Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 9201.T)(herein "JAL") and KYOCERA Corporation (NYSE:KYO)(TOKYO:6971)(herein "KYOCERA") announced today that they will jointly support the "TOMODACHI in San Diego 2013" program taking place in March 2013 as part of the larger
TOMODACHI Initiative.
In 2011, a humanitarian relief mission, called "Operation Tomodachi," (the word
tomodachi means friend in Japanese) was launched by the U.S. military and Japan Self-Defense Forces immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake to provide assistance and encouragement to the disaster victims. U.S. forces also made tremendous contributions to the restoration of Sendai Airport, which was devastated by the tsunami. The TOMODACHI Initiative is a public-private partnership led by the U.S. Embassy in Japan and the U.S.-Japan Council to invest in the next generation in both countries and to strengthen the U.S.-Japan friendship, based on the same spirit of cooperation and friendship as "Operation Tomodachi."
As numerous residents of the tsunami-ravaged city of Kesennuma (Miyagi Pref.) have conveyed their feelings of deep gratitude toward the U.S. Marines and Navy personnel who participated in "Operation Tomodachi," in order to help the young people of Kesennuma realize their wish to personally thank U.S. service personnel and to support their own individual growth, JAL and KYOCERA will jointly support the "TOMODACHI in San Diego 2013" program, which will transport students from Kesennuma to San Diego, home to numerous U.S. Marine and Navy bases.
Through the program, JAL and KYOCERA also seek to provide participants with an exciting educational and cultural exchange in San Diego, a city with which both companies have close ties: JAL inaugurated the first direct flight to San Diego from Asia with its Boeing 787 on December 2, 2012; and KYOCERA opened the U.S. production plant of KYOCERA International Inc. there in 1971.
An outline of the program follows:
| |
| “TOMODACHI in San Diego 2013” |
| | | |
| 1. Date: | | March 24 (Sun) – March 31 (Sun), 2013 |
| 2. Participants: | | 7 students of Kesennuma City (to be selected through a screening process) |
| 3. Cost: | | Transportation between Kesennuma and Narita Airport, airfare, and local transportation and room and board throughout the program will be covered by the organizers |
| 4. Program schedule (tentative): |
| Day 1 | | Travel from Kesennuma Station – Sendai – Ueno – Narita Airport;departure ceremony | | |
| | | Flight JL066 to San Diego | | |
| | | City tour and welcome ceremony | | Homestay |
| Day 2 | | Courtesy call and thank you ceremony at U.S. Navy and/or Marine base | | Homestay |
| Day 3 | | School visit | | Homestay |
| Day 4 | | School visit, KYOCERA production plant visit | | Homestay |
| Day 5 | | Farewell ceremony | | |
| | | Attend University of San Diego vs Oregon State baseball game | | Homestay |
| Day 6 | | Flight JL065 to Narita Airport | | In-flight |
| Day 7 | | Farewell party at hotel after arriving at Narita Airport | | Stay in hotel |
| Day 8 | | Travel from Narita – Ueno – Sendai – Kesennuma | | |
| | | | | |
About JAL Japan Airlines (JAL) (TOKYO: 9201.T) (
http://www.jal.co.jp/en/) was established in 1951, and is today a member of the oneworld® airline alliance with an international network reaching more than 221 airports in 40 countries and regions together with its codeshare partners. Domestically, JAL covers over 50 airports throughout Japan and operates a fleet of 215 aircraft including the revolutionary Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737s, 767s, 777s, Embraer 170 and other regional jets. JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) has reached over 25 million members worldwide today and is Japan's biggest frequent flyer program. Awarded the most punctual major global airline in 2009 and 2010, JAL is committed to continue providing customers the highest levels of flight safety and supreme quality in every aspect of its service.
About KYOCERA Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO)(TOKYO:6971) (
http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of
fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics"). By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of solar power generating systems, telecommunications equipment, printers, copiers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2012, the company's net sales totaled 1.19 trillion yen (approx. USD14.5 billion). The company is ranked #426 on
Forbes magazine's 2012 "Global 2000" listing of the world's largest publicly traded companies.
