The Mie Plant is located in the sacred city of Ise, within the watershed of the Miyagawa River, hailed as Japan's most pristine stream. The plant utilizes groundwater supplied from the Miyagawa River, and its wastewater is discharged into the Hinashiri River, a tributary of the Sedagawa River, which joins the Isuzugawa River near its mouth.

We conducted an outreach program for fourth-grade students at Ise City Minato Elementary School at Ominato Beach. The program included introductions to biodiversity conservation, a shadow puppet show about sea turtles nesting, lessons on coastal plants, a "Komatsuyoyguasa Pulling Tournament" (a competition to remove invasive Komatsuyoyguasa plants), and a beach cleanup. The goal was to provide hands-on environmental education to the students.
This fiscal year, 100 students from three elementary schools in Ise City planted trees on the grounds of the Mie Plant. This program was conducted as part of the environmental education agreement between Ise City and the plant.

As a company operating in the sacred city of Ise, we are committed to protecting and restoring the irreplaceable natural environment of the Ise Bay and the Miyagawa River basin, which are integral to the region's ecosystem.

The Mishima Plant is blessed with abundant water resources, with an agricultural waterway using springwater from Shirataki Park in front of Mishima Station running on the east side of the factory and the Goten River, a first-class river, into which drainage water is discharged from the factory, flowing on the west side. Working in three teams nicknamed "Loaches", "Soft-shell Turtles" and "Eels", factory employees conduct surveys on the water quality of Goten River and organisms living and around the river since 2013.
The Goten River serves as a nesting place for insects such as dragonfly larvae of Macromia amphigena (koyama dragonflies) and Calopteryx atrata (haguro dragonflies), fish such as Opsariichthys platypus (freshwater minnows), Nipponocypris temminckii (dark chubs) and Amur catfish, and reptiles such as Pelodiscuc sinensis (soft-shell turtles) and Trachemys scripta elegans (red-eared turtles). As a rare case for a factory surrounded by residential buildings, the Mishima factory serves as a nesting place for Alcedo atthis (common kingfishers), the symbol bird of Mishima City. However, since we found a lot of garbage dumped into the river, we have been cleaning the river after monitoring in order to contribute even in small ways to keeping the Goten River clean and beautiful. In May 2019, the Numazu Civil Engineering Office of Shizuoka Prefecture, the Mishima city government and our Mishima Plant signed a "River Friendship Agreement," and since then, we have been collaboratively engaged in river improvement work with people from the Numazu Civil Engineering Office using the "stream barbs construction method." As a result of the continuous activities, we were able to confirm that creatures that had almost disappeared after river dredging began to return again.
We also found Ranunculus nipponicus var. japonicus (Japanese water-crowfoots) and Psilotum nudum (whisk ferns), which are on Shizuoka Prefecture's Red List of Vulnerable Creatures and were not used to be seen in the downstream side from the plant in the Goten River. In the future, we would like to invite local residents to join these activities. Dealing with an increase in natural disasters and heavy rainfalls, we have been continuing the activities to the extent possible.
Additionally, starting in 2024, we began activities on the premises, initiating wild bird observation and habitat creation for wildlife.
Three years ago, Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) began visiting the area around the rooftop carbon tank, and we were even able to observe them mating.

FY2024: The Shinshiro Plant conducted biodiversity conservation activities as part of the factory's risk management work. The activities included surveys on the water quality of the Noda River and the Kuroda River, which have a direct impact on the local environment, and monitoring of creatures. We also conducted conservation activities at Yotsuya senmaida (terraced rice paddies in Yotsuya) serving as one of the water source areas of the Toyokawa River for water source cultivation as an activity to contribute to conserving the local environment. A total of 75 people in three teams working at three areas, Yotsuya senmaida, the Noda River and the Kuroda River, and the factory biotope, to advance conservation activities suitable to the local ecosystem.
Our activities have expanded beyond water quality monitoring and biological surveys. We've entered our third year of the Noda River Firefly Project, a collaborative effort with the local community. In 2022, we obtained the “ABINC Certification^※” as a factory mindful of biodiversity, and have maintained this certification ever since. This recognition highlights the plant's integrated approach to environmental management, which includes creating a waterside biotope within the factory grounds alongside the careful maintenance of its forest and grassland areas. The plant's dedication to community engagement through environmental education programs, tree planting guidance, and partnerships with local organizations and businesses was also a significant factor in the award. This is the second time a Yokohama Rubber plant has received this prestigious award, following the 2020 recognition of the Shinshiro Plant.

<Water source area in Yotsuya senmaida, Shinshiro City>
This area has been served a water source for the industrial cooling water. We worked to secure a habitat for biological communities, help maintain clear streams and near threatened species, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, and support a desirable ecological habitat in the senmaida.
Continuing last year's efforts, we conducted a removal campaign targeting invasive species, specifically common sunflower (Bidens pilosa) and tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), in the Yotsuya Thousand Rice Paddies. This year, the campaign included participation from Shinshiro City Hall staff as part of their training program. We removed approximately 390 kilograms of invasive plants and submitted a report to the Aichi Prefecture Department of Environment, Natural Environment Division.
Our ongoing biological surveys continue to show an increase in the population of red-bellied newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster), a species classified as Near Threatened (NT) by both the national government and Aichi Prefecture.

<Noda River and Kuroda River: Water quality and aquatic life monitoring survey>
We confirmed that drainage water discharged from the Shinshiro Plant and Shinshiro-Minami Plant does not adversely affect water quality and aquatic life in the local rivers, and carried out activities to maintain and sustain this status.

＜Biotope in the plant＞
The cooling water used at the Shinshiro Plant is drawn from the nearby Noda River and discharged back into the river after undergoing a filtration process to ensure its cleanliness. To demonstrate that filtered wastewater can support aquatic life, the plant has been conducting water quality monitoring and aquatic organism surveys within its on-site biotope since 2010. These records document the success of creating an environment suitable for aquatic life, even with the use of industrial wastewater.

＜Nodagawa Firefly Project＞
Responding to residents in the neighborhood saying there used to be a lot of fireflies in the past, we launched a five-year plan called "Nodagawa Firefly Project" aiming at the returning of fireflies as one of the pillars for the environmental conservation of the Noda River used by the plant for water intake and water discharge.
We were fortunate to have the participation and support of the "Protecting Farmland, Water, and the Environment Association" and Clime Autobacs Co., Ltd., enabling us to release a total of 9,600 freshwater snails. These snails were collected from a nearby river and raised at the factory before being released back into the wild.

12 employees from the Shinshiro Plant supported and participated in a bus tour to experience tree-planting for transforming areas cleared of cedar and cypress trees into satoyama (village forest) organized by the Shinshiro Shitara Ecosystem Network Council. We provided a total of 250 saplings of deciduous broad-leaved trees, including Quercus variabilis (oriental oak), Quercus serrata (konara oak), Cerasus jamasakura (yamazakura cherry), which are local native tree species, and helped the participants with tree planting.

The Miyama district is known to be home to the Japanese Emperor butterfly (Sasakia charonda), a national butterfly species. To support its protection and population growth, we are planting Japanese hackberry (Celtis sinensis), a key food source for its larvae. During our planting efforts, we discovered a nearby population of Korean hackberry (Celtis jessoensis var. koreana), which is classified as critically endangered in Aichi Prefecture. In collaboration with the local NPO "Miyama Yumura Okoshi-tai" (Miyama Dream Village Development Team), we have been annually planting numerous seedlings grown from the seeds of this rare hackberry, aiming to contribute to its conservation and protection.

In 2013, the Onomichi Plant began initiatives to conserve and enhance biodiversity within the factory grounds and at the Fujii River Water Park, located along the middle reaches of the Fujii River flowing into the Seto Inland Sea on the east side of the plant.
The plant grounds, with the development of "Sennen no Mori" (Forest of a Thousand Years), a mature forest, along with areas of brushwood, grasslands, and ponds and wetlands created by rainwater, provide a mosaic of habitats for various creatures. These diverse environments support the presence of dragonflies, butterflies, crickets, and grasshoppers. Additionally, the plant grounds have been shown to contribute to the nesting of skylarks, the establishment of territories by shrike and narcissus flycatcher, and the overwintering of bush warblers. These activities, conducted three times a year, are carried out with the cooperation of the Hiroshima Branch of the Wild Bird Society of Japan.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, activities have been scaled back to birdwatching and subsequent river clean-up efforts. However, there are plans to gradually expand the scope of these activities in the future.
In June 2024, we participated in the “Fujii River Evening” event held at Fujii River Water Park, where we distributed free saplings, held a lottery event, and displayed panels introducing the results of our fixed-point observations along the Fujii River and our biodiversity conservation activities and Forever Forest activities at the Onomichi plant.

The Nagano Plant is located at 805,5m above sea level, in an area that is abundant in nature compared to other Yokohama Rubber plants. As there is almost no effluent other than rainwater drainage, we think the environmental impact of this plant is much lower than that of our other sites.
Since the Nagano Plant is located on a river terrace of the Tenryu River, we started biodiversity conservation activities in the plant's rainwater regulation pond in 2021 with the aim of restoring the back-marsh ecosystem of the Tenryu River within the plant premises. To this end, we have decided to exterminate invasive Solidago altissima (tall goldenrods) and Solanum carolinense (Carolina horsenettle) found in the monitoring activities, and each section is in charge of carrying out this activity every year from June to September.
We also conduct monitoring of living creatures, exterminate invasive alien species, and carry out cleanup activities at the irrigation canal on the south side of the plant where rainwater is discharged.
We started preparations to register as a Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Nature Site, aiming to become a factory that living in harmony with the rich surrounding nature, a “site where dragonflies dwell.”

The aquatic organism survey in the drainage channel south of the plant, resumed in 2023, has confirmed a relatively high number of native species such as Dark chub (Nipponocypris temminckii), Weather loach(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), Japanese Gudgeon (Pseudogobio esocinus).
Renovation work on the drainage channel began in the winter of 2024. The subsequent rise in water levels has made it difficult to continue the survey. We are considering relocating the survey site to the receiving river.

We carried out lower branch pruning work for trees planted as part of our Yokohama Forever Forest Program at the Takamori Factory (current Takamori Warehouse) in 2010 and bamboo forest maintenance work in the adjacent land plot. As an effort to prevent the invasion of bamboos into the forest, we carried out bamboo shoot harvesting, and share harvested bamboo shootings with employees, and they enjoyed delicious dishes featuring bamboo shootings at home.

In accordance with the "Forest Foster Parent Promotion Project" promoted by Nagano Prefecture, we have signed a "Forest Foster Parent Agreement" with Toyooka Village to cooperate in the maintenance of the village forest in Toyooka Village, and restarted satoyama maintenance work in June 2022. We cleared undergrowth and pruned lower branches for the conservation of the satoyama.

The 29th Tenryu River Watershed Environmental Picnic was held in May 2025. 46 participants (including 25 from Nagano Plant) joined alongside local businesses. The event involved cleaning up trash along the Tenryu River and removing the roots of invasive plants, specifically the vine known as "Aretchuiri" (Sicyos angulatus).

Since 2013, our Ibaraki Plant has conducted surveys on water quality, vegetation, aquatic life and birds at the Sonobe River to which the plant discharges effluent. Since water from the Sonobe River is used as agricultural water, we pay careful attention to its quality. Since the water coming out from drainage outlet for plant effluent has lower conductivity and higher transparency than those of the water in the Sonobe River, it is believed that plant effluent is adequately managed. A fish tank is also placed at the entrance of the plant, where we are keeping fish caught in the Sonobe River by using the plant effluent.
We started surveying birds within the plant premises in 2015, and have been continuing our survey activities. Starting in 2019, we have newly organized the project "Survey on the Living Environment of Butastur indicus (grey-faced buzzards)" to survey the vegetation and small animals (amphibians and reptiles) in the plant, focusing on grey-faced buzzards, which are registered as a near threatened species in Ibaraki Prefecture, as one of the indicators for environmental conservation. In 2020, we installed a perch for grey-faced buzzards in the plant, and confirmed it has been seen being used by those birds several times. We have also watched them flying over the plant.

These activities have been carried out under the guidance of the Wild Bird Society of Japan Ibaraki Branch and the Omitama Wildlife Association.

In recognition of these activities, the Ibaraki Plant obtained the ABINC Excellence Award of the "Association for Business Innovation in Harmony with Nature and Community® (ABINC)" certification in April 2023.
In October 2023, the site was recognized by the Ministry of the Environment as a "Nature Coexistence Site." Subsequently, in September 2024, it was registered in the international OECM^※ database.

We will continue in cooperation with people from many quarters.

YTRH is located adjacent to Lake Utonai, an internationally famous stopover for many migratory birds, which is located in the eastern part of Tomakomai City, in the central southern part of Hokkaido. YTRH is the only factory among the Yokohama Group that is built in such a nature-rich environment.
We recognize that by continuously implementing conservation activities at Lake Utunai, we are giving back to the land. Conservation activities focus primarily on: ① Eradicating invasive plants and ② Environmental improvements (maintaining trails, restoring ponds, etc.).
In 2022, the once-a-decade biological research by the Wild Bird Society of Japan that started 60 years ago was conducted, and YTRH participated in this event. The data obtained in the research is used for the adjustment of the water level of Lake Utonai and the maintenance of the local ecosystem.
While what we can accomplish in a single year may be modest, persistence is power! We will continue to maintain the environment while communicating with the rangers at the Japan Wild Bird Society Sanctuary.

＜Events in Tomakomai City＞
♦Spring Cleanup Month "Zero Garbage Day" on Sunday, April 21, 2024
All the YTRH members (12 people) conducted an exhaustive cleaning of the area around Lake Utonai Sanctuary. Every year after the snow melts, they conduct this exhaustive cleaning, where a lot of trash and litters are collected. This year, we partnered with the Wild Bird Society of Japan again to conduct a cleanup effort around Lake Utonai. Divided into four groups, we collected trash along the roads and walking trails surrounding the lake. All employees will continue to work together on environmental activities and sanctuary support activities for Lake Utonai, and will also continue to engage in meaningful activities together with their families, people from affiliated companies, and the Wild Bird Society of Japan.
♦Autumn Cleanup Month "Zero Garbage Day" on Sunday, October 20, 2024
All the YTRH members (12 people) conducted an exhaustive cleaning of the area around Lake Utonai Sanctuary. Under a crisp autumn sky, with flocks of geese soaring overhead, we engaged in our cleanup efforts. It's disheartening to see that some people continue to litter, but we won't be deterred. We will continue our work to protect Lake Utonai!
♦Excavation of the boat used as a watering pond for birds on Tuesday, July 1, 2024
The fixed observation sites where we annually remove introduced plants have become populated solely with native species. Consequently, we received a request from the Wild Bird Society of Japan to proceed to the next step.
We excavated a buried boat previously used as a watering pond for wild birds and restored it using natural spring-fed watering
Going forward, these environmental improvements will likely become our primary activities.

YTRS has been participating in the activities of "Miyoshi Green Support Team" since November 2015. The Miyoshi Green Support Team is working under the slogan of "make our town a nice, pleasant place to live in through the conservation and maintenance of flatland forests and build heart-warming friendship". The activities are conducted on the third Sunday of every month participated by about 20 local residents and people from local companies every time. In the "Fujikubo Flatland Forest," the traditional circulation-based agricultural practice of making compost from fallen leaves that has continued since the Edo era hundreds of years ago still coexists with the natural biodiversity of the forest.
In April 2015, a part of the YTRS biodiversity activity area was designated as the Saitama Green Trust Conservation Area No. 14. The Saitama Green Trust is an initiative to preserve the outstanding natural and historical environment of Saitama Prefecture by converting an area with such environment into a public land through the cooperation with local residents, companies, and organizations in order to preserve the local environment for future generations.
In July 2023, the "Musashino fallen leaf-derived compost farming practice" was recognized as one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations（FAO). The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System recognizes areas where traditional and globally important farming, forestry, and fishing are practiced. In each of the recognized areas, traditional farming, forestry, or fishing that has been passed down for generations is still being practiced while adapting to changes in society and environment. Local culture, landscapes and seascapes that have been nurtured are closely associated with such practices, along with a rich biodiversity formed by the agricultural organisms.

We are actively engaged in biodiversity conservation activities that combine community outreach and environmental protection. Our efforts are centered around the headwaters of the Sakai River, which flows past our business premises.
Our biodiversity conservation activities, which combine community outreach and environmental protection, take place at the headwaters of the Sakai River, located in our business's home city of Miyoshi. These activities encompass a wide range of initiatives:

• Restoring the local satoyama environment through tree removal and undergrowth clearing
• Preserving rare flora and fauna by managing the grasslands and wetlands
• Creating biotopes to foster a diverse web of life
• Maintaining and promoting winter-flooded rice paddies using reduced pesticide and no chemical fertilizers, and hosting rice planting workshops.

These activities are designed to provide opportunities for nature experiences and nature observation for the local community, especially children. Our 2024 rice planting workshop saw over 240 local elementary school children and their parents participate.
All YTRN employees participate in supporting these activities behind the scenes. In addition, we collaborate with local non-profit organizations, students from Aichi University of Education in our overall operation, allowing us to utilize the area as a platform for environmental education for local elementary schools. This collaboration between the public and private sectors has resulted in a large-scale community engagement, environmental protection, and biodiversity conservation initiative.
Furthermore, the biological monitoring conducted as part of our activities serves as a component of the "Biodiversity Monitoring Survey" (investigation of creatures in the headwaters of the Sakai River), a project commissioned by the prefecture. This data is utilized as public information.