Sompo Japan Co-sponsors the Picture Book Donation Project for Children in Myanmar

Online, November 28, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. (President, Kengo Sakurada, hereinafter referred to as "Sompo Japan") announced that it is co-sponsoring the HEARTHEART Project to deliver picture books to children around the world, being implemented by Specified NGO XYZ (Cross Wise) (President Keiko Yokoi, hereinafter referred to as XYZ) as part of the company's support for the Great East Japan Earthquake recovery effort.

In conjunction with this project, a picture book donation ceremony was held in Myanmar on October 31.

1. Overview of the HEARTHEART Project to Deliver Picture Books to Children Around the World

This project involves donating translated versions of the picture book into various languages, entitled You are the only one, but never a lonely one authored by XYZ to countries around the world in order to convey Japan's appreciation for the huge amount of support and assistance received following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

*This project has been certified as a 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Project and a Japan-Vietnam Friendship Year Project.

On this occasion, picture books were donated to Myanmar, with which Sompo Japan has maintained a deep relationship that began with the opening of an office in the country in 1942. Sompo Japan was the first foreign insurance company that rejoined the country's insurance industry since its nationalization in 1962 and also re-dispatched personnel for the representative office in 1995.

2. Picture Book Donation Ceremony

The picture book donation ceremony was held on October 31 at Yangon City Hall. The ceremony was attended by around 180 people that included children representing 50 schools; the Mayor of Yangon, the Honorable U Hla Myint; and the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Myanmar,
H.E. Mr. Mikio Numata. Representative of XYZ Keiko Yokoi presented the picture books.

The head of Sompo Japan's Myanmar Representative Office, Mr. Okada, also gave a speech during the ceremony. The ceremony turned out to be a genial event as children from Myanmar performed a traditional ethnic dance for the attendees.

3. Future Commitment Sompo Japan is committed to continue collaborating with NPOs and other organizations in order to make contributions to the realization of a sustainable society.

For the pictures from the press release, please see; http://www.sompo-japan.co.jp/~/media/SJcms/english/news/2013/e_20131115.pdf