In 2004, the Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s leading daily newspapers with a circulation of 8.5 million copies per day, launched the Asahi Corporate Citizen Award to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary.

On 26th October 2005, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) was presented the award for its outstanding contributions to relief efforts for the Asian tsunami in December 2004. (Click here for more details on the award and NYK)

Corporate social responsibility is attracting more interest, and 146 companies applied for the Asahi award. During the screening process, an Asahi journalist spoke with JOICFP about the assistance from NYK in shipping reconditioned bicycles, school backpacks, etc. for JOICFP project sites. When deciding on NYK, the Asahi award committee also took this assistance into consideration.

In an acceptance speech, Koji Miyahara, President, NYK, said that the cooperation with JOICFP since 2000 benefited NYK and contributed to winning the Asahi Corporate Citizen Award.

Miyahara receives the award

A representative of the Corporate Communication Group of NYK, said that direct contact with counterparts of JOICFP such as through JOICFP-organized visits, and receiving letters of thanks from people who had benefited through NYK’s activities had raised the morale of staff and made them proud. It was said that appreciating social contribution is invaluable.

NYK’s corporate citizen activities are under the direct control of the company president, highlighting the importance it has in the company.