‘Tree Guru’ Brings Arboreal Talents to Yokohama’s ‘Green Week’

Through its ‘Forever Forest’ project, Yokohama Rubber hopes to transform the grounds at its factories into verdant, leafy areas. The company has held numerous tree planting ceremonies both in Japan and around the world, and now Yokohama Tire Corporation is going one step further by conducting a ‘Green Week’. Between November 30 and December 3 the US based operation is staging a series of eco-themed events, culminating with a visit from one of the world’s most famous ecologists.

The tyre maker has secured the assistance of Dr. Akira Miyawaki, a man known to some as “the tree guru”. Miyawaki is coming to Yokohama Tire’s headquarters in Fullerton, California to assist with the Forever Forest event to be held there on December 3. The company intends to plant 500 native tree seedlings during the day’s proceedings.

“Dr. Miyawaki is highly regarded around the world, and all of us at Yokohama are honoured that he is visiting our facility for this project,” said Takao Oishi, president and CEO of Yokohama Tire Corporation. “Our company’s slogan is ‘excellence by nature,’ and these events reflect our commitment towards environmental preservation, while hopefully honouring and recognising Dr. Miyawaki, too.”

Over the course of his career, Dr. Miyawaki has helped lead or organise the planting of more than 30 million trees at over 1,600 locations around the world. He is currently working with Yokohama to plant half a million trees over a 10-year period at the company’s 17 locations around the globe, prior to Yokohama Rubber Company’s 100-year anniversary in 2017.