●○○ low
The assessment is on hold, awaiting a build-up of confirmed evidence.= non-additive meter
Smiles Co.: “Expanding the value of living” — Soup Stock Tokyo, PASS THE BATON, etc.. Masamichi Toyama, a salaried employee at Mitsubishi Corporation, held a solo painting exhibition at 33 without anyone asking him to, and was powerfully moved by the feeling of “giving form to his own initiative.” In that vein he wrote a story-format proposal, “A Day with Soup,” in 1997, and in 2000 founded Smiles as Mitsubishi Corporation's first in-house venture. Starting with the soup specialty shop “Soup Stock Tokyo,” it has created on its own the necktie brand “giraffe,” the recycle shop “PASS THE BATON” (which sells items with the story of their former owner attached), “100 Spoons,” and more. Under the banner “expanding the value of living,” it continues making value that “resembles no one else,” unbound by industry frames, and has stepped into exhibiting at the Setouchi Triennale and supporting artists. At present independent evidence is scarce, so the assessment is on hold. (As of 2026-Q2; estimate based on public information.)
Main narrative
Masamichi Toyama, a salaried employee at Mitsubishi Corporation, held a solo painting exhibition at 33 without anyone asking him to, and was powerfully moved by the feeling of “giving form to his own initiative.” In that vein he wrote a story-format proposal, “A Day with Soup,” in 1997, and in 2000 founded Smiles as Mitsubishi Corporation's first in-house venture.
Starting with the soup specialty shop “Soup Stock Tokyo,” it has created on its own the necktie brand “giraffe,” the recycle shop “PASS THE BATON” (which sells items with the story of their former owner attached), “100 Spoons,” and more. Under the banner “expanding the value of living,” it continues making value that “resembles no one else,” unbound by industry frames, and has stepped into exhibiting at the Setouchi Triennale and supporting artists.
One person’s story (N1)
+ before → after
At “PASS THE BATON,” items no longer used are sold with a photo and profile of their former owner and the story behind the object. Not mere secondhand goods but shopping that “inherits someone's story” — things once about to be thrown away find their next user and a new place to belong.
Source nature: partner-web（遠山正道インタビュー） / P3 trade media. Positive effects are not used to offset negatives.
Positive / negative effects
+ effects
- See the N1 above for the main positive story; independently verified + will be added over time.
− effects (confirmed)
- No confirmed −.
Nothing of note at present.
A second look
Smiles's core is food, retail, and creative work, and what it raises is the value of living and culture — “expanding the value of living.” There is little material to independently verify a + effect on protected stakeholders such as people, animals, nature, or future generations, so the assessment is on hold for now.
Sources
How to read this assessment
- Reachable upper bound (ceiling): a confirmed − sets the ceiling, and independently verified + decide the position within it. + do not cancel out −.
- The weight of evidence is not symmetric: only confirmed − are counted; the volume of disputes or allegations goes under “Watching.” + are counted from independent evidence, while an organization’s own PR is treated as “reference.”
- Size is not value: scale is not used in the assessment. Matters that stay within money or competition—investors, shareholders, sanctions, trade secrets—are also excluded.
- The letter (assessment) and certainty (how reliable the information is) are separate axes.
This is a translation; the Japanese version is authoritative. The assessments here are generated automatically by AI based on published criteria. The operator does not alter individual results. Because they are AI-generated they may contain errors, and they are opinion and commentary, not statements of fact. Where evidence is insufficient, the entry is marked “On hold.” Requests for correction are accepted via the form.
Terms: Narrative Value = an assessment (A–G) of the distance between the story an organization tells and its reality / Ceiling meter = a visualization of the reachable upper bound / Watching = unconfirmed matters not counted / Protected stakeholders = people, animals, nature, and future generations. | Generated by: AI | As of: 2026-Q2 | Back to top