December 2006 Several times a year Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) provides space inside its corporate offices for non-profit organizations (NPO) and other vocational aid centers to participate in "charity bazaars". In December, six NPOs supporting children's education and other philanthropic activities nationally and overseas sold various items including gifts for the holiday season. The event was held in the entrance halls of both the Marunouchi and Shinagawa Offices of MC in Tokyo and eight MC employees and executives, including Senior Executive Vice President Kamezaki and Executive Vice President Masatoshi Nishizawa, volunteered their time to help support the event. During the two days that the bazaar was held, approximately 350 MC employees stopped by and made enough purchases to help set record sales numbers. Proceeds from sales help to support the activities of each organization.

Since 1991 Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has implemented a scholarship program to help support international students studying in Japan (both undergraduate and graduate students). This past December, MC invited the 30 scholarship recipients from the 2006 program to participate in an informal gathering held at MC's Marunouchi Office. This gathering gave the students an opportunity to not only talk about their respective areas of research and study but also to exchange ideas and opinions about topics such as their impressions of MC and the Mitsubishi Group of Companies. The gathering was followed by a buffet-style dinner where the students continued to exchange their thoughts and ideas.

November 2006 In the Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) Shinagawa Office in Minato-ku, Tokyo on November 8 (Wed), and in the MC Marunouchi Office in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo on November 9 (Thu), there was an activity to prepare picture books to send to children in Cambodia, participated in by 105 employees in total. This is simple work of labeling stickers with Khmer translation onto the Japanese text of picture books. It is becoming popular within the company as a volunteer activity that is easy to be involved with. On this occasion, employees that had participated in the past made Laotian picture books to send to children in Laos. This activity is scheduled for January for the next time.

November 12 (Sun), Ibaraki City and Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture From the Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) Kansai Branch, employees and their families, ten in total, participated in the "Tokaido Nature Trail Clean-up Hike" held in Ibaraki City and Minoh City of Osaka Prefecture. This event is held by Osaka Prefecture, once a year in November on "Osaka Mountain Day," to encourage citizens to learn more about the appeal of the mountains and forests in Osaka. Participants experienced work such as garbage pickup and tree thinning while enjoying hiking, and were able to have a productive day.

The 44th "Marunouchi Citizens' Environment Forum" was held on November 15 (Wed), 2006 in Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. This forum has been held jointly by Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Japan Airlines and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. since 1993. On this occasion, an architect, Mr. Yoshifumi Nakamura, was invited as a lecturer. He gave a lecture with the theme of "Building an Energy Self-sufficient Cottage." This lecture was about a cottage full of low-tech devices built by Mr. Nakamura, who is a leading authority on residential architecture, a simple but spiritually-rich life spent in the cottage, and the environment close to his life. The lecture attracted strong interest from 220 audience members including 19 participants from MC. There were many questions asked in the question-and-answer session after the lecture, making the forum a very high quality one.

November 18 (Sat), Tokyo National Museum, Taito-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) held a special appreciation program, "Buddhist Statue Exhibition," held at the Tokyo National Museum, inviting 194 people in total, including those physically, mentally and intellectually challenged and elderly people living in public elderly homes. The guests enjoyed appreciating the exhibition at the chartered museum. Thirteen employees participated in this event as volunteers for reception and assistance. Before the exhibition, a Japanese tea ceremony was held, inviting elderly people to "Okyo-kan," a tea room in the same museum, in which seven volunteers from the MC tea ceremony club participated. There was feedback from guests that it was a wonderful day, enjoying tea while watching beautiful autumn leaves and ink paintings by Okyo Maruyama, and leisurely appreciating the "Buddhist Statue Exhibition".

November 18 (Sat), "Izumi Park Town Futsal Court" in Izumi-ku, Sendai City Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) Tohoku Branch holds a soccer school for elementary and junior high school students in orphanages, in cooperation with the soccer team Vegarta Sendai. This was the 9th event, participated in by 19 children who received advice from coaches of Vegarta Sendai. Two employees participated in this event as assistants to the coaches and worked out with children. Children received coaching on dribbling and passing, and enjoyed a mini-game. Exchange among children also deepened, such as children in higher grades at elementary school taking care of lower grade children from different orphanages. It was a meaningful day for the children.

October 2006 Working in partnership with the Tokyo YMCA, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been supporting the "Autumn Camp at Lake Yamanaka" since 2003. The camp aims to give children with learning disabilities a chance to try a variety of activities in a free and open environment, thereby fostering a new sense of confidence among the participants; at the same time, it is hoped that the children can develop stronger communications skills as they cooperate with each other to accomplish various task during the program. Thirty-three camp leaders, including volunteers from MC, joined 40 children at the camp again this October. The children enjoyed a variety of activities together with camp leaders, choosing from a program that included hiking, handicrafts and canoeing on the lake. The participants spent an action-packed three days under sunny autumn skies.

The "UNESCO Heartful Charity Concert" was held in Tokyo on October 27, featuring renowned Venezuelan jazz pianist Gerry Weil and Japanese singer Miyoko Tashiro, who is also a former director on the board of the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (NFUAJ). Agreeing with the objectives of the event, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) became a co-sponsor of the concert. The concert was very well attended, and volunteers from MC were on hand to help run the event. Part of the proceeds from the concert, along with donations collected at the venue, will be used to support the World Terakoya Movement, an initiative of the NFUAJ that supports children's education around the world.

The 26th Oita International Wheelchair Marathon Race was held on October 28 and 29 under clear autumn skies. The marathon is organized by Oita Prefecture, together with the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, the Japan Paralympics Committee, Oita City and others. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been a sponsor of the race since 1991. The race attracts many top athletes from around the world, but this year, Japanese competitors made an especially strong showing; one athlete from Oita even became the first Japanese athlete to win in his particular category, adding to the level of excitement in the host city. Dozens of volunteers from MC, mainly from the Kyushu region, turned out to support the event, carrying luggage and wheelchairs for the athletes and providing assistance along the race course.

September 2006 On September 6, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) welcomed a group of students from Okirai Middle School in Iwate Prefecture's Ofunato City. The students were in Tokyo to learn about the activities of companies and other organizations, and thereby gain insights into potential future career paths. MC staff gave the students a presentation about the company, describing its business activities and its efforts to be a good corporate citizen. The students were given the chance to ask questions and also touch samples of the materials traded by MC, such as iron ore and rock salt.

"Tokyo Greenship Action" is a program that seeks to preserve natural areas in Tokyo. Through the program, companies provide funds to support conservation activities, while volunteers from each company contribute their labor. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) began participating in the program in 2005. This September, a group of approximately 50 volunteers comprised of MC employees and their families spent the day working at a conservation area on the outskirts of Tokyo. Under the direction of a local non-profit organization, the volunteers worked to clear away undergrowth and cut back excess trees.

With the cooperation of professional soccer team "FC Tokyo", Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) organized a one-day soccer school for elementary school students in the care of local welfare institutions. Held on September 30, it was the 9th time that MC has organized such a school and volunteers from MC were also on hand to assist. Thirty-nine children participated in the event, receiving professional instruction from FC Tokyo's coach, including advice regarding basic skills like dribbling and passing. With a "mini-game" held in the last half of the program, the children enjoyed a full day of soccer.

August 2006 On August 9, a group of 13 high school students from Ibaraki Prefecture visited Mitsubishi Corporation (MC). The students, members of the school's current affairs club, were in Tokyo to learn about the activities of companies and organizations, and thereby gain insights into potential career paths. MC staff gave the students a presentation about the company's business activities, using actual samples of iron ore, salt, and other materials traded by the company. The presentation also described MC's efforts to be a good corporate citizen. The students later observed a training program for MC staff from around the world. During a break, the students also had a chance to interact with the participants of the training program, providing them with a good chance to get to know MC and its people.

On August 19, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) invited 150 people with disabilities to an exclusive viewing of an exhibition of Edo period paintings at the Tokyo National Museum entitled "Jakuchu and the Age of Imagination". Over a dozen volunteers from MC assisted with the event. One participant remarked, "Because we are given exclusive access to the exhibit, we don't need to worry about other visitors, so we can relax and really enjoy the paintings. I am really grateful for this opportunity and I hope to participate again in similar programs in the future." The next event is scheduled to be held in November.

The Shanti Volunteer Association conducts a variety of educational programs in an effort to help the children of the world. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been cooperating with the SVA to support a program to provide picture books to children in Cambodia and other parts of Asia. Most recently, over 100 employees assisted with the project at MC's Tokyo headquarters in Shinagawa and Marunouchi on August 23 and 24 respectively. The volunteers helped by attaching stickers with Cambodian translations into Japanese picture books. Return volunteers were given the chance to prepare books with Laotian translations. This program has been widely popular among employees and further sessions are scheduled for November.

July 2006 The 43rd Marunouchi Citizens' Environmental Forum was held in Tokyo on July 15. Since 1993, such forums have been jointly organized by Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Japan Airlines and the Tokyo Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Company and are held several times a year. The speaker for the 43rd forum was mountain climber Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Mount Everest and the first woman to climb the "Seven Summits", the highest mountains on each continent. She spoke on the theme of "The Natural Environment as Seen from Mountain Tops". Approximately 300 people attended the lecture and question-and-answer session, including staff from MC.

On July 20, eighteen students from Gunma Prefecture's Ota High School visited Mitsubishi Corporation (MC). The students were in Tokyo to learn about the activities of companies and other organizations, and thereby gain insights into potential future career paths. MC staff gave the students a presentation about the company, describing its business activities and its efforts to be a good corporate citizen. Students were also given a hands-on presentation of samples of the materials traded by MC, such as iron ore, coal and rock salt. An Ota High School graduate, now working at MC, discussed his professional experiences at the company and encouraged the students to pursue their ambitions in life.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) recently contributed to an effort to donate wheelchairs to healthcare providers in Cambodia. The project was carried out together with Nippon Care Supply Co., a business investment of MC's New Business Initiative Group, and People's Hope Japan, an non-profit organization that seeks to support medical care around the world. A total of 50 wheelchairs from Nippon Care Supply were presented to a public health center in Cambodia's Kampong Thom Province. Employees from MC's Phnom Penh Liaison Office and staff from People's Hope Japan attended a ceremony held on July 26 to commemorate the donations.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has held its Friendship Camp for Mothers and Children each summer since 1974, and the 33rd camp was held recently, in July. Single mothers and their children from the Tokyo area were invited to spend four days and three nights together in the rich natural environment surrounding a small town in Niigata Prefecture. Participating in the camp this year were about 130 mothers and children. With the assistance of nearly two dozen volunteers from MC, the participants enjoyed the great outdoors and encountered many new discoveries out in the wilderness. A number of special workshops and activities were also organized for the mothers, and both the parents and the children spent a memorable four days at the camp.

June 2006 The Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) conducts a variety of educational programs in an effort to help the children of the world. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been cooperating with the SVA to support a program to provide picture books to children in Cambodia and other parts of Asia. Most recently, a total of 100 employees assisted with the project at MC's Tokyo headquarters in Shinagawa and Marunouchi on June 14 and 15 respectively. The volunteers helped by attaching stickers with Cambodian translations into Japanese picture books. Return volunteers were given the chance to prepare books with Laotian translations. This program has been widely popular among employees and further sessions are scheduled for August.

Through a program jointly organized by Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and the Tokyo National Museum, people with disabilities and their families were invited to an exclusive viewing of ancient artifacts, including Japanese grave offerings such as magatama beads and haniwa figurines. Later, participants joined a workshop on how to make magatama, which first appeared in Japan thousands of years ago. Ten volunteers from MC assisted with the event, which was held on June 24. Many participants were enthusiastic about the program, saying they hoped to attend future events. In response to these positive reviews, MC and the museum plan to hold similar programs for people with disabilities about once every other month.

May 2006 On May 17, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) welcomed a group of junior high school students from Sendai City that were visiting Tokyo as part of an annual field trip. After being divided into groups, the students visited various businesses and organizations in Tokyo to learn about their activities. The trip is designed to give the students a chance to think about their futures. At MC, the students received a presentation about the company, which made use of the Sustainability Report and a video highlighting the company's activities. Afterwards, students went on a tour of company, during which they had the chance to touch samples of materials traded by MC, such as iron ore, coal, and rock salt.

April 2006 One evening this April, some 200 people with disabilities were treated to an exclusive viewing of an exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) teamed up with the museum to organize the special viewing and a dozen staff from MC volunteered to support the event. The exhibition, entitled "Faith and Syncretism: Saicho and Treasures of Tendai", was organized to mark the 1200th anniversary of the founding of the Buddhist Tendai sect and displayed artifacts from Tendai temples such as Enryaku-ji, exploring the world of the sect's founder Saicho and other Tendai masters. Many participants voiced enthusiasm for the event. One visitor remarked, "When visiting a museum in a wheel-chair, you often have to view the exhibition through a forest of people, but this time, I was able to go at my own pace and thoroughly enjoy the exhibit. I am looking forward to participating again next time." A similar event is now scheduled for June.

March 2006 The Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) conducts a variety of projects in Cambodia and other countries in Asia. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been cooperating with the SVA to support a project to provide picture books to children in Cambodia. Most recently, approximately 80 MC employees pitched in to support the project at MC's Tokyo headquarters in Marunouchi and Shinagawa on March 8 and 9 respectively and at the Chugoku branch office in Hiroshima on March 15. The volunteers assisted by attaching stickers with Cambodian translations into Japanese picture books. The project has been widely popular among employees, and eight such sessions were held at MC's headquarters and branch offices around Japan in the 2005 fiscal year. Further volunteering sessions will be held at these offices again in the 2006 fiscal year.

"Charity Book Sales" were held at the Marunouchi and Shinagawa offices of Mitsubishi Corporation's headquarters in Tokyo on March 24 and March 27. Prior to the sale, over 2000 used books were collected from employees, including novels, business texts, and "how to" guides. Sales were held inside the corporate offices during lunchtime and in the evenings. The event proved to be a hit with employees, who were happy to find bargains on books and also keen to donate books for future sales. Over two dozen employees supported the event by helping with preparations and assisting with sales. The proceeds from the sales are being donated to organizations supporting education and social welfare, while the unsold books have been given to a welfare organization.

Tokyo Colony is a social welfare corporation that helps mentally and physically challenged individuals to participate more fully in society by supporting their career development. For decades, Tokyo Colony has implemented a program that provides people with severe physical handicaps the chance to learn data processing skills and thereby pursue opportunities to work from home. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has supported this project since 1979. Through the program, five individuals with severe physical handicaps learn IT skills over a two-year period. A ceremony marking the completion of the 22nd program was held in Tokyo on March 15. The graduates of the program will be able to draw upon the IT skills they learned over the past two years as well as the network of peers and teachers they developed through their studies. We at MC look forward to seeing them shine in their new careers.

The 42nd Marunouchi Citizens' Forum was held in Tokyo on March 15. The Forum has been jointly sponsored by Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Japan Airlines, and the Tokyo Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Co. since 1993. Professor Itaru Yasui, the Vice Rector of the United Nations University, was the lecturer at the latest forum, speaking on the theme of "Understanding and Responding to Major Environmental Trends." He presented innovative approaches to addressing environmental problems, while using statistics to illustrate his points. Approximately 200 people were in attendance, including dozens of employees from MC.

february 2006 For a number of years now, Mitsubishi Corporation has been teaming up with the J-League soccer club FC Tokyo to organize soccer schools for elementary school students who are in the care of local welfare organizations. The soccer school was held for the 8th time on February 18 in Tokyo. Seventy children were given professional instruction from FC Tokyo coaches, receiving advice on fundamental skills like dribbling and passing. Volunteers from MC were also on hand to assist, and with a mini-game held at the end of the day, the children enjoyed a full day of soccer.

The Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) is a Japanese NGO that conducts a variety of projects in Cambodia and other countries in Asia. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been cooperating with the SVA to support a project to provide picture books to children in Cambodia. Most recently, staff at MC's Nagoya and Hokkaido Branches pitched in to support the project. This February, a total of 50 employees, including the general managers of both offices, contributed to the project by attaching stickers with Cambodian translations into Japanese picture books. In March, the same project will be carried out at the Chugoku Branch in Hiroshima and at MC's Tokyo headquarters in Marunouchi and Shinagawa.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Nippon Yusen ("NYK Line"), Nippon Care Supply Co. and Japan Sun Industries have cooperated to donate 50 wheelchairs to facilities in Thailand that care for disabled people. The wheelchairs were donated by Nippon Care Supply Co, a business investment of MC's New Business Initiative Group, and then transported to Thailand free-of-charge with the cooperation of NYK Line. On February 18, a ceremony to commemorate the donation was held in Nonthaburi, Thailand, at a facility affiliated with the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD). Jun Sano of Mitsubishi Company (Thailand) Ltd. gave some remarks at the ceremony on behalf of the Mitsubishi group.

January 2006 In cooperation with the Shanti Volunteer Association, employees of Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) are lending their support to a project to send picture books to children in Cambodia. Employees in Tokyo dedicated time to the project last November, and building upon this success, the same event was held in Osaka on January 23. Joined by Yukio Ueno, the General Manager of the Kansai Branch, scores of MC employees worked to carefully attach Cambodian translations inside Japanese picture books. There are plans to conduct similar activities at MC's Nagoya, Hokkaido, and Chugoku branches.