Biodiversity Preservation
Kioxia Group is engaging in a range of biodiversity conservation activities in order to protect the rich ecosystems in the areas where we operate and to make a contribution to society.
Our Involvement in the Owl Protection Project
In 2018 Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant signed a “Mie Biodiversity Partnership Agreement” with the Yokkaichi-Nishi and Kuwana High Schools, under which we are participating in an owl protection project being undertaken by the schools’ Natural Study Groups. We provide equipment enabling owls in the region to be observed and protected in their natural habitat; this supports the project’s aim of bequeathing the region’s rich natural environment to future generations.
As part of this activity, we have installed solar power generation units and cameras designed by volunteer employees to monitor the bird boxes set up by Yokkaichi-Nishi High School students in Mie prefecture’s Forest Park. Since 2019 this has enabled the successful observation over four consecutive years of owls nesting, raising their offspring, and the offspring leaving their nest. Discussions between representatives of Mie prefecture, Yokkaichi-Nishi High School, Kuwana High School and our Yokkaichi Plant were held with the aim of further improving our understanding of biodiversity and enhancing the environmental protection activities we are undertaking.
Planting flowers
Since 2017, Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant has been conducting a FloWA1 project whereby employees plant flowers around the site in order to increase environmental awareness among our workforce, and to create a more attractive and relaxing environment. In FY2022, we replanted flowerbeds around each building and planted trees to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Yokkaichi Plant.
1 The ‘WA’ in FloWA incorporates numerous meanings derived from the Japanese character ‘wa,’ and can denote a circle of friends, sharing, harmony, or laughter.
Beach cleanup
Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant participates in local beach cleanup activities organized by the local community development committee and the NPO Yokkaichi Sea Turtle Preservation Society with the aim of preserving the spawning environment of loggerhead turtles.2
In June 2022, a total of about 150 people, including the plant’s employees and their family members, participated in cleanup activities to protect the environment where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs, and to deepen their understanding of the ecosystem and the importance of conservation activities.
2 Loggerhead turtles are classified as endangered species in the Ministry of the Environment’s “Red List,” indicating they are at high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
Participation in Cherry Blossom Conservation Activities
The city of Kitakami in Iwate prefecture is running a Sakura-mori project, to train Sakura-mori or cherry blossom guardians to take care of the cherry trees in Tenshochi Park, 3 a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in the city, with the aim of preserving the cherry blossom trees for the next 100 years.
Kioxia Iwate Corporation has been participating in the Sakura-mori Workshop, supporting the activities of local junior high school students fertilizing young cherry trees in the park.
3 Tenshochi Park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021 and is famous for its cherry blossoms after being selected as one of the "100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan."
Wetlands preservation
Solid State Storage Technology Corporation (SSSTC) in Taiwan, a Kioxia Corporation’s subsidiary, is working with the Taiwan Environmental Information Association, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, to promote wetland ecosystem conservation projects. In 2022, 18 employees participated in the extermination of invasive plants in wetlands.
Coastal afforestation
SSSTC has been engaged in greening efforts along the coast of Linkou in Taiwan to conserve biodiversity and prevent coastal erosion. 56 employees participated in tree planting there in March 2023.
Supporting coexistence with the Leopard Cat
The population of Leopard cats, the only wildcat in Taiwan, has been declining due to development of roads and farms, an increase in traffic accidents, and other factors. The fact that the wildcats’ prey on farmed chickens is also a problem in areas where wildcats and humans co-exist. SSSTC supports the activities of a non-governmental organization called the Leopard Cat Association of Taiwan. Employees at SSSTC are helping to protect the lives of Leopard cats and the livelihoods of poultry farmers by installing wire netting to prevent the wildcats from entering poultry farms, thereby enabling coexistence.
