April 6, 2021
On Wednesday, March 31, Keio University concluded a partnership and cooperation agreement with Minami-Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture. The purpose of this agreement is to contribute to the enrichment of the local community and the enhancement of education and research, as well as to mutual development, through partnership and cooperation between Minami-Sanriku Town and Keio University, by utilizing their respective natural environments—centered on forest resources—and cultural resources.
Keio University owns forests throughout Japan, and one of these, the "Shizugawa Forest" in Minami-Sanriku Town, has been maintained and managed as a Keio University school forest for approximately 50 years. With the cooperation of the people of Minami-Sanriku Town, it has been utilized as a venue for education and research. Building on this connection, the "Minami-Sanriku Project" was launched by volunteer faculty and students immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake. For eight years, they regularly carried out volunteer activities, such as recovery and learning support, utilizing the Shizugawa Forest. In 2015, forests owned by Minami-Sanriku Town and local foresters, together with Keio University's Shizugawa Forest, jointly obtained international forest certification (FSC certification), which is awarded to forests managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable manner.
The signing ceremony was held online, connecting Minami-Sanriku Town and Mita Campus. In attendance were Mayor Jin Sato of Minami-Sanriku Town, Keio University President Akira Haseyama, and Vice-President Naoki Watanabe, as well as Mr. Kyuichiro Sato, head of the Minami-Sanriku Town Forest Owners' Cooperative, who has supported the activities of faculty and students in Minami-Sanriku Town for many years. They confirmed that this agreement would further strengthen the partnership between Minami-Sanriku Town and Keio University, which has deepened through their connection to the Shizugawa Forest.
Photos by Aki Takematsu and others