The Nippon Foundation

1. Disaster-Area Reconstruction (Mainly in Japan)

<Need>

Japan is a disaster-prone country. Based on our experience in disaster recovery support activities in the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and other disasters, they feel the need to provide prompt emergency support from a civilian standpoint when a large-scale disaster occurs. 

＜Solution＞

The Nippon Foundation makes use of its accumulated expertise and a national network of volunteers in areas including the number of experienced operators of small-scale heavy equipment. 

＜Impact＞

In fiscal year 2021,  the earthquake in Fukushima Prefecture and Heavy rain in Shizuoka Prefecture and Saga Prefecture, they collaborated with 62 local organizations which work for reconstruction.

2. Support for Disadvantaged Children in Japan

<Need>

Today, approximately one in seven Japanese under the age of 18 live with families who are defined as living in relative poverty. Our society need more locally based child-rearing communities in which no children are left behind and where “everyone raises everyone’s children” 

＜Solution＞

Since 2016, Nippon Foundation have been working with local governments and non-profits across Japan to establish “Children’s 3rd Place,” which aim to cultivate local child-rearing communities.

As of October 2022, they have established over 170 facilities all over Japan while aiming to establish a total of 500 facilities in the next few years. All facilities are made to be sustainable, with the community and its municipality to run them after our direct support. 

＜Impact＞

43 children’s third places were installed across Japan in fiscal year 2021. The target is to install 500 locations which provide support for children.

3. Pass on clean and beautiful oceans to the next generation

<Need>

Today, our oceans and seas face a variety of environmental problems, with ongoing changes in ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. They need to spur a movement to widen the circle of actions linking these seas to the future by raising the consciousness of the Japanese population. 

＜Solution＞

The Foundation conducts a number of educational programs for children across Japan while increasing their awareness that the problems of the seas are also our own problems. They also address the marine plastic pollution issue.

＜Impact＞

Since 2015, they have kept holding ocean-awareness events all over Japan, mainly working with local media and non-profits（In total, they worked with 11,523 local media/NPOs where 3,310,133 people joined in awareness-events）

4. End Exclusion

<Need>

Disability inclusion is one of our highest priorities. 60 years since establishment, The Nippon Foundation has worked to develop projects involving persons with disabilities both in Japan and abroad. 

＜Solution＞

In recent years, we have worked with “The Valuable500” (V500),  a global business collective made up of 500 CEOs and their companies, innovating together for disability inclusion. These companies include; Unilever plc, Sony Corporation, Google LLC, ELI LILLY AND COMPANY, Johnson & Johnson K.K., etc. 

＜Impact＞

In November 2022, they held the Valuable 500 (V500) conference in Tokyo, discussing specific challenges that must be tackled to drastically change the current status of society toward people with disabilities. Founder of the V500 emphasized that all members of the V500 must have a strong purpose to change their mind-set.