In today’s Japan, the challenges of rapidly declining population and super-aging society have prompted the promotion of “regional development,” in which each region is expected to realize an autonomous and
On January 1, 2024, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024 occurred, with the epicenter in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. More than five months after the earthquake, many people are still forced to live in inconvenience.
On April 23, 2024, the government decided to spend an additional 140 billion yen from the current fiscal year’s budget reserve fund to support the areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The government and various companies have expressed and are implementing support for the earliest possible recovery of the disaster-stricken areas.
［left］5pieces／set（small plate, middle plate, deep plate, rice bowl, teacup）One set donated per resident,［right］Logo on the back of tableware
“Nikko Company” of Ishikawa Prefecture, which operates table source, is cooperating with its affiliate “MITANI SANGYO Co., Ltd.” to donate its own tableware to people living in temporary housing.
Since the start of the initiative in February 2024, approximately 5,800 sets (about 29,000 pieces) of tableware have been donated to people in emergency temporary housing in 84 locations in 9 cities and towns, representing approximately 2,800 households.(As of May 24, 2024. For more information about support, click here: MITANI SANGYO Co., Ltd. official website.)
These tableware are manufactured by Nikko Company in an integrated manner at its own factory in Ishikawa Prefecture. Founded in 1908, Nikko’s products have long been used in top hotels and restaurants in Japan and abroad.
Up until now, Nikko and Mitani SANGYO have been going door-to-door to temporary housing units to provide tableware as part of their support activities in the affected areas. Free distribution of tableware after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016, the Northern Kyushu heavy rainfall in 2017, the Western Japan heavy rainfall in 2018, and the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake. And in the event of Typhoon No. 19 in Nagano Prefecture in 2019, in Murakami City heavy rainfall in 2023, and the Okunoto earthquake, we went an open-air market in addition to distribution. In the event of the corona disasters of the 2020 Kumamoto heavy rainfall, the 2021 Mt. Izu landslide in Atami City, the 2022 Komatsu City heavy rainfall, and the 2023 Akita City heavy rainfall, tableware was sent to those who requested it.
Open-air Market during Typhoon No. 19 in Nagano, Japan in 2019
In many disaster areas, people have to eat in disposable containers, and they are very happy to receive new ceramic tableware as gifts. A Nikko representative said, “The people affected by the disaster said, ‘Thank you very much. It brings tears to my eyes.’ and some even take the trouble to send us thank-you letters at a later date. We will continue our support activities in the hope that the use of high quality tableware used in hotels and restaurants will bring a little more satisfaction to their daily meals.” They plan to continue to donate a total of 11,500 sets to approximately 5,000 households in temporary emergency housing that the prefecture has announced it will construct.
In addition to these tableware donation activities, Nikko announced that a portion of the sales of Nikko products sold through its official online store will be used to fund reconstruction assistance activities. In addition to tableware, the company is also in the business of manufacturing and selling septic tanks. In response to the earthquake, the company began delivering septic tanks for temporary housing in the affected areas in January 2024, taking advantage of its strength as a local company to respond quickly.
When we think of sustainability and the SDGs, we tend to think of global environmental issues, but the disaster relief activities introduced here are also closely related to the 11th goal of the SDGs, “to create cities where people can continue to live”. table source also has a column detailing disaster preparedness measures for restaurants. Thinking in terms of “applying the company’s strengths to support disaster-affected areas” may generate ideas for initiatives with a higher degree of contribution.
[Related Article]
[Reference Site] Nikko Company Official Site
[Reference Site] MITANI SANGYO Co., Ltd.：Support activities for disaster-stricken areas / Support activities for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024 (donation of tableware)
[Reference Site] Nikko Company：Earthquake Reconstruction Response / Installation of Septic Tanks in Emergency Temporary Housing
