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May 06, 2024
 

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Maiko Muraoka
For Maiko Muraoka's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Aug 15, 2022
OAT Agrio’s agrochemicals are from nature, for crops
OAT Agrio Co. Ltd. operates its business with the corporate philosophy of “We contribute to the people of the world with our agrotechnology and sincerity.” Listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the company was established in 2010 through a management buyout from Otsuka Chemical Co., a member of the Otsuka Holding Co. group. “At that time, projections announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations showed that an increase in food production of about 70% is necessary to feed the world population of over 9 billion people by 2050,” said Hisashi Oka, president and CEO of OAT Agrio, in a recent online interview with The Japan Times.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Mar 28, 2022
Tsukuba ‘bar’ guides both visitors and revitalization efforts
On the outskirts of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture, there is a homey place called Tamaribar, a play on words combining “tamariba” (“hangout”) and “bar.” It serves local delicacies, the kind that people eat everyday without noticing their value, like fresh eggs with locally grown rice. It also sells souvenirs and fresh-picked vegetables, holds various events and rents the space for new activities such as cooking lessons. But the most valuable thing you can get at Tamaribar, if you are looking to learn about the area or considering moving there, is connections with local people.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Mar 10, 2022
Seino Holdings drives toward environmental sustainability
Seino Holdings Co. Ltd. is one of Japan’s top commercial logistics companies, with about 90 years of history. In recent years, the Gifu-based company has been accelerating its efforts to make its services sustainable and environmentally friendly without sacrificing people’s quality of life and convenience.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Mar 10, 2022
Fukuyama, City of Roses, to host world convention and expo
The World Federation of Rose Societies’ 20th World Rose Convention will be held in the Hiroshima Prefecture city of Fukuyama from May 18 to 24, 2025. The triennial convention on roses is the largest event of the World Federation of Rose Societies, which has a history of 50 years and about 40 member countries.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Mar 9, 2022
NTT collaboration learns how to plant a sustainable well-being city
NTT Urban Solutions recently acquired a new certification of international guidance on the operation of smart cities over its development project in the central Nagoya district of Higashisakura, conducted in collaboration with NTT Urban Development and other NTT companies.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Dec 20, 2021
On Shimokita Peninsula, geopark dining and robot tours
Enjoying beautiful views and eating local delicacies are the best parts of traveling for most people. Now there is a series of gastronomic events held on Aomori Prefecture’s Shimokita Peninsula, the northernmost tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu, that allows guests to appreciate both scenery and cuisine at the same time.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Dec 1, 2021
Papermaker Oji forms solutions to environmental, social needs
The 2021 U.N. climate summit, COP26, closed with nations that are accelerating their measures against climate change announcing new and renewed targets for reducing emissions. Such measures ought to differ from country to country, industry to industry and company to company. The global community should appreciate diverse paths toward achieving the common goal of making the world sustainable.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Oct 25, 2021
Suntory invests for future with initiatives toward zero emissions
Suntory Holdings, a global leader in both the alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage industries, has been making concrete plans and taking action to achieve its ambitious target of halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 with the ultimate goal of realizing net zero greenhouse gas emissions throughout its entire value chain by 2050.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Sep 21, 2021
At 2020 Games, NTT made watching events remotely feel live
Spectators heard many athletes express appreciation in postgame interviews for Japan holding the Olympic and Paralympic Games even before they thanked their families and supporters. No one in the world had ever before done or witnessed anything like Tokyo 2020. It was a tremendous challenge for those who strove to make it happen, including NTT Corp., a leading telecommunications company that sponsored both the Games and the Olympic Torch Relay as a Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021
With Seino service, sell your excess stuff when you move
People who are moving tend to wonder what to do with all the items they find they don’t need. Sometimes there are just too many and it is too troublesome to give them away or sell them even if they are still usable.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021
How Mie preserves firms, farms, fishing and tourism
Mie Prefecture, located in the center of the Japanese archipelago, has a balanced economy supported by industry, agriculture, fishing and tourism. Gov. Eikei Suzuki attended a recent online chat to talk about the role and efforts of the prefectural government in enhancing the sustainability of each sector. Held by The Japan Times Satoyama Consortium, the Nov. 25 event marked Mie’s winning of the Special Award in the satoyama category of The Japan Times Satoyama & ESG Awards 2020.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021
Citizen revitalization projects take root in Tsukuba district
In the Oda district of the city of Tsukuba, citizens are starting to engage in projects aimed at revitalizing the community with support from older generations.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021
Living history: You could spend a night in a castle
Although castles are one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations, not many people know you can actually spend a night in a 400-year-old castle.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Dec 27, 2020
Small but creative Toyooka has outsized presence
The small coastal city of Toyooka has developed renowned presence by imaginatively developing the vitality of its economy and community.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Dec 20, 2020
Oji turns wood into alternative materials of glass and plastics
Oji Holdings, with a history of more than 140 years since its establishment, has always been a leader in Japan’s pulp and paper industry. Its efforts have expanded to nurturing forests both in Japan and abroad to secure the materials for its products while preserving the environment.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Dec 11, 2020
ESG awards recognize efforts on energy, child labor
To achieve the 17 U.N. sustainable development goals and bring a better future for all, what is needed is action by not just every government but also all organizations and each person. Borderless collaboration will accelerate such efforts.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Dec 11, 2020
ESG awards recognize efforts of Suntory, Fuji Oil
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are attracting ever more attention from all stakeholders, from investors to consumers, as some of the most important keys for assessing corporate values, especially in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Dec 11, 2020
Green economic recovery requires sustained effort
With major nations starting to show commitment to a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing sustainability will be key to both regional revitalization and fostering businesses run according to environmental, social and corporate governance factors (ESG.)
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Jun 17, 2020
Community, workers prioritized amid pandemic
Suntory Holdings Ltd., a global leader in both the alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages industry, has been making a shift from shareholder capitalism to stakeholder capitalism in the belief that efforts to vitalize communities will benefit the company and its shareholders in the long run.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / CEATEC 2019 Special
Oct 6, 2019
An innovative peek into tech of tomorrow
CEATEC (Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies) is an annual event where innovative technologies, products and services are all exhibited together in one place to illustrate what a future society may be like.
Japan says Biden's description of nation as xenophobic is 'unfortunate'
The National Diet building in Tokyo
As visitors surge, Japan seeks ways to make tourism eco-friendly
Much like other hot spots across Okinawa, Onna has diligently strived to captivate both domestic and international tourists, while at the same time grappling with the environmental strain induced by the influx of visitors.
G7 eyes plan on U.S.-led $50 billion aid package for Ukraine
A local resident visits the Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, on Thursday. The U.S. is in talks with close partners to lead a group of allies that would give as much as $50 billion in aid to Ukraine.
Japan drops to 70th in press freedom rankings
A businessman reads a newspaper outside a train station in Tokyo.
Kishida talks up bolstered Latin American ties as China cements position
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a news conference in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
'Monster' Inoue ready to tear down Luis Nery in title defense at Tokyo Dome
Naoya Inoue (left) and Luis Nery following a pre-fight news conference in Yokohama on Saturday, two days ahead of their super bantamweight title fight.
Debate on constitutional revision at a standstill despite Kishida's pledges
With less than two months left before the conclusion of the current session of parliament, any possibility that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida can deliver constitutional reform before the end of his term as Liberal Democratic Party president in late September, as he has promised, appears remote.
Sapporo court ruling on Ainu fishing rights presents tough questions
A traditional Ainu preserved food called <i>satchep</i> (dried fish) being made at the government-run National Ainu Museum and Park, nicknamed Upopoy, in the town of Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on Dec. 25. The Sapporo District Court ruled last month that the Raporo Ainu Nation's rights as an Indigenous people did not extend to having an inherent right to fish for commercial reasons.
With eye on China, defense chiefs agree to bolster interoperability
From left: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian defense chief Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro hold a joint news conference in Honolulu on Thursday.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
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