History of the TOKAI Group

The Founding of Yaizu Gas, Start of City Gas Supply, and Our First Step as an Energy Company

The history of the TOKAI Group began in December 1950 with the establishment of Yaizu Gas Co., Ltd. in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Utilizing natural gas sourced from around Yaizu Port as its raw material, the company started supplying city gas within Yaizu City. This business, directly linked to the increasing energy demand during postwar reconstruction, became the starting point of our journey as a company supporting the foundation of the local community.

Subsequently, riding the wave of postwar reconstruction, we gradually expanded our supply area and changed our company name to TOKAI Gas Corporation. Furthermore, in 1959, we were among the first to enter the liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) business, which was gaining attention as a new energy source. Our reliable installation and supply system, which sincerely responded to the local characteristics of Yaizu, our founding place, and customer needs, contributed to the rapid expansion of the LP gas business both within and beyond Shizuoka Prefecture. This success became the foundation for our leap as a corporate group today and grew into our largest core business supporting subsequent diversification.

Establishment of the Industry’s First Distribution Center and the Shift Toward Community-Based Diversification

During the period of rapid economic growth, LP gas quickly spread to general households, causing an explosive increase in energy demand. To meet this strong demand, in 1966 we constructed a large-scale LP gas coastal base at Oigawa Port and strengthened the logistics and infrastructure network that supports stable supply, including establishing our own transportation system using tank lorries.

Amid this, as a system to deliver gas quickly and reliably to the rapidly increasing number of customers, in April 1969 we pioneered the industry by introducing computers and established the nation’s first “distribution center” which began operation.
This pioneering approach to distribution forecasting and rationalization through data processing not only dramatically improved logistics efficiency but also marked an important first step that eventually led to our entry into the information and communication business.

Furthermore, leveraging the deep trust and contact with customers cultivated through household gas supply, we expanded our peripheral business areas from the sale of gas appliances such as gas bath boilers and stoves to housing equipment sales including kitchens and water heaters. We took a step forward to provide comprehensive services that support convenience and comfort in daily life, thereby laying a solid foundation for our subsequent full-scale business diversification.

Expansion Across a Wide Area, Stock Listing, and the Journey Toward a Comprehensive Lifestyle Service Company

Responding to changes in daily life during the period of rapid economic growth, we made a significant shift toward diversification related to housing and living.
In 1972, we established TOKAI City Service Corporation and entered the wedding and event business, beginning with the operation of a wedding hall (now "GRANDAIR Bouquet TOKAI"). In August 1973, we made a capital participation in Yaizu Shipyard Co., Ltd., which was established by integrating shipyards in Yaizu City and nearby areas. Then, in October 1977, we merged with TOKAI Gas Transportation Co., Ltd. and launched TOKAI ZOSEN UNYU Co., Ltd.
Furthermore, in March of the same year, we established Yaizu Cable Vision Co., Ltd. (now TOKAI Communications), laying the foundation for diverse businesses that later led to the information and communication and CATV industries.

In our core LP gas business, we expanded the supply area from within Shizuoka Prefecture to surrounding prefectures. In January 1979, we established a Tokyo branch, marking our full-scale entry into the Kanto region.

Then, in November 1979, we listed our shares on the Second Section of the Nagoya Stock Exchange, establishing a strong management foundation for wide-area expansion and business growth.

Rebranding of the "TOKAI" Brand, Nationwide Expansion, and the Dawn of the Information and Communications Business

Under a solid capital structure as a listed company, we accelerated nationwide business expansion and ventured into new growth areas. In September 1981, we were promoted to the First Section of the Nagoya Stock Exchange, and in March 1987, we achieved listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (now the Prime Market). In October of the same year, to emphasize a comprehensive corporate stance beyond the energy business, we changed our company name to The TOKAI Corporation (now TOKAI Corporation). With a new corporate identity (CI) and symbol mark, we renewed our corporate image and enhanced nationwide brand power.

On the business front, to support "safety and security" in daily life, we entered the security business in 1984 and began nationwide expansion. As the foundation supporting advanced centralized monitoring and vast data processing, in August 1985, we completed and commenced operations of the TOKAI Information Center (now Data Center) in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, laying an unwavering foundation for the full-scale development of the information and communications business.
Furthermore, in September 1988, we made a capital participation in Higashi-Shizu Cable Network Co., Ltd. and entered the CATV business in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. While leading the informatization of regional communities, we solidified the framework of the group business structure, which continues today as a dual engine of "energy" and "information and communications."

Full-Scale Expansion of the Communications and Media Business

Seizing the societal changes brought by the deregulation of telecommunications and the rapid spread of the Internet, we elevated the information and communications as well as media businesses to become core businesses of the group. Starting with Nishi-Shizu Cable Network Co., Ltd. launching its CATV business in 1990, we actively invested in and established CATV stations across various regions—including Ichihara Community Network Television in Chiba Prefecture and Atsugi-Isehara Cable Network in Kanagawa Prefecture—building a wide-area media network.

Furthermore, in 1996, we entered the Internet service provider (ISP) business, and in 1998 obtained a Type I telecommunications carrier license, commencing provision of high-quality communication services through our own network lines. Alongside this, we expanded our mobile business selling mobile phones, broadened bridal and event businesses, and enhanced housing-related services, developing a diverse range of lifestyle-related offerings that support customers throughout their life stages, thereby strengthening our foundation as a comprehensive lifestyle service company.

This period also marked the fruition of plans announced on the occasion of the company’s 40th anniversary in 1989 to build a new head office building. Located in Tokiwa-cho, Aoi Ward in Shizuoka City, the intelligent building with one basement floor and twelve above-ground floors was constructed over one year and ten months from August 1991 and completed in May 1993. Serving as the new group base and symbol, it provided a stage that supported subsequent growth.

Entry into the Aqua Business and Establishment of the "TLC" Platform

In response to our customers’ increasing focus on "safety, security," and "health," we entered the Aqua (bottled water delivery) business in November 2007. In 2008, our first own factory, the Aqua Yaizu Plant, began operation, rapidly growing as a new lifestyle infrastructure business delivering natural water from Mt. Fuji. This steady business expansion laid a solid foundation for a robust production and supply system that led to nationwide expansion and the full-scale operation of our second factory, the Aqua Mt. Fuji Plant, in 2013.

Meanwhile, in line with the broadband wave, we launched the ADSL business and promoted the restructuring and integration of telecommunications subsidiaries. In 2002, VIC TOKAI Corporation (currently TOKAI Communications) achieved a stock listing on the JASDAQ market. We also advanced wide-area collaboration by making capital participations in CATV stations such as LCV in Nagano Prefecture and Kurashiki Cable Television in Okayama Prefecture.

Furthermore, to centrally provide the group’s diverse services and strengthen connections with customers, we launched the group’s comprehensive membership service concept, "TLC (TOKAI Life Club)." This created a major foundation for the transition to a holding company structure (TOKAI Holdings) in 2011 and the creation of synergy through group integration.

The Establishment of TOKAI Holdings and a New Leap as the TOKAI Group

Through more than half a century of aggressive business diversification, numerous and diverse companies were born within the group. However, at that time, each operated independently as a separate company, making it a major challenge to build a management system capable of fully leveraging the group’s collective strength and generating synergies.
To fundamentally resolve this issue and consolidate the group’s vast customer base and multifaceted services, we advanced selection and concentration of our businesses and undertook a major reform aimed at strengthening cross-group functions. As a result, in April 2011, we transitioned to a holding company structure and established TOKAI Holdings Corporation.

After the business integration, we further expanded our service areas surrounding daily life, including entering the power business following the full liberalization of electricity retail and fully developing the nursing care and comprehensive renovation businesses.
Under our corporate philosophy of “For customers livelihood along with the region, together with the earth, we will continue to grow and develop.” we have established a solid business foundation that delivers “safety and security,” “convenience and comfort,” and “joy and purpose” to our customers by maximizing group synergies.

Promoting Sustainability and DX: Becoming a “Social Value-Creating Company” That Brings Smiles to Life and Society

We are accelerating business transformation to respond to new era demands, such as the challenge toward carbon neutrality for realizing a sustainable society and promotion of digital transformation (DX).

In strengthening our business foundation, we have actively pursued M&A and capital and business alliances with CATV stations and energy, construction, and IT development companies across Japan, including Tohoku, Chukyo, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Furthermore, we have advanced global expansion through participation in LP gas business in Vietnam and cloud services and hydroelectric power projects in Southeast Asia. New services supporting diverse lifestyles are continually introduced, such as the deployment of the water supply-type purification server “Shizuclear” in the Aqua business and the expansion of affordable mobile service “LIBMO” in the information and communications business.

In April 2024, we formulated a new group-wide corporate message, “We face challenges with open minds to bring more smiles to life and joy in society.” along with the corporate slogan, “More smiles for a better life” clearly expressing the value and stance the group aims to offer.
In December 2025, we celebrated the significant milestone of our 75th anniversary and have since continued to take steady steps toward the future under our corporate philosophy, “For the lives of our customers, together with the communities, together with the Earth.”