1991-2000 | The Nippon Foundation

April1992

Global Support Begun for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals

Support for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals begins with the establishment of an endowed scholarship fund for students from developing countries at Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in the United States.
See Raising Social Awareness of Sign Language for more.

April1994

Mobility Support for Community Care Centers

A program to distribute welfare vehicles gets underway in fiscal 1994. Later, responding to changing needs and improvements in welfare policies for elderly persons and people with disabilities, the Foundation expands the lineup of wheelchair-accessible vans to include vehicles with bathing services, care facility transport services, and nursing services, as well as food carts that employ persons with disabilities.

Photo of a wheelchair user boarding a wheelchair-accessible vehicle

January1995

Domestic Disaster Relief Programs, Including Volunteer Support, are Greatly Expanded in the Wake of the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake has a profound impact on volunteer activities in Japan. With local government functions severely disrupted, large numbers of civilians travel to Kobe to assist with relief efforts. Over a four-year period through March 1998, the Foundation supports 104 emergency reconstruction projects and, in 1996, establishes the Hanshin-Awaji Community Fund to promote reconstruction and volunteer activities. These efforts contribute to the strengthening of networks among volunteer and nonprofit organizations.

December1995

Ayako Sono Named Chair

Ryoichi Sasakawa, who served as the Foundation’s first chairman, passes away in July 1995 at the age of 96. In December of that year, Ayako Sono, a writer and philanthropist, is appointed to take his place. In 1996 the nickname “Nippon Foundation” and logo mark are chosen. The logo mark, created by Shin Matsunaga, symbolizes the Foundation’s guiding vision, with a character representing happiness and harmony painted in colors evoking the ocean and Earth.

June1996

Start of Full-scale Support of Hospice in Japan

A hospice research group is established and a hospice program is launched to raise awareness, train specialists, and improve facilities, in line with recommendations on the promotion of hospice and palliative care. In addition to supporting the development of facilities and programs, the Foundation focuses on training doctors and hospice nurses to provide high-quality end-of-life care.

Photo of hospice nurses discussing a case

January1997

Domestic Volunteer Support Bolstered in Response to the Nahodoka Oil Spill and Cleanup Efforts

After the Russian oil tanker Nakhodka sinks in a storm, causing a massive oil spill, the Foundation quickly partners with a volunteer group formed after the Kobe Earthquake and establishes a volunteer registry center near the site in Fukui Prefecture to coordinate cleanup efforts. More than 1,000 volunteers from across Japan participate.

February1998

Nagano Olympics and Paralympics

The Foundation covers various expenses associated with the 1998 Winter Games held in Nagano Prefecture, including operating expenses for the running of a volunteer center at the Paralympics, and also establishes contact with volunteer organizations and mobilizes a fleet of welfare vehicles to transport spectators with disabilities.

Photo of Nagano 1998 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

April1999

Antipiracy Measures

Based on its surveys conducted in 1999 on damage from piracy, the Foundation becomes clearly aware of the need for countermeasures and proposes a coordinated effort throughout Asia. An Antipiracy Regional Conference, attended by representatives from coast guard agencies and maritime policymakers, is held in Tokyo in April 2000. This paves the way for the establishment of a new framework for international cooperation in maritime safety.

History

Global Support Begun for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals