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CRE to Acquire Osaka Soko, Securing a Master Lease Platform in Kansai

LogisticsTransaction

CRE to Acquire Osaka Soko, Securing a Master Lease Platform in Kansai

CRE entered into a share transfer agreement on January 30, 2026, to acquire shares of Osaka Soko. CRE will acquire all shares held by NIPPON EXPRESS Holdings (79.35%) and make the company a subsidiary. The expected closing date is June 1, 2026. The purchase price was not disclosed.Osaka Soko is a long-established company founded in 1921 as Osaka’s first specialist operator of hazardous materials warehouses. In addition to its warehousing business, the company currently operates a sublease business, leasing entire logistics facilities and providing end-to-end services ranging from tenant leasing to property operations and management. For the fiscal year ended December 2024, it reported revenue of JPY 3.12 billion, operating profit of JPY 0.553 billion, and net assets of JPY 5.4 billion. Its headquarters is located in Chuo-ku, Osaka City.In March 2025, CRE was taken private and delisted following the completion of a tender offer by SMFL Mirai Partners (a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing). This acquisition is seen as part of the group’s strategy to expand its logistics real estate business, supported by SMFL Group’s financial capacity. CRE currently manages master leases for approximately 1,300 properties totaling about 480,000 tsubo (approx. 17.1 million sq. ft.) (about 1.58 million ㎡ (approx. 17.0 million sq. ft.)). By securing a foothold in the Kansai region, CRE aims to diversify its portfolio geographically and expand recurring stock-based revenue.Meanwhile, seller NX Holdings has been reviewing its business portfolio, shifting resources toward growth areas and streamlining low-profit, non-core businesses. Osaka Soko’s earnings mix had become heavily weighted toward its real estate business, and after considering group synergies and the “best owner” perspective, NX Holdings decided to divest the company.

Key Facts

  • Buyer: CRE, Inc.

  • Seller: NIPPON EXPRESS Holdings, Inc.

  • Target Company: Osaka Soko Co., Ltd.

  • Number of Shares to Be Acquired: 3,286,080 common shares (3,286 voting rights)

  • Post-Acquisition Voting Rights Ownership: 79.39%

  • Purchase Price: Not disclosed

  • Signing Date: January 30, 2026

  • Expected Closing Date: June 1, 2026

Acquired Company

  • Company Name: Osaka Soko Co., Ltd.

  • Headquarters: 15F, Yodoyabashi Mitsui Building, 4-1-1 Imabashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture

  • Established: December 17, 1921

  • Capital: JPY 240 million

  • Business Description: Warehousing; sublease business for logistics facilities; real estate sales, brokerage, management, etc.