Factory Production We're Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Factory Production, Too.

Aiming at zero emissions, we're putting 100% of shochu residues at our Takanabe Factory to reuse. In April 1998, we introduced an energy-saving facility at our Takanabe Plant for treating shochu distilling residues, the only treatment process that was still generating wastes. Thanks to the use of an enriched fluidized bed incinerator, 100% of the post-incineration waste can now be used to make cement.

We're saving energy in the distilling process. We've launched a program to find better ways to save energy in the distilling process, which consumes considerable quantities of energy to make alcohol. • At our Matsudo, Kusu, and Shimabara plants

We're preparing to meet the challenge of ISO 14001. ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management. Our Kusu Plant in Mie Prefecture is already ISO 9000 certified, but now we're working to obtain ISO 14001 certification. We then plan to obtain ISO 14001 for all our plants.

As part of our beautification and water purification program, we release fry into streams near our plant. Our Matsudo Plant in Chiba Prefecture is located in the middle of an industrial park, which we're working intensively to beautify. Despite TaKaRa's discharge of waste water into the Shinsakugawa River in front of the plant, this river's water is clean, and we release fry into the water to stock the stream on regularly scheduled occasions.

The Shin-Shirakawa Plant: A "Forest Village Factory" Our Shin-Shirakawa Plant aims to come on stream at the beginning of the 21st century and realize our dream and corporate principle of harmony between nature and humanity, individually and collectively. As much as possible, site construction has left the natural topography intact in the lush forested region along the Abukumagawa River with the majestic Nasu Mountain Range behind it in the distance. Equipped with a communications space and accommodations for visitors, it aims to be a "factory in a forest village," with roots in the local community.