Through its three core businesses, childcare, staffing and nursing, LIKE is taking bold steps and looking beyond borders to overcome tomorrow's challenges in care.
By Daniel de Bomford
A fundamental part of humanity is community. From the earliest childhood days in the care of nurseries and kindergartens, people form vital communal bonds and understanding. In the twilight of life, the community enables joyful and fulfilling lives.
LIKE Inc. facilitates care across the full spectrum of human life, from early childhood to aged care. Founder, President and CEO Yasuhiko Okamoto says it is LIKE’s mission to support people throughout their entire life journey and ensure that every stage of life is met with compassion, excellence and innovation. LIKE operates hundreds of nurseries and nursing care facilities while providing human resource services to job seekers and client companies throughout Japan. It is looking overseas to address labor shortages and grow its business.
Mr. Okamoto says that Japanese services are renowned for their unmatched quality, which makes Japan globally competitive. “Just consider how punctual and detail-oriented Japanese services are—it reflects a deep-rooted commitment to providing the best possible experience to every customer,” he says. In childcare and nursing, Japanese precision and attention to detail are critical, and LIKE aims to bring this service-driven expertise to the global market.
Nursery school
Comprehensive human resources and nursing services provide a distinct advantage for LIKE. It has begun recruiting new staff from regional neighbors like Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia to help address the labor shortage. Its training starts in the employee's home country, and when they arrive in Japan, they receive holistic support such as medical or translation services from LIKE to ease their transition. The support doesn’t just prepare them for work, it also helps them build a life in Japan and integrate harmoniously into Japanese society. “These individuals are not just filling entry-level roles—we have a clear pathway for their career advancement within our organization,” Mr. Okamoto explains.
Beyond filling gaps in domestic labor, creating a robust pipeline of international employees is advantageous for LIKE’s international expansion. Currently, LIKE is developing its own educational programs and plans to accept Vietnamese students who complete them. “This initiative not only benefits individuals by providing them with valuable training opportunities but also enables us to cultivate highly skilled professionals,” he says.
LIKE is also leveraging digital transformation to improve its service. Its “Nanapocke” smartphone app has transformed communication between childcare providers and parents. Parents no longer need to call the nursery if they are late for pickup, and it allows parents and nurseries to exchange notes. The most popular feature is that the app enables parents to buy prints of photos taken by the nursery, which has already proven to be a strong revenue driver.
With tomorrow’s challenges in mind, LIKE is transforming how care is provided across sectors and international borders. Mr. Okamoto describes a future of high-quality care that resonates with the fundamentals of humanity and community. “We want to excel in ways that are not easily quantified—in the quality of care, the well-being of our employees, and the trust we build with the communities we serve.”
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