Employee and Family Participation Helps Contribute 4,500 Tons to Local Water Resources

NOK Corporation (Headquarters: Shibadaimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Group Chief Executive Officer: Masao Tsuru; hereinafter “NOK”) has supported the Rice Paddy Owner Program organized by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation for six consecutive years since 2019, as part of its efforts to conserve local groundwater resources. On Saturday, June 7, 2025, 55 employees and family members from the NOK Kumamoto Plant (Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture) joined local producers in planting rice in a paddy located in Ozu Town, Kikuchi District, officially launching this year’s cultivation activities.
The Rice Paddy Owner Program is a groundwater conservation initiative that brings together rice paddy owners and participating companies, organizations, and individuals to jointly grow rice. By preserving paddies that allow rain and surface water to naturally seep into the soil, the program supports the process of groundwater recharge^※1.

The NOK Kumamoto Plant, which uses local groundwater in its manufacturing processes, actively engages in conservation efforts to help protect this vital regional resource. As part of its participation in the Rice Paddy Owner Program, NOK has taken ownership of a 737 m² rice paddy in Ozu Town, Kikuchi District, where employees from the Kumamoto Plant assist each year with a portion of the farming work.
Following this rice planting event, the rice will be harvested in the fall, and the crop will be donated to a food bank in Kumamoto City to support local food assistance efforts. Around November, a Groundwater Recharge Certificate will be issued, indicating the volume of groundwater replenished through rice cultivation. In 2024, the recharge volume was approximately 4,500 tons (4,495 m³), and a similar amount is anticipated this year.

1: Groundwater Recharge: The process by which rainwater and other sources seep into the ground and are stored as groundwater within aquifers. 
    Recharge Area: Land areas, such as fields and forests, where water can easily penetrate the ground.

■    Rice Planting in Ozu Town: A Hands-On Experience for All Ages
Each year, participants in the rice cultivation experience are invited from among NOK Kumamoto Plant employees and their families. This year, 55 people took part in the rice planting event.
The day of the event brought clear, refreshing early-summer weather. During the opening ceremony, Hitomi Koga, Assistant Section Chief at the Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation, welcomed participants with a message of gratitude and hope: “Filling paddies with water helps nurture groundwater. Your rice planting experience today plays an important role in securing Kumamoto’s water for the future.”
After receiving instruction from local producers on handling and planting the seedlings, participants stepped into the paddies to begin planting. Children and first-time participants approached the unfamiliar task with focus and determination, while returning employees moved smoothly through the process, each planting carefully and with intention. When the work was done, participants looked over the neatly lined rows of bright green seedlings, thinking ahead to their growth and the autumn harvest. The event also offered a valuable opportunity to connect with local producers and deepen awareness of regional agriculture and the importance of groundwater conservation.

• 

• 

• 

■    Comments from participants
-Takaharu Nishimura
 Production Section 2, Production Department, Precision Moldings & O-Rings Business Unit, NOK Kumamoto Plant
“I took part in the event with my son, who is in second grade. It was a meaningful experience for both of us — we learned not only how the rice we eat every day is grown, but also about the important role rice paddies play in recharging groundwater. Watching my son joyfully running around, covered in mud, reminded me to enjoy the moment and left me feeling truly refreshed.”

-Keito Yamaji
 Manufacturing Engineering Section 1, Manufacturing Engineering Department, Precision Moldings & O-Rings Business Unit, NOK Kumamoto Plant
“The sensation of the mud underfoot and the faint scent of the seedlings stirred a quiet sense of nostalgia. Even though I thoroughly washed off the mud afterward, the bit of dirt left under my nails continues to remind me of the experience. This initiative is a valuable effort to preserve rice paddies and nurture groundwater, and I hope to continue participating in it for years to come.”

-Yusuke Natsukoshi
 Administration Section, Administration Department, Precision Moldings & O-Rings Business Unit, NOK Kumamoto Plant
“At first, I was a little hesitant to step barefoot into the mud, but I gradually came to enjoy the feeling. As I planted each seedling with care, I found myself slipping into a peaceful, focused state — before I knew it, I was fully absorbed in the task. It was a rare and rewarding chance to connect with nature in a way I don’t usually get through desk work. I also gained a stronger awareness of how important rice paddies are in sustaining groundwater. I’m already looking forward to the fall harvest.”

■    Overview of NOK Kumamoto Plant’s Participation in the 2025 Rice Planting Event
•    Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
•    Location: Rice paddies in the Maki area, Ozu Town, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture
•    Participants: 55 employees of NOK Kumamoto Plant and their family members

■    About the Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation’s Rice Paddy Owner Program
Kumamoto City and 11 surrounding municipalities^※2 form a rare region in Japan where nearly 100% of the water used for daily life, including drinking, agriculture, and industry, is sourced from groundwater. To help protect this critical resource, the Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation was established in 2012. Guided by the principle of Sosui, a mindset of caring deeply about water, the Foundation works to preserve the quantity and quality of groundwater across the entire region. One of its flagship initiatives is the Rice Paddy Owner Program.
•    Organizer: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation
•    Program Overview: Launched in 2013, the program brings together producers who own rice paddies in groundwater recharge areas and corporate, organizational, or individual “owners” through formal agreements. By working together on rice cultivation, participants help maintain paddies and promote natural groundwater recharge. After the harvest, owners receive a share of the rice based on the size of the paddy they supported, along with a Groundwater Recharge Certificate indicating the amount of groundwater nurtured through the cultivation process.

2: Kumamoto City, Kikuchi City (former Shisui Town and former Kyokushi Village), Uto City, Koshi City, Ozu Town, Kikuyo Town, Nishihara Village, Mifune Town, Kashima Town, Mashiki Town, and Kosa Town.

■    Environmental and Community Contributions by NOK Kumamoto Plant
Located in Aso City, a region blessed with natural water resources, NOK Kumamoto Plant draws groundwater for use as industrial water in the production of seal products. In keeping with its role as a locally rooted manufacturer, the Plant actively engages in environmental protection efforts and supports community initiatives alongside local governments and residents.
•    Lake Ezu Cleanup (around November): Conducted in partnership with the Kumamoto Environmental Conservation Council to protect groundwater
•    Rice Donations (around November): A portion of harvested rice through the Rice Paddy Owner Program is donated to those in need via Food Bank Kumamoto
•    Aso Grassland Controlled Burns (February or March): Participation in burns organized by the Genya Kumiai to preserve Aso's grasslands and biodiversity
•    Grassland Conservation Support (Since 2022): Certified member of the Aso Grassland Supporter Program
•    Partnerships: Support for organizations such as the Aso Green Stock Foundation and the Ministry of the Environment's Nature Restoration Project