OREANDA-NEWS. May 17, 2012. The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that on April 30 it carried out a tree planting under its Yokohama Forever Forest Project in Otsuchi-cho, Kamihei-gun, Iwate Prefecture. The plan by Otsuchi-cho as part of its earthquake-and-tsunami recovery program is to create "Forests That Protect Lives." Supporting that plan, the company carried out the model planting. Five hundred forty-three participants, including some 330 Otsuchi-cho residents, planted 3,391 broad-leaved evergreen seedlings indigenous to the local area. Together with Otsuchi Mayor Yutaka Ikarigawa and Dr. Akira Miyawaki, plant ecologist, guests included former prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa, current Minister Goshi Hosono of the Environment, Mr. Koichiro Katsumata, member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ukyo Katayama, former F1 driver, and Mr. Yuko Ishikawa, Executive Managing Officer of Takenaka Civil Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. From Yokohama Rubber, 111 people attended at the event, including Chairman and CEO Tadanobu Nagumo, President Hikomitsu Noji and 55 employee volunteers.

 Having suffered massive damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Otsuchi-cho is pursuing the concept of creating "Forests That Protect Lives" as part of its recovery program – creating forests along the coast that will provide not only strength against tsunami, but places for recreation and relaxation for citizens. In addition, various other positive effects can also be expected. For example, using disaster debris to build the mounds on which the trees will be planted will facilitate debris disposal. Yokohama Rubber supported the concept and built an experimental mound 50 meters long and about 15 meters wide, utilizing earth, sand and woody debris, including fallen trees and driftwood.

 Using disaster debris for afforestation is advocated by Dr. Akira Miyawaki, who calls for creation of forests along the 300-kilometer Pacific coast of the Tohoku region. According to his idea, planting trees indigenous to the local area (potential natural vegetation) can create "genuine" or "native" forests that will be able to withstand tsunami or fire. He also says effective use of debris in the mounds created for planting would be a positive contribution to solving the disposal problem.

 Under the guidance of Dr. Miyawaki, Yokohama Rubber has been carrying out its "Yokohama Forever Forest" project for the past five years. A total of 500,000 trees will be planted at all Yokohama Rubber Group production facilities in and outside Japan by 2017, when the company will mark its 100th anniversary. As of April this year, approximately 240,000 trees had been planted. The company held this tree planting in support of creating "genuine" or "native" forests as part of restoration from the Great East Japan Earthquake, as advocated by Dr. Miyawaki.