Press Release
Cool Japan Fund Inc.
Tokyo, September 15, 2020

Investment in a High-End Furniture and Lifestyle Products Brand
Leveraging Japanese Technique, Designs and Materials
Cool Japan Fund (CJF) has invested up to 36.2 million USD (roughly 4 billion yen)for shares in Stellarworks International Co., Ltd. (Stellar Works), a company basedin Shanghai that produces furniture and lifestyle products which leverage Japanesematerials and production techniques. Stellar Works’s diverse collections feature in
luxury hotels, restaurants, offices, and private homes around the world.
Stellar Works was incorporated in 2008 by Yuichiro Hori, and its original brand “Stellar Works” – was launched in 2012. Stellar Works is globally recognised for its
sophisticated design aesthetic and its partnerships with world-renowned designers
including “Neri&Hu” – an architectural design firm based in both Shanghai andLondon – who are also the creative directors of the brand. Other designers that StellarWorks has collaborated with include “Yabu Pushelberg” – an international design firmbased in New York and Toronto – and “nendo” – a Japanese design firm headed upby Oki Sato. In addition to offering attractive designs, Stellar Works also offers
sophisticated production techniques to their customers. Their factory – a joint venturewith French luxury furniture manufacturer “Laval” ensures that the quality of products
is strictly controlled by highly skilled Japanese engineers. Stellar Works has
established an extensive network with high-end clients including luxury hotels fromaround the world– such as The Ritz-Carlton, The St. Regis, Shangri-La, The Peninsula,
Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, and Rosewood. Stellar Works products can be found inpremium hospitality outlets in locations such as Europe, the United States, Japan,Australia, New Zealand, and China, the Middle East as well as rest of Asia.

Stellar Works is dedicated to working with traditional Japanese materials and crafts
manufacturers. In 2012, Stellar Works cooperated with Hosoo – a long-establishedNishijin brocade manufacturer – to create Japanese hand-made furniture. Since then,Stellar Works has proactively brought in Japanese materials to their collections suchas Aizome (indigo dye) leather and Tochigi leather for their elegantly designed
furniture. The company produces Aritayaki ceramics in collaboration with Sagaprefecture and is aiming to further expand its collections of lifestyle products such as
lighting and tableware.

With this investment, CJF expects that Stellar Works will strengthen its
collaborations with Japanese designers, as well as the manufacturers of Japanesematerials, traditional crafts, and lifestyle products. Stellar Works will be a platform
for the continuous global sales of Japanese materials and products by leveraging
Stellar Works‘s brand power and global sales network.

About Stellarworks International Co., Ltd.
Founded: February 2008

Locations: Shanghai, London, New York, Tokyo(*The entity is registered in the British Virgin Islands, however their functional headquarters is in Shanghai.)

CEO: Yuichiro Hori

Business Details: Production and sales of high-end furniture and lifestyle
products, brand management

Homepage: https://www.stellarworks.com/

Contact for details regarding this document:
Cool Japan Fund (PR representative: Yuge, Okuyama) Tel ＋81(0)3-6406-7500
Cool Japan Fund Homepage: https://www.cj-fund.co.jp/en/(Reference 1)
Investment in a High-End Furniture and Lifestyle Products Brand
Leveraging Japanese Technique, Designs and Materials
Project Scheme
Founder andManagement

Mercuria ＊Investment
Co., Ltd.
36.2 million USD(roughly 4 billion yen)

Stellarworks International Co., Ltd.

The Continuous Global Sales of Japanese Materials andProducts to High-End Clients around the World＊Investment from “ADC Fund 2013 L.P.” which Mercuria Investment manages

Characteristics of Stellar Works① Partnerships with world-renowned architectural designers, interior
designers and product designers▲Neri&Hu
Established: 2004
Founding Partners:
Lyndon Neri, Rossana Hu▲
Yabu Pushelberg
Established: 1980
Founding Partners:
George Yabu, Glenn Pushelberg▲
nendo
Established: 2002
CEO: Oki Sato

② Factory overseen by highly-skilled Japanese engineers
Within Stellar Works’s Shanghai
factory, Japanese quality
management is fused with Frenchtechniques and brought to life byimpressive Chinese production
resources and artisan craftspeople.

(Reference 2)
Investment in a High-End Furniture and Lifestyle Products Brand
Leveraging Japanese Technique, Designs and Materials
Characteristics of Stellar Works③ Dedicated to working with traditional Japanese materials and crafts.
Aiming to further expand its collections of lifestyle products including
lighting and tableware▼ Collection made in collaboration with Kyoto’s long-established Nishijin brocade
manufacturer, Hosoo▼ Collection in collaboration with
Aizome (indigo dye) leather▼Collection in collaboration withTochigi leather▼ “Kyoto Lamp,” a collection incollaboration with Kyoto washi paper▼ “Arita,” a collection in collaboration
with Aritayaki ceramics