Daihuku Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka, President: Hiroshi Shimodai, hereinafter referred to as 'Daihuku') will conduct a survey and collection of macro floating waste, including plastic waste, based on the 'River Garbage Survey Reference Materials' issued by the Ministry of the Environment in 2021 in Shiga Prefecture where Daihuku's mother factory is located.
In addition, Daihuku is the first in Japan to take an active role in such surveys as a general business operator*1 within Japan.

• *1 On the website of 'Plastic Smart' launched by the Ministry of the Environment, there have been no survey and collection examples of river floating waste by general business operators so far, and only activities by local governments.

Specifically, in the Kitanozawa area of Omihachiman City, which is designated as an important cultural landscape for the first time in the country, famous for the 'Mizugou-meguri', boating on the waterways lined with traditional wooden houses, surveys will be conducted. The area has been conducting the collection of floating waste by the local volunteer organization 'Kitanozawa o Mamoru-kai' for over 20 years. In the future, we will proceed with the consideration of effective measures in cooperation with the same organization.

In addition, in terms of environmental conservation in the prefecture, the issue of plastic waste is an important challenge. Therefore, we will invest in solving this issue and aim to reduce the burden of manual river floating waste collection, which requires a considerable amount of effort, and accelerate the investigation and collection in compliance with the Ministry of the Environment's guidelines in order to realize effective solutions and transition to sustainable business.

Daihuku Co., Ltd. Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, Corporate Department, Hideaki Takubo Comment:
The long-term vision 'Driving Innovative Impact 2030' and the '2027 Mid-term Management Plan' announced and formulated in May this year strengthens our commitment to new ideas that look to the future and create innovative impacts on stakeholders, aiming to realize the economic and social value we should pursue. After envisioning the future social image and issues, we set the desired appearance for 2030 from both economic and social values, and formulated a new mid-term management plan as a midpoint, aiming to contribute to solving social issues in new areas such as 'food' and 'environment'.

About Daifuku

Since its establishment in 1937, Daifuku has been refining its material handling technology and pursuing the rationalization of logistics. Currently, the Daifuku Group has production and sales bases in 24 countries and regions around the world, with overseas sales accounting for 67% of the total. In recent years, there has been increasing anticipation for material handling systems as a critical social infrastructure that addresses issues such as labor shortages and productivity improvement. In order to meet these needs, the Daifuku Group continues to pioneer the development of next-generation logistics systems, and strives to provide solutions that contribute to social development.

About Daifuku Shiga Plant

Established in 1975 as a manufacturing facility for logistics equipment, the Shiga Plant in Hino-cho, Shiga Prefecture has a vast site area of ​​approximately 1.2 million m2 (about 0.36 million tsubo) with 13 factory buildings and a 4.4MW mega solar power plant. Currently, there are approximately 3,000 employees, including employees of the company and partner companies. As the mother factory of the Daifuku Group, it engages in the development and manufacturing of high-function and high-quality products, and promotes various environmental activities such as switching all the electrical power used within the plant to renewable energy, establishing a resource recycling system, and biodiversity conservation activities.

For reference.

Guidelines for Various Surveys on Marine Plastic Litter by the Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of the Environment 2021 Guidelines 'Reference Materials for River Litter Surveys'
'Protecting Kitano Sho River' Website

Contact for media inquiries: Public Relations and Investor Relations, MinebeaMitsumi Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Department, Daihuku Co., Ltd.
TEL: 03-6721-3505