News Releases in 2006

November 24, 2006

Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koji Miyahara) will sponsor two support programs in December 2006 for foster parents and foster children, as part of NYK's social contribution activities. These two programs follow last October's charity cruise on Asuka, when 408 guests from the Association of Tokyo Institutional Foster Homes,* a nonprofit organization (NPO), were invited to partake of a one-night cruise. This was one of the events that NYK organized to recognize the 120 years of service the company has provided to the local communities that make up our one world.

One of the new programs will be hosted by the Crystal Yacht Club, an NYK Group company, on Sunday, December 3. Twenty foster children in their final year of high school and about 15 foster parents, all from the Association of Tokyo Institutional Foster Homes, will be invited to take part in a luncheon cruise, during which the participants will receive lessons in table manners and have the opportunity to socialize.

The goal of this program is to offer foster children, who occasionally shut themselves away from society, a place to meet others who share similar backgrounds, and encourage the children to be more self-sustaining. As a first step, lessons in table manners will be offered.

The Tokyo metropolitan government's social child guardian system** currently limits benefits to foster children under the age of 18, based on the concept that children should be responsible for themselves once they reach the age of 18. However, the reality is that most foster children tend to stay with their foster families even after reaching the age of 18 simply because it often takes longer than expected for the children to obtain jobs that will provide for a self-sustaining life. One of the main reasons for this tendency is that foster children often have difficulties interacting with others. This poses challenges for foster parents, including an increased financial burden because government support stops once the children reach the age of 18. The Association of Tokyo Institutional Foster Homes offers various programs to help foster children to become self-sustaining at as early an age as possible. The association is also considering approaching the government for an extension of the fostering term in order to solve the challenges mentioned. NYK agrees with the aims of the association and has decided to support them with the luncheon cruise and lessons in table manners.

For NYK's second new program, we will invite 20 guests, ten foster parents and ten foster children, from Yokohama Aijikai*** to participate in a one-night Christmas cruise from Yokohama on Asuka II from 23 to 24 December. This program continues the concept of last year's charity cruise on Asuka. Yokohama is the registered port for Asuka II, and NYK has always maintained strong ties to the city. Therefore, NYK has decided to invite foster parents and foster children from Yokohama to this event this year. On the day of the program, the deputy curator of the NYK Maritime Museum, Toshio Nozaki, will offer a special tour of the ship before it leaves port.

NYK believes that working on social issues, particularly those that are not universally acknowledged, can be an important mission for the company. NYK will continue to work in various ways on programs to support foster parents and foster children so that the foster-parent system can gain societal recognition, and so that various issues regarding foster care can be more broadly recognized. NYK promises to work positively as a good corporate citizen on activities that contribute to our society.

*	Association of Tokyo Institutional Foster Homes A nonprofit organization that supports foster families through the Tokyo metropolitan government's social child guardian system.**
**	Social Child Guardian System A system that the Tokyo metropolitan government offers in order to place children who cannot stay with their own biological parents for various reasons, such as divorce, runaway, illness, or abuse, in foster homes for certain periods without the children being adopted, and helping them to be brought up healthy in body and mind. The government provides children support until they reach the age of 18. As of the end of June 2006, 385 foster families were registered, and 244 foster children were living with foster parents.
***	Yokohama Aijikai A voluntary organization that has an office in the Yokohama City Council of Social Welfare and assists with communication between foster families in Yokohama and offers training activities. Foster families authorized by the City of Yokohama and those that agree with the main purpose of Aijikai's activities participate in the organization. It had approximately 96 members as of March 2006.