Social Contribution Activities
Community Contribution
We contribute to the sound development of communities, aiming to build a sustainable society.
Support for the Brazilian Community in Japan
As a company with extensive business operations in Brazil, Mitsui provides various types of support to foster reciprocal understanding between Japan and Brazil and find solutions to issues affecting the Brazilian community in Japan.
Scholarship Program for Brazilian University Students in Japan
In FY2024, we launched a new scholarship program for Brazilian university students living in Japan, aimed at fostering high-level human resources who will actively contribute to Japan and contribute to social and economic sustainability amid a declining birthrate and aging population. Under the initiative, up to four students per year will each receive up to ¥1.2 million per year, covering tuition and materials fees at a four-year university in Japan, as well as transportation expenses for events designated by the company (subject to restrictions).
Those eligible for the scholarship are Brazilian residents in Japan who are high school seniors at Brazilian schools or public or private schools in Japan, and are planning to enter a four-year university in Japan, or first-year university students already enrolled in a four-year university in Japan.
The application period will begin in September 2025, with the selection process ending in March 2026. Scholarship payments will begin in April 2026. For more information, please refer to the application guidelines below. (The guidlines and the application form are available only in Japanese.)
Scholarship Program for Brazilian School children in Japan
Mitsui has been providing scholarships since 2009. The purpose of this program is to provide educational opportunities to children who would otherwise be unable to continue their studies due to economic reasons, and to help Brazilian children to participate more actively in Japanese society by their Japanese language education. By the fiscal year ended March 2025, a cumulative total of 5,853 children received scholarships. Since 2019, scholarship recipients have also begun taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), in 2024, a total of 320 of these children 144 passed JLPT.
Since 2022, we have been conducting career education seminars for Brazilian students residing in Japan and their parents, with the aim of supporting their transition to higher education and fostering autonomous career development. To date, we have held 19 sessions, with approximately 950 students, parents, and teachers participating.
The seminars provide information on post-secondary education and career options, introduce vocational schools, offer school visits for interested students, and present alumni as career role models.
In 2024, we participated as a partner in an industry-government-academia collaboration project under the Toyota Foundation's grant program "Accepting Foreign Human Resources and Japanese Society," led by Associate Professor Kobayashi of Sugiyama Jogakuen University. As part of this initiative, we conducted a rubric-based evaluation to assess the impact of the seminar on 35 Brazilian students residing in Japan who completed the full program.
The evaluation focused on 12 items across four competency areas: "comprehension," "analytical thinking," "empathy," and "communication." Students rated their perceived proficiency on a 9-point scale before and after the seminar. The results showed measurable growth and increased awareness in all areas, with an average score improvement of 17.35%, as illustrated in Figure 1.
In addition to the rubric, we conducted a perception survey on three items: career decision-making, motivation to learn Japanese, and aspirations to succeed in Japan. Over 90% of students reported positive changes in the first two areas (Figures 2-1 and 2-2), and more than half expressed increased motivation to thrive in Japan (Figure 2-3).
図1 事前事後評価結果
図2-1 目標1.将来の職業・キャリア選択肢の拡大
図2-2 目標2.日本語学習への意欲の高まり
図2-3 目標3.将来日本で活躍したい意欲
When rubric-based evaluations were conducted, student comments were categorized* into five groups: "positive emotions," "positive realizations," "negative emotions," "negative realizations," and "others."
As shown in Figures 3-1 and 3-2, the proportion of comments reflecting positive realizations—in which students recognized their own growth or change—increased by 16 percentage points, from 43% to 59%.
Meanwhile, comments reflecting negative realizations—in which students became aware of difficulties or challenges—decreased by 10 percentage points, from 28% to 18%.
図3-1 事前評価コメント
図3-2 事後評価コメント
The analysis of student comments revealed that they gained meaningful learning through the seminar and were able to recognize their own growth.
*
- Positive emotions: Comments expressing feelings such as happiness, satisfaction, and gratitude.
- Positive realizations: Comments reflecting a sense of growth, progress, improvement, understanding, or achievement.
- Negative emotions: Comments expressing feelings such as distress, anxiety, or discomfort.
- Negative realizations: Comments indicating awareness of failure, shortcomings, lack of ability, or challenges.
In addition, with the aim of supporting Japanese language proficiency, we are working in collaboration with the NPO Support Association for Brazilians in Japan (SABJA) to improve pass rates for Japanese language exams, which are essential for admission to higher education institutions and full-time employment in Japan. As part of this effort, we provide online Japanese exam preparation programs (via a dedicated app) to students at schools for Brazilian residents in Japan.
Sponsorship of the Festival Brazil & Latino
The Brazil Festival is an official cultural exchange event organized by the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (CCBJ) and supported by the Embassy of Brazil, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, with the aim of deepening understanding of Brazil and promoting friendship between Brazil and Japan. The 17th Festival Brazil & Latino was held on July 20-21, 2024, attracting approximately 80,000 visitors. At the Mitsui booth, as part of our support for Brazilians living in Japan, we introduced the activities and consultation services of the NPO SABJA (Support Association for Brazilians in Japan), with whom we collaborate. In addition, we presented our Japanese language learning app designed for Brazilian residents, as well as a newly established scholarship program for university students. Going forward, we will continue to value the concept of multicultural coexistence and strive to address challenges faced by local communities by providing opportunities that foster mutual understanding.
Support for NPO Activities
Since 2011, Mitsui has provided support for initiatives by NPOs, to foster multicultural coexistence among Brazilians in Japan (8 organizations supported in the fiscal year ended March 2025) We are working to provide solutions for educational support and career development centered on improving the Japanese language skills of Brazilians living in Japan in the local community. In promoting our support activities, through collaboration with organizations with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field, we aim to generate synergies and regional cooperation with local governments and organizations.
Regional Initiatives
Korea: Supporting the National Japanese Drama Contest
Mitsui & Co. Korea Ltd. supports the National Japanese Drama Contest for junior and high school students with the aim of fostering education and cultural exchanges that deepen understanding of Japanese culture.
First held in 2008, the contest is hosted by three organizations: Korea Japanese Teacher's Association (which has about 2,300 Korean junior and senior high school teachers of Japanese as members), the Public Information Cultural Center at the Embassy of Japan in Korea, and the Japan Foundation, Seoul. Mitsui & Co. Korea and Mitsui Group member companies, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Seoul Branch), Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group (Korea Branch), and Mitsui-Soko Korea Co., Ltd., jointly sponsor the event. On the day of the contest, employees of Mitsui & Co. Korea participate as volunteers.
Junior and senior high school students from throughout Korea take part in the contest which covers various topics, including the culture, history, social issues, and other aspects of both Japan and Korea. Top tree senior high school teams have the opportunity to travel to Japan for training nine days (eight nights).
Mitsui & Co. Korea Ltd. will continue to promote activities which contribute to the development of friendly relations between Japan and Korea by closely working together with the Korean education community.
Indonesia: Initiatives aimed at preventing growth stunting
In cooperation with investee company ABC KOGEN DAIRY (AKD), Mitsui Indonesia is supporting the efforts of Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), a non-governmental organization, to combat growth stunting. The program has designated 15 health facilities (Posyandu) located in the mountainous areas of West Java, and is providing monthly health monitoring and nutritional support to 70 pregnant women and 30 families with infants in and around the area. Through its stunting prevention efforts, Mitsui Indonesia will continue its commitment to fostering friendly relations between Japan and Indonesia.
Colombia: Donation of bicycles
Mitsui Colombia participated in Toyota Group's CSR project in Colombia, donating 20 bicycles to La Guajira region as part of a donation of a total of 100 bicycles. In rural areas, students often need to walk four hours to get to and from school, however, the bicycles have cut the commuting time in half, leading to fewer absences and more time for homework. In addition, the La Guajira region, known for its deserts and scarcity of water, greatly benefits from the bicycle donation as they reduce the burden on women to find and transport water. This program also includes a training session on accounting.
Hong Kong: Educational programs for nursing homes and rehabilitation centers
In Hong Kong, which is experiencing a rapid increase in aging population, elderly welfare is a key social issue. With the aim of improving living standards and developing local industries, Mitsui & Co (Hong Kong) Ltd., in cooperation with business partners, provides free educational programs on nursing care nutrition to the elderly, their families, and employees of nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. Through this initiative, we promote understanding of nursing care nutrition and contribute to the well-being of the elderly.
Thailand: Support for the Doi Tung Development Project
The Doi Tung Development Project is a social contribution initiative launched by the Thai Royal Family in 1988, providing vocational training in agriculture and handicrafts to the hill tribe people who were involved in opium production in the mountainous areas along the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand, as a way of helping them become self-sufficient. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has recognized the project as "one of the most successful cases of drug eradication in the world." These days, the project has expanded its activities to become a pioneering model for a sustainable, recycling-oriented society through the issuance of carbon credits from the forest resources it manages, developing recycling products and reusing resources and energy by sorting collected garbage in partnership with local municipalities, and promoting human resource development programs based on the project’s activities.
Mitsui & Co., (Thailand) Ltd. has financially supported the project since its early stages, and continues to carry out a range of initiatives such as purchasing products created by the project and facilitating local exchanges among its employees.
Italy: Participation in charity relay marathon 2024
On April 7, 2024, eight participants from Mitsui & Co. Italia S.p.A. took part in the UniCredit Relay Marathon 2024 in support of non-profit organizations. The registration fee for this event was donated to a charitable project of a non-profit organization, and Mitsui & Co. Italia supported a non-profit organization called Telethon, which conducts research on rare diseases.
Egypt: Donation of clothing to NPOs
Mitsui & Co., (Egypt) S.S.C. is engaged in an initiative called "The Unnecessary to the Needed" in which employees donate their used clothing to local organizations. On December 23, 2023, three employees visited Bird of Paradise, an NPO that supports orphaned children with disabilities, and donated 10 boxes of clothing and other necessities. Through this visit, our employees learned about the importance of the activities of local organizations and got a true sense of how they can contribute to the local community through donations. We will continue to contribute to the local community through such initiatives.
Japan: Kanda Festival
The Kanda Festival, one of the three major festivals of the Edo period, was held on May 11, 2025, and featured the Shogun portable shrine procession, using a portable shrine donated by Mitsui. More than 200 carriers from Mitsui & Co group and their family gathered in front of the Masakadozuka mound, and after undergoing a purification ceremony, departed in unison, parading through the Otemachi districts toward Kanada Shrine. We plan to continue this initiative as a community contribution activity in which many of our employees and their families can participate, with the aim of promoting the local community, preserving traditional events, and fostering interactions within the local community.
Japan: Sponsorship of Hiroshima Flower Festival and assistance with cleanup
The 2024 Hiroshima Flower Festival, a flower festival of peace that connects Hiroshima with the world, took place on May 3 and May 5, 2024. This festival, which began in 1977, features parades and stages throughout the Peace Park (the main venue) and the Peace Boulevard. The Chugoku Office has been sponsoring the Flower Festival every year at the request of the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and participates in a cleanup around the venue before welcoming many guests from across Japan and the world. In continuation from last year, five members, including the Office General Manager, participated in the cleanup, despite unfavorable weather with light rain.
