Benesse Corporation (ベネッセコーポレーション) is a Japanese company which focuses on correspondence education and publishing. Based in Okayama, it is the parent company of Berlitz Language Schools, which in turn is the parent company of ELS Language Centers. Benesse is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (listing code 9783).
The company name is derived from the Latin words "bene" (well) and "esse" (being).
History
The company was founded in 1955 as Fukutake Publishing Co., Ltd. (株式会社福武書店) by Tetsuhiko Fukutake, a publisher of educational materials. In 1986, Soichiro Fukutake succeeded his father as president on the latter's death.[2] His son Hideaki Fukutake is a company director.[3]
In 1994, the company completed the construction of the Fukutake Shoten Tokyo Building (now Benesse Corporation Tokyo Building) in Tama, Tokyo. In April 1995, the company was renamed Benesse Corporation.
A major breakthrough in the company's history was the acquisition of a majority stake in Berlitz Language Schools