TOKYO, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund held a ceremony on April 24 at the Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School in Miyagi Prefecture to commemorate the completion of solar generating facilities for which the fund provided a substantial grant. The school is the first of those targeted for assistance in earthquake-stricken areas to have installed such facilities.

(Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201204254000/)

The fund decided to provide grants to purchase and install solar generating facilities under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The grants are to assist public elementary schools in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures, which the Great East Japan Earthquake hit hardest, and help educate students about the benefits of clean energy. The fund decided to offer grants to 50 schools in three rounds from September 1, 2011, through March 31, 2014. It began accepting applications for the first round from September 1 through 30, 2011.

A selection committee from the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund assessed the operating and environmental education plans of applicant schools, choosing 11 of them. Of that number, four are in Iwate Prefecture, with two in Miyagi Prefecture and the remaining five in Fukushima Prefecture.

The Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School received a consumption tax-inclusive grant from the fund of up to 30 million Japanese yen to acquire and install solar facilities. They comprise an emergency solar generator with a maximum capacity of 20 kilowatts and storage batteries with an aggregate capacity of up to 16 kilowatts.

Completion day events began with a tape cutting in front of a solar generator monitor. Participants in the tape cutting were Kojo Kazama, Mayor of Shiraishi, Tomoichi Takeda, the Principal of Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School, Kyo Suzuki, President of Sendai Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., and year six students representing the school. After the tape cutting, all of the approximately 70 year six students attended a ceremony at which a boy and girl represented that group switched on a solar generator monitor.

All of the school's students took part in the completion ceremony. After opening remarks from Mr. Kazama, Mr. Suzuki spoke about the support initiatives of the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund and outlined the fund's assistance for installing solar facilities at the Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School. Mr. Takeda then encouraged the students to take advantage of the solar panels and storage batteries to learn about environmental issues and consider the importance and uses of energy.

In September 2012, the fund plans to start its second round of soliciting applications for solar facilities grants from public elementary schools in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.

As well as serving schools through these grants, the fund also seeks to assist with the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Initiatives will include constructing educational and other public facilities to help the young live normal lives again.

- Comments from Shiraishi City and Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School

Masaharu Takeda, Chairperson of the Shiraishi City Board of Education, Miyagi Prefecture

We are deeply grateful for the massive grant to install solar power facilities. We will take the greatest care with them. We will also use the facilities as a tool for educating students from all local schools about clean energy. Because of the advanced power storage systems at Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School, we have positioned the school as a model for developing other evacuation sites in the city. We are looking to take advantage of this initial installation to install solar facilities at other schools in our city.

Tomoichi Takeda, Principal of the Shiraishi Daiichi Elementary School, Miyagi Prefecture

We are tremendously thankful for the support we have received through the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund's program. We will stay true to the Coca-Cola Education and Environmental Foundation's guiding principle of fostering a "Healthy Active Life" by harnessing the new solar power facilities to further improve our school's environmental education. One specific goal is to have our curriculum cover how solar power can help resolve environmental issues. We would like young people to apply what we teach them in their daily lives. We also want to help them build an exciting new future by deepening their interest in solar power and other renewable energy sources.

Reference Materials
Public elementary schools receiving assistance in first round of environmental education grants from the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund

- The Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund
The Coca-Cola Company set up the fund within the Coca-Cola Education and Environmental Foundation on March 24, 2011, to assist areas stricken by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The fund seeks to help rebuild lives by supporting the construction of public facilities, particularly those for educating children, in keeping with the philosophy of the Coca-Cola Educational and Environment Foundation. The fund determines its specific initiatives after liaising closely with relevant organizations in disaster area, reporting on its activities through its website. The Coca-Cola Company created the fund to augment the support efforts of the Coca-Cola (Japan) Company, Limited, and 12 bottlers. They collectively donated money and the equivalent of more than seven million 500-milliliter PET bottles of beverages to assist victims. Total disaster support from the Coca-Cola Company exceeded 2.5 billion Japanese yen by August 29, 2011).

The following website details the activities of the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund:

(http://www.cocacola.co.jp/info/donation/en_index.html)

- The Coca-Cola System in Japan
This system encompasses several entities. One is Coca-Cola (Japan) Company, Limited, which supplies, manufactures, and sells concentrates and undertakes marketing, including product planning and development and advertising. The other entities are 12 regional bottlers and other affiliates. The system conserves energy in the course of business to pursue growth while reducing environmental impact. The system has employed renewable energy in various aspects of operations. For example, it set up solar-powered vending machines and deployed bio diesel-fueled vehicles in its fleet.

- The Coca-Cola Educational and Environmental Foundation
The Coca-Cola Educational and Environmental Foundation was established in June 2007 to integrate the activities of two predecessors. One was the Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Scholarship Foundation, which operated for 37 years. The other was the Coca-Cola Environmental Education Foundation, which served for 14 years. In keeping with its guiding principle of "Healthy Active Life," the foundation engages in diverse environmental, educational, and sports initiatives so young people can ultimately build a better world.

Contact:
Yusuke Yamanaka
Public Affairs and Communications
Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd.
Tel: +81-3-5466-8120
Fax: +81-3-3797-1481
Email: yuyamanaka@coca-cola.com

SOURCE Coca-Cola (Japan) Company, Limited; Coca-Cola Educational & Environmental Foundation