Activities by Region
Central America & South America
Mitsui Bussan do Brasil Foundation
Together with its local subsidiaries and associated companies, Mitsui Bussan do Brasil established the Mitsui Bussan do Brasil Foundation in February 2008. The Foundation supports activities aimed at cultivating human resources able to contribute to the development of friendship and the expansion of cultural exchange between Japan and Brazil.
Educational Project for Autistic Children (PIPA)
In Brazil, one out of every 100 is said to be suffering from autism. The disease poses significant strains on families and society at large due to difficulties in coping with the disorder and added educational challenges brought about by the disorder. With that in mind, since 2006 Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo (Japan Brazil Benevolence Association in São Paulo) has been implementing the PIPA, "Educational Project for Autistic Children", an initiative designed to help autistic children become independent by engaging them with the Daily Life Therapy method which avoids reliance on medications that are conventionally used in Brazil to treat those with autism. The initiative was the first in Brazil involving the Daily Life Therapy, a treatment method contrived by Dr. Kiyo Kitahara, founder of Musashino Higashi Gakuen in Japan. Mitsui is contributing a portion of the funds needed to deliver the project in hopes of helping to enable a greater number of autistic children to gain better acceptance into society and lead more independent lives. The project targets not only Brazilian children of Japanese descent but also Brazilian children of other ethnic backgrounds, with a particular emphasis on economically disadvantaged youths. It is hoped that the Daily Life Therapy will become more recognized in Brazil and be adopted more widely, as positive outcomes emerge from the project.
Fujita-Ninomiya Chair
This law lecture program is supported by a grant from the JICA and Mitsui Bussan do Brasil Foundation, and the University of São Paulo, which hosts the program. The aim is to foster an understanding of Japanese society and culture, especially among students and young researchers at the university, and to develop human resources with the ability to contribute to the expansion of friendly relations between Japan and Brazil.
TIPITIX Project
Tipitix is a community agri-food entrepreneurship initiative in Barcarena City that takes its name from an indigenous woven basket used to process mandioca. The project aims to support income generation of farmers in the municipality by increasing the quality and added value of local production, especially mandioca, enabling it to reach different markets and consumers. The project is an initiative of the Hydro Fund in partnership with the Mitsui Bussan do Brasil Foundation and has the PEABIRU institute as the implementing partner of TIPITIX and which is responsible for the initial management of the project, until a local group is prepared for future management.
Águas da Mantiqueira Project
The Águas da Mantiqueira Project is a project of the Toyota Foundation in partnership with the Agricultural Research and Development Foundation (FUNDEPAG), which has existed since 2017. The initiative aims at biodiversity conservation, territorial planning and sustainable socioeconomic development in the municipalities of the region of Serra da Mantiqueira. The Mitsui Bussan do Brasil Foundation has partnered with the Toyota Foundation and FUNDEPAG since 2022.
The Kaeru Project
Led by psychologist Dr. Kyoko Nakagawa, this is a project to help children returning from Japan to adapt smoothly to Brazilian school and society. It is offered free of charge at public schools in São Paulo city. São Paulo Municipal Secretary of Education works together to provide support to children in the three areas outlined below.
1) Psychological support (play, reading, creative writing, counseling, etc.)
2) Academic support (school enrollment, catch-up lessons, Portuguese language course, etc.)
3) Social support (guidance for parents, school supervisors and teachers, etc.)
Through the experience acquired from the project, other activities such as workshop are being developed.