Japanese companies engage in social responsibility in Asia

Following the transition from military to democratic rule, Myanmar's economy is experiencing a boom.

With a population of some 50 million people, the country is looking forward to large scale of development.

However, in rural areas, education remains underdeveloped.

The Zin Kyan Taung Monastic School is located in Bago Region, which is around 300-kilometers northwest of capital Yangon.

In Myanmar, monastic schools are approved by the Ministry of Education. Here, the goal is to provide education to financially challenged students.

The curriculum in these schools is similar to public schools. The operation solely relies on donations from the local temples and communities. The tuition is free, unlike public schools.

Founded in 1999, Zin Kyan Taung Monastic School is one of the largest schools in the area. It enrolls over 700 students from the nearby areas.

JCB, the Japanese international credit card brand entered the Myanmar market in 2016. As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, the company supported the construction of the new school building.

Hiroshi Terada, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications Department, JCB Co.Ltd., said, "Along with expanding our businesses in Asia, in order to contribute to local society, JCB has been active in CSR activities."

At a ceremony on completion of construction, the officials of education department, JCB staff visited the school and held discussions with the school management.

The event was attended by the students, parents and local community members. The children showcased cultural performances.

Terada further said, "After Myanmar, we are considering making similar contributions to other areas in Southeast Asia."

With its population of 3.7 million, Yokohama is the largest city in Japan.

The Hokubu Sewage Treatment Center is a facility that processes approximately half of the sewage sludge accumulated in Yokohama.

Collaborating with JFE Engineering Corporation, which is handling the infrastructure including the construction of water and sewer services and energy plants around the globe, manages a large portion of the design, construction, and operation of the Hokubu Sewerage Treatment Center.

In Japan, the sewage is not only processed based on water quality standards, but also the generated sewage sludge is being utilized as a source of energy, such as electricity or construction materials.

Makoto Nagamine, an official of the JFE Engineering Corporation, said, "In this center, the fully effective utilization technology has been implemented for the sewage sludge generated by sewage treatment."

By the sewage sludge fermented in the egg-shaped digester tanks, taking out the digester gas that is the main component of methane gas is, it is possible to generate power up to approximately 4,500kW with a gas engine.

With the digest gas removed, after the dehydrating and burning process, the sewage sludge becomes ash. Most of it is recycled as improved soil which is used for construction.

Nagamine further said, "In the future, with the carbonization of sewage sludge, there are plans to utilize the sewage sludge as the heat source in the cement-making process."

Katsuyoshi Murakami of the Hokubu Sewerage Treatment Center Environmental Planning Bureau in Yokohama, said, "At this center, it has been over 30 years since the establishment of our current treatment method. With the appropriate management, the operation is running smoothly. Our center is a plant that implements the advanced technologies in sewage sludge treatment. It has attracted attention by comprehensively outsourcing the operation originally handled by local officials to private sectors, or operating as PFI service combined with construction. There have been many international and domestic people visiting the facility."

In future, JFE Engineering Corporation will keep on playing an important role in the sewage, environment and energy fields in many countries.