We hope to inspire young people and children—who will lead the next generation—to develop an interest in science and grow into the talent that will drive future scientific and technological advancements. With this aspiration, we are undertaking a variety of initiatives.
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Social Activities
Nurturing Future Generations
Support for STEM Education
Cosponsoring of Robotics Competition
Mitsui Chemicals co-sponsors the Japanese championship of FIRST LEGO League (FLL)*, one of the world's largest robotics competitions. Mitsui Chemicals supports FLL’s idea of providing children with an opportunity to experience the excitement of solving social challenges while applying STEM concepts and active learning.
*FIRST LEGO League (FLL):
FLL is one of the world's largest robotics competitions sponsored by FIRST, a nonprofit organization in the United States, and the LEGO Group (the Japanese championship is sponsored by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Currently, approximately 67,000 teams from 110 countries participate worldwide. Two to 10 children make a team to participate in the robotics competition and conduct scientific research and its presentation based on the theme of the competition. Top teams at the championship in each country will qualify for the world competition.
Children enjoying a Mitsui Chemicals experiment
Robotics competition
Holding Lectures on Corporate Collaboration with SSH-Designated Schools
The Mitsui Chemicals Group holds lectures in collaboration with high schools that have been designated as Super Science High Schools (SSH). Mitsui Chemicals Crop & Life Solutions, a Mitsui Chemicals affiliate, gave a lecture at Chiba Prefectural Chousei High School with the topic “Let's Think about Agrochemicals.”
The lecture introduced agrochemicals safety and how to make agrochemicals, with the aim of alleviating vague concerns about agrochemicals and deepening understanding of agrochemicals. The lecture was followed by a Q&A session, during which many students actively asked questions, demonstrating their eagerness to understand the topic in depth. In fact, a survey of the students revealed that before the course, two-thirds of them had an image of agrochemicals being harmful, but after the lecture, many responded that their image of agrochemicals had changed to a positive one. The lecture also provided a good opportunity for the participating employees to take a fresh look at their own work and what they can do to create safe agrochemicals.
During the lecture
Cooperation in Online Hands-on Job Experience Class for Junior High School Students
Mitsui Chemicals has participated in the Career Challenge Day On-Line-Meets* since fiscal 2021. As lecturers, Mitsui Chemicals employees gave presentations on topics, including the company overview, their reasons for joining the company, and their experience so far in the company, such as the difficulties and joys they experienced, in an online classroom connecting junior high schools across Japan. Through our initiatives and our employees’ presentations in this program, we believe that we were able to provide an opportunity for students to learn what it means to work and to think about the lifestyle they want to pursue in order to grow. We plan to continue sponsoring in fiscal 2025 as well.
*Career Challenge Day On-Line-Meets:
A collaborative online career education program offered by companies and other institutions that support “SDGs × Career Education” for junior high school students in Japan who cannot experience on-site work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program received the METI Minister Awards (first prize) in the Coordinator Category of the 11th Career Education Award hosted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Sponsorship of Niconico Chokaigi Science Experiments
Since 2022, Mitsui Chemicals has been the sponsor and participating in the “Niconico Chokaigi"* event. At the "Niconico Chokaigi 2024", which attracted 125,000 visitors over two days on April 27 and 28 (according to Dwango Co., Ltd.), our company participated for the third consecutive year with the "Cho-Arienai Science Experiment" exhibit. This year, with “recycling” as our sub-theme, we hosted collaborative experiments with science YouTubers and offered hands-on exhibits through our MOLp™ open laboratory activities, enabling visitors to interact with, learn about, and experience the “science".
*Niconico Chokaigi:
A large-scale event held both online and in-person, organized by Dwango Co., Ltd., under the concept of "Japan's largest cultural festival created by everyone, originating from the Internet."
Wonders of Chemistry
“Wonders of Chemistry” is a series of laboratory classes launched in 2006 with the aim of showing children—the next generation—the fun and potential of chemistry, and inspiring them to pursue science. The program has been conducted in various formats, including off-site classes at local schools near our business sites, events and festivals during summer vacation, and during tours of our plants and laboratories.
Participated in “Dream Chemistry-21” Summer Vacation Children’s Chemistry Experiment Show 2024 Sponsored by the Japan Chemical Industry Association
Mitsui Chemicals exhibited at the “Dream Chemistry-21” Summer Vacation Children’s Chemistry Experiment Show 2024, held at the Science Museum in Tokyo in August 2024. Together with 14 chemical companies and one organization, we welcomed approximately 4,000 children over two days to experience the fun and wonder of chemistry. Representing our company, 50 employees from the Head Office, plants, and laboratories in the Chiba area participated as staff members. Through an original bracelet-making activity using temperature-sensitive resin (ABSORTOMER™), 160 children had the opportunity to discover the fascination of chemistry firsthand.
Other Activities at Domestic Business Sites
| Business Site | Annual Number of Participants (Cumulative Total) | Experiment Venues (Examples) |
|---|---|---|
Ichihara Works | 381 |
|
| Mobara Branch Factory | 42 |
|
| VISION HUB™ SODEGAURA | 353 |
|
| Nagoya Works | Approximately 750 |
|
| Osaka Works | 415 |
|
| Iwakuni-Ohtake Works | 202 |
|
Omuta Works | 676 | Third-grade elementary school students and their guardians (from 7 schools) in Omuta City |
* A seminar for foreign national children to work on summer vacation homework and study Japanese.
Scenes from the Experiment
VISION HUB™ SODEGAURA: Elementary schools in Sodegaura City
Ichihara Works: Cultural Festival Organized by the Anesaki Community Center
Activities of Overseas Affiliate (China)
In fiscal 2024, Mitsui Chemicals (China) Management Company Limited (MCCN) organized a tour of MCCN's Technical Center as an out-of-school learning experience for the children of the “Hozo Hut (public service activity)*.” To help children realize that chemistry is something that exists around them, we also held a chemistry laboratory class for the Wonders of Chemistry as part of the tour.
*Hozo Hut (public service activity):
This is a CSR activity in China that donates a portion of the operating costs of facilities that provide supplementary education and out-of-school learning to children of migrant workers who live in the city but do not have the same access to education and welfare as children born and raised in the city. MCCN has supported the facility since 2020.
Activity situation (August 2022)
In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, the 'Wonders of Chemistry' is also carried out independently by our domestic and overseas affiliated companies.