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For a Society with “iki-iki”(happiness and health)
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Supporting Victims of Natural Disasters
In 2004, many natural disasters hit Japan, including the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake, torrential rains in Niigata and Fukui prefectures, and typhoons 21, 22 and 23. Many people suffered damage, and food and water were in short supply in the afflicted areas.
Takara Shuzo sent water trucks and donated “Yoro Sanroku no Shizen Sui” and “TaKaRa Oolong Tea.” Staff at the Main Office and branches near the afflicted areas worked as volunteers to help restore the water supply, clean out flooded stores, and draining of water. We hope very much that the afflicted areas return to normal as soon as possible. |
Funding the Zero CO2 Emission “Velotaxi”
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Velotaxies spread nationwide
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The day before the Kyoto Protocol for the prevention of global warming came into effect on February 15, 2005, four Velotaxies carrying the TaKaRa logo paraded through the city of Kyoto to keep the public informed of the introduction of the Protocol.
The Velotaxi is a three-wheeled bicycle taxi developed in environmentally-advanced Germany. It is clean because the vehicle produces no CO2 to cause global warming. In Japan, the Ecological-Cities Promoting Association/ NPO has been operating these taxies. Since the taxies started operating in Kyoto in 2002, they have gradually spread throughout Japan. Takara Shuzo has co-sponsored this activity from the first test run in its efforts to preserve the natural environment. |
Overseas Activities
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Sho-Chiku-Bai sake-barrel breaking ceremony
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Sierra Cold
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Takara Sake USA Inc., a Japanese company located in San Francisco, supports not only events organized by Japanese organizations, but also local festivals and natural environment organizations.
In addition to sponsoring Japanese-affiliated events that convey Japanese culture to American citizen, a representative of which is the Cherry Blossom Festival, the largest event in Japan Town, Takara supports many annual events organized by the Consulate General of Japan and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Northern California. Nowadays, a “Sho-Chiku-Bai” sake-barrel breaking ceremony is an indispensable part of any Japanese-affiliated event. Every year Takara participates in an event in “Hakone Garden,” a Japanese garden, and donates all sales at the event to the fund for maintaining the garden. At “Jazz on the 4th," a festival held near the main office, Takara holds a sake tasting that people pay to take part in, and donates all the proceeds to the local organizer.
To support the preservation of the natural environment, Takara donates a portion of the sales of its sake Sierra Cold to the Sierra Club, who are involved in nature preservation in the Sierra Nevada. |
| Other social contributions |
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Social Contributions (sponsorships)
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Special Olympics World Winter Games
The Shibafu (Lawn) School Kyoto
Nature camp of the Nature Conservation Society of Japan
Sumatra Earthquake donations through the Japan Red Cross Society
Japan Bamboo Society
Abukuma River Cleanup Campaign
Campaign to preserve Hokkaido’s Heritage
Campaign to preserve Nagano’s Treasures
Chuo-ward, Tokyo Flower Support
Yomiuri Science Festa
Wheelchair road relay race charity
Funding for Earth Day
27th Abilympics
Community chest, etc. |
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Volunteer activities
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Community cleanup campaign organized by the Kyoto City Beautification Promotion Corporation (Kyoto)
Edo River Cleanup Campaign (Matsudo)
Abukuma River Cleanup Campaign (Fukushima)
Support for Japanese drumming group’s activities at welfare facilities for the aged (Kyoto)
Removing covering strips from trees at Hama Rikyu Park (Tokyo)
Monthly posting of “Bora mimi” (Volunteers’ good news informational magazines) (Aichi)
Children’s Conference in Asia (Fukuoka)
Community cleanups as part of the labor union’s clean earth campaign |
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Social categories covered by Green-Ink Accounting
| Changes in Expenditure for Social Contributions |
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From fiscal 2004, social contributions other than environment-related contributions are also included.
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The items “Financial social contributions” and “Number of employees participated in volunteer activities” will be added in the third Green-Ink Accounting period, with fiscal 2004 as the base year.
The amount of money spent on social contributions (financial support by the company) increased in fiscal 2004 to 97 million yen with the start of the TaKaRa Rice and Sake School and the provision of relief materials to areas suffering from natural disasters. The total number of employees participated in volunteer activities (personnel assistance by employees) is 395, including the participation in the Rice and Sake School, disaster relief and cleanup activities. |
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