Fukui Shimbun and Fukui Bank will provide an app from October as a new company|Looking ahead to the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen in 2024

Fukui Shimbun and Fukui Bank announced on September 5 that they will co-establish Fukui no Digital Co., Ltd. and provide a smartphone app "Fuku App" for local news and other services from October.

The business development is a move in anticipation of the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Fukui-Tsuruga in the spring of 2024. This is the first time in Japan that a local newspaper company and a regional bank have established a business company with equal investment. The "Fuku App," which will be launched in October, is planned to provide digital payments such as local currencies and premium gift certificates, as well as points and stamp rally functions to local governments and companies.

The two companies have a relationship that includes joint operation of the electronic money card "Juraka". The president of the new company is Mr. Takumi Kobayashi (who joined the Bank of Fukui in 2009), and Mr. Takuya Shimada (who joined the Fukui Shimbun in 2001) has been appointed as the vice president. All of them are well-versed in digital marketing.

The company's business partners include Dentsu, its group companies, and Toppan Printing.