Social Contribution of PACHINKO Industry

Resonating with society is highest priorities for PACHINKO industry. Pachinko Industry Association (Nichiyukyo) promotes discussion of social issues, ecology, social contribution, recycle policy or other issues in the Social Contribution Committee and Pachinko Machine Recycle Committee. Then Nichiyukyo promotes social contribution activities by itself or with other Pachinko associations. The activities are including regional Pachinko parlors’ original social contributions.

Tree Planting Action – Kyosei no Mori

Nichiyukyo has launched “Kyosei no Mori” (means Symbiosis of Forest) project at Hanamidai area, Ranzan town, Saitama pref. in Nov. 2008. The purpose of the project is to educate children the preciousness of nature through the tree planting activity.

In this project, Nichiyukyo apply to use 5.5 hectare public space in Ranzan town and plant roughly 1,000 nursery trees over the next 5 years based on the agreement between Nichiyukyo and Saitama prefecture. After planting, volunteer staffs from Nichiyukyo maintain the area with forestry staffs of Saitama prefecture. Nichiyukyo plans to grow the trees and make forest in 10 years.

In latest 2 planting events, members of Nichiyukyo and sponsors including their families, local residents and Nichiyukyo staffs joined as volunteers. They enjoyed planting, lunch and forestry recreation (making animal dolls or insect dolls from leaves, branch and nuts). Nichiyukyo takes place this event every fall and this event is sponsored by Saitama prefecture, Ranzan town and 13 Pachinko industry associations (Zennichiyuren, Nikkoso, Nichidenkyo, Zensyokyo, Kaidoyusyo, Jikokai, Hokyukumiai, Medalkogyokai, Doyukai, Yokashin, PCSA, PSA, Ninsyokyo) and supported by Yakult Ltd.

Volunteer Group Support Fund

Volunteer group support fund was founded in Nov. 2004, when 2 big disasters (Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake and Typhoon No.23) happened. The purposes of fund are the volunteer groups which work at Child well-being, elder ages’ welfare, ecology or supporting victims of disasters and which need funds for their activities. The fund consists of donation from Pachinko customers and members of Nichiyukyo. Fund donations were evaluated every year and totally 34.4 million yen were subsidized to 42 groups in last 6 evaluations.

Nichiyukyo Volunteer Team

Nichiyukyo volunteer team was founded in 2004 same as volunteer group support fund that rescues disaster areas. The team rescued in Tunan town Niigata pref. which suffered heavy snow and helped mainly elder ages with snow shoveling in Feb. 2006. In Apr. 2007 they rescued Wazima city Ishikawa pref. which suffered Noto peninsula earthquake. And in July they rescued Kashiwazaki city Niigata pref. which suffered Niigata Chuetsu earthquake and sent 16 temporary toilets, water and toilet papers. Moreover, volunteer team does social contribution activities like tree planting action. The team consists of volunteer staff from members of Nichiyukyo, 206 staffs are registered in Apr. 2010, and they have small group training with fire station occasionally.

Committee of Social Contribution and Ecology

Committee of social contribution and ecology is one of Nichiyukyo’s 8 committees. It plans and takes action of social contribution, resonance between Pachinko parlors and local communities, and researches energy saving measures and cleanup of Pachinko parlors’ environments. The committee takes charge in tree planting action and eco-hall campaign.

Committee of Pachinko machine recycling

Pachinko machines Reuse activity was triggered from a case that many used pachinko machines were dumped unlawfully in Yorii town Saitama pref. in 1994. Then the fact that a large amount of pachinko machines were dumped near to residential areas and deep in the mountains all over Japan was revealed and that became social problem. Basically, industrial waste disposal contractors were responsible for the problem. However, they didn’t have enough financial resources to remove the refuse pachinko machines, so Pachinko industry was blamed by public opinion and municipalities. Pachinko machinery manufactures and distributors declared “Pachinko industry has socially responsible for collection of refuse pachinko machines and removal of hazardous materials” and cooperated to remove the refuse pachinko machines.

On the other hand, industrial structure council, advisory body of minister of international trade and industry, focused on refuse pachinko machines and defined them as promotion products of saving resources and recycling. In this situation, Pachinko industry began recycle action of Pachinko machines, and founded committee of Pachinko machine recycling, cross-sectional organization of Pachinko industry in 1997. The committee consists of Pachinko parlors association including Nichiyukyo, pachinko machinery manufactures association, distributers association and leading pachinko machinery manufactures.

The committee selects 40 reliable recycle contractors and they collect refuse pachinko machines from pachinko parlors. Moreover, Nikkoso (Pachinko machinery makers association) has been certified as a wide area Pachinko machines recycle system, and developed original recycle system. The committee establishes and adjusts the recycle system synthetically and contributes to recycling-based economical society.

Eco-Hall-Declaration

Recycle of refuse pachinko machines continues to be primary issue. However, in ecological point of view, carbon reduction is another issue for Pachinko industry. Pachinko industry associations including Nichiyukyo declared “Eco-hall declaration” which commits 15% carbon reduction from pachinko parlors. The specific strategies are support for light-down-campaign, participation to challenge 25% and to turn off the attractive lights of vender machines.

Social Contribution of Pachinko Industry Companies

Each company indicated below promotes social contribution.

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