2026.03.26
Management and Business
Yokohama National University and the Forest Culture Association have signed a cooperation agreement regarding the conservation and activities of the nature coexistence site "Tokiwa no Mori".
-A new form of coexistence with nature, envisioned through industry-academia collaboration, to pass on to future generations-
Our company has recently concluded a cooperation agreement with Yokohama National University (President: Izuru Umehara) and the Forest Culture Association (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Norio Odagiri; hereinafter referred to as the "Forest Culture Association") for the purpose of preserving and developing "Tokiwa no Mori," a forest located on the Tokiwadai Campus (Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama City). Through the preservation and development of "Tokiwa no Mori," which has been designated as Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites by the Ministry of the Environment and possesses rich biodiversity, our company will work to maintain the local natural environment and promote environmental education for the next generation.
The Group has positioned environmental preservation and regional symbiosis as priority areas in its "Toyo Seikan Group Social Contribution Activities Policy" and is promoting efforts to realize a sustainable society. As part of such efforts, we have endorsed the "30 by 30 Project for Creating Forests in Harmony with Nature," which is being conducted by the Forest Culture Association of Japan from 2024, and have entered into a partnership agreement. This project is an initiative to raise funds from the private sector to restore and maintain forests and satoyama throughout Japan.
Minebea will support the conservation of the natural environment of the Tokiwa Forest, an important satoyama that includes habitats for rare species, by making a donation over a five-year period toward the continuation of field surveys, conservation and maintenance activities, and forest environment education utilizing the expertise of Yokohama National University. Furthermore, through collaboration with students, we will create opportunities for practical on-site learning and community contribution, and promote the use of the forest as a place for residents to relax and for students and Group employees to learn about the environment, thereby fostering environmental awareness.
The Group will continue to work toward the realization of a sustainable society through its social contribution activities.
Tokiwa no Mori, located at the university, is the first environmental conservation forest to utilize the mixed-planting, dense-planting method developed globally by the late Professor Emeritus Akira Miyawaki. Fifty years after its establishment, this forest is home to a wide variety of organisms. In particular, the tree species composition, designed with the concept of "creating a local forest using local trees," is centered on evergreen broad-leaved trees, which are the potential vegetation of Yokohama. This forest, a mix of evergreen broad-leaved forests, deciduous forests, and grasslands, has been confirmed to be home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including rare species, and was certified as a "Nature Coexistence Site" in 2024.
Furthermore, our Research Institute, which is responsible for basic research and development, is located in close proximity to "Tokiwa no Mori".
Yokohama National University is a comprehensive university established in 1949 as a new-system university, based on four former schools. It upholds the principles of "practicality," "innovation," "openness," and "internationalism," cultivated throughout its history since its founding, while also valuing "diversity," respecting the individuality of each person. Located in Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama City, the university comprises five faculties and six graduate schools, bringing together faculty with diverse expertise to promote advanced education and research. Furthermore, to play a central role in regional innovation creation, the university has been expanding its satellite campuses, starting with the New Shonan Co-creation Campus, to develop practical and interdisciplinary education and research in collaboration with diverse sectors and fields across the region. Through these activities, the university aims to become a "university of integrated knowledge" that contributes to "the creation of innovation and the development of science and technology."
The Forest Culture Association, a public interest incorporated foundation, was established in 1978 and operates under the basic principle of "coexistence of mountains, trees, and people." It carries out a variety of public interest activities, including research, forest creation support, and public awareness campaigns. In the ongoing "30by30 Nature-Friendly Forest Creation Project," the association plays a role as a forest creation coordinator, connecting companies enthusiastic about environmental management with forests.