Promoting water projects in Omachi City, Nagano, site of new plant

In order to promote conservation activities in the water source cultivation forests for its new plant, Suntory Holdings Limited has signed an agreement with Omachi City on Monday, March 18, to adopt the forests related to “Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary Kita-Alps” forestry work. The new plant, which will base in Omachi City, Nagano, is scheduled to operate in late 2020.
The new “Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary Kita-Alps”, is a roughly 276-hectare forest owned by Omachi City. The agreement brings the total area of Natural Water Sanctuaries across the country to some 10,000 hectares, including 21 locations in 15 prefectures.

We also plan to collaborate with Omachi City and its Board of Education, which actively promotes “water” projects such as education about groundwater, to launch a Suntory “Mizuiku”— Education Program for Nature and Water specially customized for the city. Suntory Mizuiku “Teaching about Water at Schools” will kick off in Omachi’s elementary schools before the plant begins its operation. Suntory Mizuiku “Outdoor School of Forest and Water” will also take place around the plant site or neighboring areas following the site’s operation in the summer of 2021. We hope that the children of Omachi, who are surrounded by the bounty of nature and the plentiful water of the region, will learn about and pass on “the glory of the natural environment” and “the importance of water and its cultivation” to their future generations.

The new plant is currently in the designing process. We are working with local authorities and councils to gain the affection of the local area as a new experiential facility where visitors will be able to discover and experience the value of Suntory Tennensui (Mineral Water) and its “limpid deliciousness.”

The Suntory Group is engaged in various activities in accordance with its corporate policy of “Mizu To Ikiru,” integrating with the region to cultivate water sources and pass on a sustainable global environment to the next generation. The launch of the new Omachi plant is to be an opportunity for further promotion of activities, together with the people and authorities of the local region, to maintain and improve the sustainaibility of the precious water resources of the area.

●Suntory Group approaches
Since 2003 Suntory has worked on Natural Water Sanctuaries to cultivate forests that nurture groundwater, and since 2004 has conducted the Suntory “Mizuiku”— Natural Water Education Program for environmental education for future generations in Japan. The company has also been implementing the Suntory “Mizuiku” in Vietnam since 2015, which is highly evaluated by local governments and residents. In January 2017, “Sustainable Water Philosophy” was established as a Suntory Group basic principle when working with water. The Suntory Group will continue sharing its water-related philosophies throughout the entire group of more than 300 domestic and international companies. It will also implement activities in each regional environment to help conserve “water,” the most precious resource for its business.

“Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary Kita-Alps”

-Location:Tokiwa, Omachi City, Nagano

-Term:30 years

-Area:Roughly 276 hectares

-Activities:Felling and clean-cutting of deciduous and coniferous trees, laying of work roads and pedestrian walks, effective use of Ikurinzai*, broad-based academic research toward the improvement of water source cultivation capabilities and organic diversity, etc.

*The Suntory Group refers to timber from sustainably cultivated water and forests as Ikurinzai.