ITOCHU Announces "Rikuzen-Takata Photo Exhibition ~ An Expression of Emotional Support ~" and "Takaya no Yume Exhibition," as part of project to support reconstruction in Rikuzen-Takata City, Iwate Prefecture

February 25, 2014

ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) has, since 2011, continued to provide ongoing support to Rikuzen-Takata City, including providing volunteer staff members on a regular basis and supporting extracurricular activities for junior high schools and youth baseball teams in Rikuzen-Takata City through the ITOCHU Children's Dreams Fund. ITOCHU also supports Takata no Yume, a new brand of rice launched by Rikuzen-Takata City, as part of the company’s efforts to support the areas affected by the earthquake disaster through its main business activities, and is selling it at Takashiyama Department Store in Shinjuku and other stores through ITOCHU Food Sales and Marketing Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Takashi Koyama, President & CEO).

ITOCHU today announced that it plans to hold the “Rikuzen-Takata Photo Exhibition ~An Expression of Emotional Support~,” an earthquake disaster and recovery photo exhibition focusing on Rikuzen-Takata City, and an exhibition for Takata no Yume, the brand of rice which has been entrusted with the hopes and dreams for the city’s agricultural restoration, at the Takashiyama Department Store in Shinjuku. The photographs are the works of photojournalist Natsuki Yasuda, who has kept a photographic record of the areas affected by the earthquake disaster, especially Rikuzen-Takata City.

Nearly three years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, but the people living in the affected areas still face many problems and will continue to need long-term support in the future. The ITOCHU Group prays for the speedy recovery of the areas affected by the disaster and is committed to continue supporting these affected areas from a long-term perspective in the future.

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Outline of the exhibitions

Details

Rikuzen-Takata City Photo Exhibition ~ An Expression of Emotional Support~,

Takano Yume Exhibition

Date and time

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Wednesday, February 26, 2014 to Tuesday, March 11, 2014 (Admission free)

※Open until 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8

Venue

Shinjuku Takashimaya 2nd floor, welcome zone

Sponsors ITOCHU Corporation, Association for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Development for the City of Rikuzentakata(Aid TAKATA)
In support of Rikuzen-Takata City

Information about the event

Takata no Yume-chan, the mascot of Rikuzen-Takata City, will visit the store to promote Takata no Yume. On Tuesday, March 11, the theme song for Takata no Yume will be presented.

Date and time: 2 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2014  

                    11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Performers: Takata no Yume-chan, Eiko Hamamori (singer-songwriter from Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture)

New rice variety Takata no Yume

Takata no Yume is a new rice variety called Iwata 13 donated by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) to Rikuzen-Takata City, including the ownership rights, to support the revitalization of the city. The city invited the public to suggest a name that would be loved by everyone nationwide, and it plans to use the brand to facilitate a project that will literally realize Rikuzen-Takata City’s dreams and serve as a symbol for agricultural restoration. ITOCHU has provided volunteer staff members from rice planting in June through October when the rice is harvested. The rice began being distributed by ITOCHU Food Sales and Marketing in November 2013. ITOCHU’s efforts to support the affected areas through its main business activities cover the entire process from production to distribution.

ITOCHU Takata no Yume Project:http://www.itochu.co.jp/ja/earthquake/takatanoyume/

Photojournalist Natsuki Yasuda

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1987. Graduated Sophia University. Went to Cambodia as a “Reporter for Friendship” of the non-profit organization Children without Borders. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, she has been taking photographic records of the disaster-stricken areas, especially Rikuzen-Takata City.