What Nihon Consultant Group does

Nihon Consultant Group (日本コンサルタントグループ), operating under the brand name "Niccon" (ニッコン), is a Tokyo-based management consulting and human resources development firm founded in 1955. The company serves enterprises and government agencies across seven industry verticals: information and communications, construction, department stores/specialty retail/shopping centers, food supermarkets, hotels/restaurants/services, government/public sector, and healthcare/welfare. Its core business spans management consulting (organizational diagnosis, HR system design, operational improvement, strategic advisory), instructor-led training (hierarchical and role-based programs ranging from new-hire onboarding to executive development), e-learning courses, and a subscription video learning service for the food supermarket sector.

The company's proprietary technology platform is STePL (ステップル), a cloud-based human resources development support system registered as a trademark in July 2025, with a shopping-center-specific variant called STePL SC. STePL delivers training content (manuals, videos, assessments) across PC, tablet, and smartphone, supports learner self-registration, and integrates content distribution, commenting, and progress tracking. A second flagship product is a smartphone-based safety health education program for the construction industry, featuring short-format (~10-minute) videos in 14 languages. Supporting offerings include a flat-rate Industry Study video library of ~200 titles for food supermarket employees, per-seat e-learning courses (priced ¥3,300-¥15,400 per person), and NCG Online, an e-commerce storefront for business publications.

Revenue is generated through four streams: customized enterprise consulting engagements (priced by proposal), instructor-led training (priced by course length and headcount), per-seat and annual subscription e-learning, and STePL platform licensing. Distribution is primarily direct B2B sales with a nationwide office footprint, supplemented by association channels (notably the Daiwa House Industry Cooperation Association's 4,693 member companies) and owned marketing channels including a website, monthly email magazine, blog, trade show presence (Supermarket Trade Show 2025), and proprietary HR professional exchange meetings. The company is privately held with no disclosed revenue, 101-250 employees, and 70 years of operating history.

Name

Nihon Consultant Group

Legal name

株式会社 日本コンサルタントグループ

Website

https://niccon.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nihon Consultant Group is a Tokyo-based, privately held management consulting and human resources development firm founded in 1955, serving Japanese enterprises and government agencies across seven industry verticals including food supermarket, construction, retail, hospitality, IT, healthcare, and government through consulting, instructor-led training, and a cloud LMS platform (STePL).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting & Corporate Training

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning, Training & Corporate Education Consulting (BPAHAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performance Management & Productivity Consulting (BPAHAGAL), IT, Systems & Tools Onboarding (Access, Apps, Security Basics) (EDABAOAE)

Keywords

• Management consulting services
• Corporate training programs
• Human resources development
• E-learning platforms
• Industry-specific consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Management Consulting Services: Industry-specific consulting services including organizational diagnosis, human resource system design, operational improvement, and business strategy advisory. Services are customized per client and delivered by industry-expert consultants.
2. Training Programs (Instructor-Led): Hierarchical and thematic training programs across industries (supermarket, hotel/restaurant, healthcare, construction, government). Delivered as multi-day courses, multi-session programs (e.g., 6-month courses), and single-day seminars. Pricing varies by course length, materials volume, and participant count.
3. E-Learning Content Subscriptions: Individual course enrollment for e-learning content spanning supermarket, construction, financial services, and hospitality sectors. Per-person pricing (e.g., ¥3,300–¥15,400 per person depending on course). Learning period typically 1–4 months per course. Additional charges for extensions.
4. Education Support System (STePL) Platform Licensing: Cloud-based education management platform provided as a service to enterprise clients. Enables companies to upload internal manuals and training videos, manage learner progress, and conduct assessments. Supports both employee self-registration (entry-type) and company-managed registration models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nihon Consultant Group provides management consulting, corporate training, and human resources development services to Japanese enterprises and government agencies across seven industries (IT/telecom, construction, department store/SC, food supermarket, hotel/hospitality, government, and healthcare/welfare). Its core deliverables are instructor-led training programs, e-learning courses, and consulting engagements — supported by STePL, a proprietary cloud-based LMS platform for enterprise training delivery. The firm also distributes a smartphone-based multilingual construction safety education program and operates an online business-book storefront.

Product overview

Nihon Consultant Group (nikkon) is a management consulting firm providing industry-specific consulting and human resources development services across seven sectors: information/communications, construction, department stores/retail/SC, food supermarket, hotel/hospitality, government/public, and healthcare/welfare. The core offering is a suite of training and consulting products comprising: (1) STePL, a cloud-based human resources development support platform; (2) STePL SC, a shopping center-specific variant of the platform; (3) 業界スタディ (Industry Study), a subscription-based video learning service for the food supermarket sector; and (4) a broad catalog of instructor-led training programs and e-learning courses covering new employee onboarding, department-specific skills, management development, and professional certifications. The company also offers consulting services in organizational diagnosis, human resource systems design, and business process improvement, all delivered by industry-specialized consultants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STePL（ステップル）: Cloud-based education support system for employee training and development
• STePL SC
• スマホでできる安全衛生教育プログラム
• HRブリッジ

Products and services

• STePL (ステップル) Human Resources Development Support Platform A cloud-based human resources development support platform that enables enterprises to deliver training content (manuals, videos, guidelines) via web portal, manage course enrollment, track learner progress, distribute assignments and surveys, and facilitate on-the-job practice with photo/video feedback. Used by supermarket chains and shopping center operators for employee training management.
• STePL SC (Shopping Center STePL) Industry-specific variant of the STePL platform tailored for shopping center operators. Provides tenant employee onboarding training via QR-code enrollment, mandatory e-learning completion, confirmation tests, and integrated ID badge application processing — reducing administrative burden for SC management offices.
• Smartphone-Based Safety Health Education Program (Construction) Smartphone-delivered safety and health education program for the construction industry. Short-format video content (~10 minutes per session), multilingual support in 14 languages, completion tests, and entry-based enrollment. Distributed via industry associations (e.g., Daiwa House Industry Cooperation Association with 4,693 member companies), achieving 19.3% reduction in safety accidents (2023 YoY).
• Industry Study — Food Supermarket Video On-Demand Service
• Food Supermarket Department-Specific E-Learning Courses
• Supermarket Basic E-Learning Courses (Common, Store Design, Numerical Management)

Quantifiable outcome

• 19.3% reduction in construction safety accidents (2023 year-on-year) for Daiwa House Industry member companies using NCG's smartphone-based safety health education program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 立命館アジア太平洋大学 (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2025NCG has been authorized to handle two APU-run programs: (1) Global Competency Enhancement Program (GCEP) — an international talent development program conducted entirely in English with practical workshops, group discussions, and multicultural dormitory living with APU students; and (2) Inclusive Leadership Training — a diversity and inclusion (D&I) program. These programs are targeted at companies and organizations developing next-generation leaders and managers.
• 大和ハウス工業協力会連合会 (Daiwa House Industry Cooperation Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNCG developed a smartphone-based safety health education DX initiative in collaboration with the Daiwa House Industry Cooperation Association (63 branches, 4,693 member companies). The program delivers short-format safety training via smartphone to field workers at member construction sites, achieving a 19.3% reduction in safety accidents (2023 YoY). NCG presented this case at the 60th National Construction Industry Labor Accident Prevention Conference in Tokyo.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and organizational performance training firm with established Japan operations. Comparable to NCG's hierarchical training programs (new hire through executive) and leadership development offerings.
• Nomura Research Institute (NRI): Major Japanese IT/consulting conglomerate providing management consulting, IT solutions, and financial-industry research. Comparable as a diversified Japan-headquartered consulting/training/services player, though NRI is far larger and IT-led.
• BayCurrent Consulting: One of Japan's largest management consulting firms, offering strategy and operational consulting across multiple industries. Comparable to NCG as a Japanese consulting provider, though BayCurrent is significantly larger and more strategy-focused versus NCG's HR/training-centric, industry-vertical model.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm covering talent management, executive search, and HR advisory. Comparable to NCG's human capital consulting, organizational diagnostics, and HR system design services targeting Japanese enterprises.

Emerging players

• Cornerstone OnDemand: Global cloud-based LMS and talent management software provider. Direct competitor to NCG's STePL platform in the enterprise learning management space, with broader feature set and global scale.

Others

• HR Bridge (NCG sub-brand) vs. global EOR/recruiters: Note: HR Bridge is NCG's own overseas talent introduction sub-brand, not a peer. Closest adjacent comparable is Robert Walters Japan — a foreign-affiliated recruitment firm operating in Japan. Included as adjacent reference only.

Direct peers

• Link and Motivation: Tokyo-listed HR consulting firm specializing in organizational consulting, motivation engineering, and employee engagement programs. Most direct comparable to NCG's HR systems design, organizational diagnostics, and corporate training services targeting Japanese enterprises.
• Wilson Learning: Global human performance improvement company specializing in sales, leadership, and employee training programs with localized Japan presence. Comparable to NCG's instructor-led training, sales training, and corporate learning programs targeting Japanese and APAC enterprises.
• Skillsoft: Global corporate e-learning and talent development platform offering subscription content libraries, leadership programs, and compliance training. Direct comparable to NCG's e-learning subscription and Industry Study video offerings in the corporate training category.
• Future Corporation: Japanese consulting and IT services firm with a strong focus on retail and supply-chain consulting. Overlaps with NCG's food supermarket and department store/SC verticals on operational improvement and IT-enabled transformation work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/niccon.sol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nihon Consultant Group