At SmartNews, our mission is to "deliver the world"s quality information to the people who need it," through our news app, SmartNews. In an environment that demands rapid innovation and constant speed, the foundation for seamlessly advancing our daily work and sparking new breakthroughs is "smooth internal communication".

To ensure members connect across departments and titles, SmartNews has created an official in-house club system: the 'SmartClub'. Launched in July 2025, this program has quickly grown into a vital social hub, with 24 active clubs today.

This post will dive into the purpose of 'SmartClub'—which fosters connections that go beyond work—and highlight some of the uniquely spirited club activities.

In a global organization, focusing only on day-to-day tasks can easily lead to limited communication across departments and roles. However, when we connect through the common, level ground of hobbies and interests, we naturally build bridges with members from other teams we might not otherwise interact with.

The company supports these voluntary gatherings with activity funds (subsidies) because we view this as a meaningful investment in building the cross-organizational trust that breaks down walls.

Here is some feedback we've received from members actively participating in the clubs:

• "I've connected with new teammates from departments I don't typically work with, and made friends with colleagues in different roles."

• "The relationships I built in the club have made it much smoother to consult with colleagues and exchange information for work-related matters later on."

Understanding each other’s personality and background in a casual, non-work setting boosts psychological safety. Ultimately, this smooth, supportive relationship is the bedrock for seamless business coordination and swift problem-solving, which fuels the company's growth.

The greatest strength of 'SmartClub' is that employees proactively step up and run the clubs with ownership. Here are a few examples of the vibrant clubs making noise both inside and outside the office:

This is the monumental first club created in SmartClub history. Enthusiasts, from beginners to advanced climbers, challenge the same walls, actively advising each other on routes and climbing techniques.

This club has a welcoming and bright atmosphere that embraces new members, and their Slack channel is always buzzing with excitement.

Focused and serious during their sessions! Bouldering under the city sky must be a great change of pace!

A high-energy club where fishing enthusiasts and beginners are all welcome! Activities range from weekend fishing and BBQ trips with family in Okutama to chartering a boat at dawn to pursue the "big one," connecting with nature and stepping away from daily tasks.

Our COO, Yi Ren who is usually based in the US, even participated in the most recent outing. The time spent talking deeply while out on the water offers a fantastic opportunity for refreshment and interaction, transcending department and title.

Their recent trips have been very successful, with reports on Slack becoming a great promotion for the club!

The Mahjong Club brings together both first-timers and experienced players. It features a serious side, with members utilizing AI to create score dashboards and rankings. Stripping away job titles and roles, concentrating on each tile and competing strategically gives rise to dense, flat communication.

Mahjong can seem intimidating, but the club works hard to make activities inviting, hosting open sessions and creating rulebooks to ensure a welcoming atmosphere.

This is an energetic club that truly embodies the idea of "when it"s time to have fun, have maximum fun". In fact, its one of the clubs the CEO Kaisei frequently attends. The ability to instantly create a sense of unity through favorite songs, breaking down barriers of nationality, language, and role, is a unique advantage of our global organization.

As the Karaoke Club often sees a large turnout, they sometimes divide into multiple rooms for activities. Moving between rooms to sing, eat, and celebrate together is a fun opportunity that builds strong trust and relationships!

Beyond the clubs highlighted above, SmartNews has officially recognized many other clubs reflecting the diverse interests of our members, all of which are actively pursuing their passions.

• Sports & Outdoors: Golf, Badminton, Running, Basketball, Tennis, Ski and Snowboarding, Camping, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Fighting

• Culture & Indoor: Shogi & Chess, Movie, Cooking, Japanese Idol, Plamo, diy-hacking

• Language & Entertainment: Language Exchange, Gaming, Challenge

Through these grassroots community activities, SmartNews supports building an organization where members can work more comfortably and foster strong lateral connections.

The 'smooth relationships' cultivated in SmartClub—the ability to instantly connect across departments and titles through heightened psychological safety—is a crucial, invisible foundation. It enables SmartNews to continuously launch products quickly in a dynamic market. This system is deeply connected to one of SmartNews' Core Values: "Nothing is somebody else"s problem"!

Written by = Head of Culture ＆Communication (Yamautsuri)