the year and since the successful listing, we’ve made some encouraging and strategic developments across our businesses that we believe position us for future growth, subject to market, regulatory and operational conditions. Before I share and address the progress made in 2025 and our 2026 outlook, I’d like to briefly discuss what I believe our IPO means for the future of rYojbaba.
The IPO and What It Means for the Future of rYojbaba
Our public listing represents not just a financial milestone, but an essential step toward advancing our broader mission: expanding rYojbaba’s labor, healthcare, and social contribution on a global scale. This IPO has contributed to enhanced transparency, governance, and global credibility; which we believe are key pillars in the ESG landscape in which we operate. It also may create opportunities for new partnerships with institutions, universities, medical organizations, and global entities that are pursuing ESG initiatives aligned with our corporate mission. Since the listing, we were able to immediately showcase some of these partnerships, which I will outline here shortly. Through these expanded networks, rYojbaba aims to build a sustainable growth model anchored in three core pillars: labor, health, and education.
rYojbaba currently operates two businesses: a corporate consulting services arm and an osteopathic clinic business. Both are unified under a single, shared mission to advance sustainable, socially responsible initiatives that enhance the wellbeing of citizens across Japan. Our IPO marks a pivotal turning point in our business, which we believe may support efforts to accelerate the international expansion of our ESG-driven services and business model into certain ASEAN markets over time, where such offerings are still limited.
Operational Developments
In the past 12 months, we’ve achieved meaningful advancements across our business and begun expanding our services into new international markets. These include Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand to start. To further accelerate our international expansion, we have introduced several strategic updates to our business model. First, we developed our Free Labor Union Program, an international model built to improve worker welfare, support ongoing reskilling, and enable sustainable cross-border employment pathways. This model has been incorporated into certain aspects of our collaboration with China Zhongqing International Holdings Co., Ltd. (although there can be no assurance as to the scope or continuation of such collaboration), as we implemented this model for Japan’s Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker Program. We believe there may be significant opportunities to leverage this model further, particularly for ASEAN countries where solutions and services like ours are less prevalent. The Free Labor Union Program is intended to serve as a foundation that helps fill critical services gaps and strengthen workforce mobility, opportunity, and welfare.
Separately, I was recently appointed in my individual capacity by the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam as a board member of the United Nations-affiliated non-governmental organization Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) and its affiliated organizations, Guardian Girls International (GGI). Though this appointment does not constitute an endorsement of the Company by any governmental or United Nations body, my affiliation with KIF and GGI may present potential opportunities for rYojbaba, as the three organizations’ mission and vision are aligned. For example, we believe our Free Labor Union Program aligns closely with GGI’s mission, particularly in providing free online legal advisory services to address issues such as sexual harassment, domestic violence, and maternity harassment. In Japan, rYojbaba already tackles comparable challenges through our work in parental leave support, workplace equality, and whistleblowing system management, and we aim to leverage this experience to support GGI’s global mission and implement frameworks that are tailored to each country’s legal system.
In addition, as many of you may have seen, rYojbaba joined GGI as an official partner for the Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu project. This project demonstrates how our osteopathic clinic business can play a meaningful role in advancing GGI’s work. The project supports UN SDG Goal 5 by empowering women and girls through self-defense education rooted in traditional martial arts and sports. By bridging together the Ju-Jitsu International Federation and GGI, the project promotes the empowerment of women on a global scale. As GGI’s official partner in Asia, subject to applicable agreements, our osteopathic clinics may provide advanced treatment and rehabilitation through judo therapy for women.
We believe there may be future opportunities to deepen our collaboration with GGI as it continues to expand its partnership network with national ju-jitsu federations and educational institutions. Any such initiatives would be subject to additional agreements, local legal frameworks and resource availability. As their strategic partner in Asia, our osteopathic clinics and judo therapy practice align naturally with the martial arts-focused projects GGI is pursuing. We also see additional opportunities through our Free Labor Union Program, addressing critical issues such as sexual harassment, domestic violence, maternity harassments, and other areas that align closely with the global issues GGI is working to address.
Outlook into 2026
As we look ahead to 2026, our strategy is clear and focused on building sustainable, long-term growth while reinforcing our mission of delivering ESG- and SDG-aligned services. We have identified three strategic pillars that will guide our efforts in the coming year:
1. Global Expansion
Building on the expansion initiative started this year, we plan to deepen our presence across key Southeast Asian markets, beginning with Cambodia. Our approach will be structured and relationship-driven, ensuring that any service we introduce, whether in labor support, healthcare, or education, is tailored to local needs and sustained over the long-term. Initial efforts will focus on building partnerships with regional organizations and validating service frameworks before pursuing broader rollout.
Beyond ASEAN, we are evaluating the potential feasibility of future entry into the United States, subject to regulatory, operational and market considerations. Our approach will similarly be partnership-driven, focusing on platform-based initiatives that allow us to introduce our service concepts in a scalable and disciplined manner. By doing so, we believe this approach could allow us to explore opportunities to leverage and enhance our AI-powered Worker Risk Intelligence Platform in the U.S. market, although no assurances can be made that such efforts will be successful.
2. Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
Beyond our existing collaborations with GGI and KIF, we are actively exploring additional partnerships to support global expansion. While discussions are ongoing, these opportunities are expected to strengthen our ability to deliver integrated labor and health solutions internationally. This also ties directly into our global expansion strategy mentioned above and our ability to address critical social challenges through cross-border frameworks.
3. International Sports-Medicine Programs
Leveraging the success of our recent engagements in sports-related initiatives, we plan to expand our role in international sports-medicine projects. Past projects like the Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu and the 2025 Taipei Wake Open represent just a small fraction of how our osteopathic clinics and judo therapy practice can support athletes worldwide. These efforts will include providing medical support at global sporting events, sharing best practices in injury prevention and rehabilitation, and collaborating with local organizers to promote athlete health and recovery. While these programs currently serve as strategic brand-building activities, we believe they may have the potential to evolve into broader initiatives over time, subject to demand, partner participation and economic conditions.
Closing Remarks
Each of these priorities reflects our commitment to creating social value through health, labor stability, and education. By executing on these pillars with discipline and purpose, we aim to position rYojbaba as a trusted global partner in advancing sustainable, socially responsible solutions.
We recognize that the path ahead requires discipline, innovation, and collaboration, and we are prepared to execute with purpose. To our shareholders, thank you for your trust and confidence. Together, we will continue to build rYojbaba into a globally respected partner in advancing socially responsible solutions that benefit individuals, communities, and society at large.
Sincerely,
Ryoji Baba
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
About rYojbaba Co., Ltd.
rYojbaba operates a labor consulting and health services business. The labor consulting business provides strategic consulting services for both Japanese companies and labor unions, with the underlying goal to bridge the gap between Japan’s labor culture issues and the lack of solutions for work-related dissatisfactions. rYojbaba also operates 28 osteopathic clinics and 2 beauty salons across Japan within its health services business, primarily offering judo theory, a form of osteopathic medicine practiced in Japan. To learn more, visit https://www.ryojbaba.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of the Company regarding future events, including but not limited to the Company’s strategic priorities, international expansion initiatives, partnerships and affiliations, ESG- and SDG-aligned programs, technology platforms, clinic operations, and long-term business objectives, as well as the anticipated benefits of its partnership with China Zhongqing International Holdings Co., Ltd. and other current or prospective collaborations, the expansion of the Free Labor Union Program, and the potential impact of such initiatives on the Company’s operations and markets.
Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, as they are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the Company’s ability to successfully implement or scale the Free Labor Union Program; the timing, scope, and success of international expansion initiatives; obtain and maintain necessary governmental or regulatory approvals; effectively manage existing and future international partnerships and cross-border operations; respond to changes in laws and regulations relating to labor, immigration, healthcare, artificial intelligence, data protection, or ESG-related disclosures; maintain adequate financial and operational resources; integrate newly developed or enhanced service offerings; and manage the effects of macroeconomic, geopolitical, and social factors that may impact the demand for the Company’s services or its strategic relationships. The Company encourages investors to read the risk factors contained in the Company’s final prospectus and its most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, as well as other reports it files with the SEC before making any investment decisions regarding the Company’s securities. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. References to governmental, intergovernmental, or non-governmental organizations are for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or approval of the Company or its securities.
Investor Relations
John Yi and Steven Shinmachi
Gateway Group, Inc.
949-574-3860
RYOJ@gateway-grp.com
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