IBJ Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenjiro Tsuchiya; TSE Prime: 6071, hereinafter "IBJ"), which boasts the largest number of marriage hunting members and successful matches nationwide*1, announced that Hokuyo Bank, Ltd. (Director and President: Hirotsune Tsuyama; TSE Prime: 8524, hereinafter "Hokuyo Bank") has joined the IBJ network and will commence a pilot program for its marriage counseling service, "Hokuyo Bank Marriage Counseling plus-H," on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. This initiative marks the second instance nationwide, following Yamanashi Chuo Bank, of a bank directly joining a marriage counseling alliance. By combining the trust and strong foundation Hokuyo Bank has built in Hokkaido with IBJ's largest marriage hunting platform in Japan*1, we aim to foster a tangible expansion of successful matches within the local community. ■Hokuyo Bank Enters New Life Support Business, Looking Towards Hokkaido's Future Background of the Pilot Program to Combat Population Decline Population decline due to declining birth rates and an increasing number of unmarried individuals is an extremely serious challenge in Hokkaido. - Hokkaido's population is approximately 4.98 million, falling below 5 million for the first time in about 70 years*2 - Compared to the previous survey (2020), both the number and rate of decrease are the largest on record*2 - Even in Sapporo City, the population has begun to decline for the first time since the start of the National Census*3 Amidst this historic turning point, Hokuyo Bank is launching a pilot program to explore the potential of new life support services to contribute to the sustainable development of the local community. Initially, the program will target the bank's employees, with plans to gradually expand the scope to include employees of client companies. *2 Source: Hokkaido "Preliminary Report of the 2025 National Census: Population and Households in Hokkaido" *3 Source: Sapporo City "Outline of Preliminary