News Release

Tree-Planting Ceremony Held at Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc.

2008.September.16

  • Management relation
  • Sustainability relation

Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that on Saturday, August 23, it staged a tree-planting ceremony as part of its "Yokohama Forever Forest" Project at Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc., a key location in the production and sale of tires for passenger cars. The ceremony was the first such event at an overseas location, to be followed by one at Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd., in China, in November, and one at Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd., in December. Domestically, first-phase tree-planting has been completed at six plants - all except the Shinshiro Plant, where it will take place in May 2009.

About 800 people attended the Philippine event, including local residents, people from other Japanese companies, and employees of the Yokohama Rubber Group and their families. Mr. Yasuo Tominaga, senior adviser of Yokohama Rubber, and for supervising the planting, Dr. Akira Miyawaki, a noted ecologist and professor emeritus of Yokohama National University, were present from Japan. Indicative of the event's local character and significance - although part of a larger global effort - the ceremony opened with the singing of the Philippine national anthem. After welcoming comments by President Hikomitsu Noji of Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc., and others, Dr. Miyawaki explained how to plant the trees. The participants were divided into groups and planted about 6,000 trees, 40 varieties, including Shorea and Parashorea in the Dipterocarpaceae, which are native to the area. Various performances, including dances by employees' children and local professionals, livened up the day.

The "Yokohama Forever Forest" Project is creating forests over the ten years at production sites in Japan and around the world, in anticipation of the company's 100th anniversary in 2017. A total of 500,000 trees will be planted at seven domestic plants and 11 group companies overseas.

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President Noji speaking at the ceremony

President Noji speaking at the ceremony

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Participants planting trees

Participants planting trees