NYK has continued to conduct volunteer activities to assist recovery activities in the areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and Typhoon Lionrock in 2016. A total of about 730 NYK Group volunteers comprising employees, board members, and former employees have participated in these activities.

In addition, since 2018 family members ranging from elementary school age to high school age have taken part during summer breaks by visiting the devastated areas with their parents. These activities aim to foster communication with area residents committed to reconstruction and provide assistance with agricultural work.

Every year since 2014, new employees at NYK have also participated in these activities. Through workshops, the new employees have been able to experience the challenges affecting communication and decision-making after the disaster, thus allowing the new employees to realize the need for the company to play an active, beneficial role in society. The engagement also gives new employees the opportunity to ponder various social issues and develop into human resources who can actively craft solutions to tough problems.

The NYK Group’s 2019 volunteer activities to assist the recovery are highlighted below.

- NYK Group employees and their family members
Period: August 9–11, 2019
Participants: 16 staff members
Area: Cities of Kamaishi, Ofunato, and Rikuzentakata in Iwate prefecture
Activity: Agricultural work, visiting residents, and witnessing the devastation

- New employees
Period: (Group 1) August 9–11, 2019; (Group 2) August 28–30, 2019
Area: Otsuchi town and Kamaishi city in Iwate prefecture
Activity: Agricultural work, firewood chopping, workshop

Comments from participants in 2019 included, “I was able to walk the actual evacuation route and feel the scale and tremendous damage caused by the tsunami. I received a different impression than that shown on TV,” and “It was hard to listen to the words of those who had experienced the devastation, but I could feel their power to move ahead toward recovery."

As a good corporate citizen in a global society, the NYK Group promotes employee involvement in volunteer activities and promises to work positively in activities that contribute to society.