Giving back to society is very important to Philip Morris Japan (PMJ), the Japanese local subsidiary of leading global tobacco company Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI). In addition to its ongoing programs targeting domestic violence and child abuse, PMJ was quick to respond to the immediate needs of the affected area after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Four years later, PMJ continues to contribute to the region through programs that grow and develop to meet the changing needs of the affected area.
Immediately after the earthquake, PMJ quickly responded by donating ¥100 million for emergency aid and mid to long-term relief, in addition to matching employee donations and arranging on and off-site employee volunteers. As time passed and the restoration process continued, PMJ has been working together with NPOs to launch new projects aimed at supporting the ongoing restoration of the Tohoku Region.
Through this cooperation with NPOs, it was discovered that while there were various educational and financial support available mainly to elementary school children, there was little support available to high school students. This support is particularly important as the number of job openings has declined since the disaster, which can lead to an increased outflow of young people who have strong potential to play a major role in the continued revitalization.