NYK Supports Japan’s Next Generation

On August 7, NYK held a terminal tour for employees’ children as part of
Japan’s national campaign to support the next generation. The tour was the
latest proactive initiative by NYK to help employees balance work and
child-raising. These initiatives enable NYK to maintain a positive
employment environment in accordance with the Japanese law on “Advancement
of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children."*

The tour aim was not only to give the children a better understanding of
their fathers’ and mothers’ work by actually visiting a vessel and a harbor
facility, two vital components in the international shipping business, but
also to enable employees to review their work life balance and deepen the
bond between parent and child.

Eighteen participants including eleven children and their parents observed
the container yard from a roof terrace of the office at the NYK Tokyo
Container Terminal - No. 6 and 7 berths at the Port of Tokyo’s Ohi
Container Terminal. They saw a container vessel and cargo handling
operations up close. Before the terminal tour, the children visited NYK
head office and had lunch with their parents.

"I was surprised the speed of loading containers to the vessel was so
fast”; "I was impressed to find out that the meat and vegetables are
carried by the refrigerated containers from overseas": were amongst some of
the comments made by participating children.

It is through such actions that NYK will continue its efforts to support
activities promoting a work-life balance.

*Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children
A law obliging business owners to make it possible for their employees to
balance work and child-raising against the societal challenges, as
evidenced by the declining birthrate. The law came into force in April 2005
and requires that business owners cooperate to improve conditions so that
the next generation can be born and raised in a healthy environment. The
terminal tour is part of the third action plan that NYK has developed for
balancing work and family life. Based on the actual performance of the
second action plan, NYK earned a “Kurumin” mark certificate.