We have been providing scholarships since 2009. The purpose of this program is to provide educational opportunities to children who would otherwise be unable to continue their studies due to economic reasons, and to help Brazilian children to participate more actively in Japanese society by their Japanese language education. By the fiscal year ended March 2023, a cumulative total of 5,062 children received scholarships. From 2019, a total of 340 of these children started taking the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), and 161 passed.

As part of the scholarship program, we also work with NPO AIDENSHA and NPO Service for the Assistance of Brazilians in Japan (SABJA) to provide career education seminars at Brazilian schools in Japan, and online career seminars for parents and supporters of Brazilian students in Japan. At the seminars, we provide information about higher education and work opportunities after high school graduation, with the aim of helping students consider higher education and autonomously develop their careers.

We also offer an online program to prepare students for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (using a test preparation app), in collaboration with NPO Service for the Assistance of Brazilians in Japan (SABJA), in order to improve the JLPT pass rate, which is a prerequisite for entering advanced educational institutions and for full-time employment in Japan.

Social Contribution Activities Action Plans Materiality: Enhance quality of life

The Brazil Festival is an official cultural exchange event organized by the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (CCBJ) and supported by the Embassy of Brazil, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. We have continued to sponsor the event since 2009. The 15th annual Brazil Festival was held on November 19 and 20, 2022, and many Mitsui employees participated in the festival and supported the participation of Brazilian support groups based in Japan. The festival had been put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was held for the first time in three years, also commemorating the 200th anniversary of Brazil's independence, and attracted approximately 60,000 visitors. We will continue to make our efforts to resolve issues faced by the Brazilian community in Japan.

In cooperation with investee company ABC KOGEN DAIRY (AKD), Mitsui Indonesia is supporting the efforts of Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), a non-governmental organization, to combat growth stunting. The program has designated 10 new health facilities (Posyandu) located in the mountainous areas of West Java, and is providing monthly health monitoring and nutritional support to 100 pregnant women in and around the area. Aligning with the Indonesian government's goal of reducing the national average rate of stunting to 14% by 2024, the target for this program has also been set at 14% by the end of October 2023. Through its stunting prevention efforts, Mitsui Indonesia will continue its commitment to fostering friendly relations between Japan and Indonesia.

On February 21, 2022, with the support of the Japan International Cooperation System, Mitsui Colombia has donated one tractor for transporting landmine demining equipment and two trucks for transporting mobile workshops necessary for the proper maintenance of humanitarian demining equipment. The donation of approximately US$600,000 will strengthen mine clearance capabilities in approximately 247 municipalities across Colombia, contributing to improved social and economic development. Mitsui Colombia President Hara participated in a donation ceremony with Masahiro Takasugi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Colombia, together with Colombian government officials.

Mitsui Colombia also participated in Toyota Group's CSR project in Colombia, donating 20 bicycles to La Guajira region as part of a donation of a total of 100 bicycles on June 9, 2023. In rural areas, students often need to walk four hours to get to and from school, however, the bicycles have cut the commuting time in half, leading to fewer absences and more time for homework. In addition, the La Guajira region, known for its deserts and scarcity of water, greatly benefits from the bicycle donation as they reduce the burden on women to find and transport water. This program also includes a training session on accounting.

The Kanda Festival, one of the three major festivals of the Edo period, was held on May 14 for the first time in four years, and featured the Shogun portable shrine procession, using a portable shrine donated by Mitsui. At 10:30 am, the carriers gathered in front of the Shomonzuka mound, and after undergoing a purification ceremony, departed in unison, entering the Kanda Myojin Shrine just before 2:00 pm amid the spirited atmosphere of the festival. After a lunch break, the portable shrine returned to Shomonzuka after parading through the town, where it entered the mound for the first time in 100 years. We will continue to support the Kanda Festival, considering it an important community engagement initiative in which many of our employees and their families can participate. By supporting this event, we aim to support local invigoration, preserve traditions, and foster connections with the local community.

The 2023 Hiroshima Flower Festival, a flower festival of peace that connects Hiroshima with the world, took place on June 10 and 11. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Peace Boulevard, which serve as the main venue, are decorated with parades and stages. Traditionally held every year during the Golden Week holiday period since 1977, the schedule was adjusted this year to accommodate the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. The Chugoku Office has sponsored the Flower Festival every year at the request of the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and after three years of restraint due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was back to its full scale. Every year, the Chugoku Office participates in an annual clean-up before welcoming guests from Japan and abroad to the Spring Flower Festival and Winter Dreamination. This year, six employees, including the Office General Manager and members from affiliated companies, participated in the clean-up, despite unfavorable weather and light rain.