Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. (TMEJ), Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho) and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today held a ceremony in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan’s Tohoku region—the region hardest hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011—to renew their commitment to the region’s revitalization.
Approximately 100 people attended the ceremony, including Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai, Ohira Village Mayor Masahiro Atobe and other national and local government officials. Also in attendance were TMEJ President Takeshi Shirane, Toyota Tsusho President Jun Karube, TMC President Akio Toyoda and representatives of local businesses. The ceremony was held at TMEJ’s on-site Technical Skills Academy.
Toyota announced Tohoku revitalization initiatives in July 2011 based on three pillars: the automobile industry, new business and social contribution. Today’s ceremony was conducted to express gratitude toward governmental bodies, local businesses and others for their ongoing support as a number of the revitalization initiatives move into the operational stage this spring. These include the opening of TMEJ’s Technical Skills Academy, the F-Grid Concept project that will serve as the core of a smart energy system for the industrial park where TMEJ is located, and the start of operations at Vegi Dream Kurihara Corporation’s third bell pepper growing facility.
Toyoda spoke on behalf of the companies, saying: “True revitalization will take a long time. That is why the entire group of Toyota companies is dedicated to working together to carry out ongoing revitalization programs.”
Miyagi Prefecture Governor Murai expressed high expectations for the ongoing support programs of the three companies, saying: “The continuous and widespread support of the Toyota group of companies in Tohoku is a powerful driving force that pushes ahead the revitalization of the region. Going forward, we will undertake revitalization efforts in even closer collaboration with Toyota and with a sense of urgency.”
