Action Plan under Recovery Assistance Project in 2013

Over the past two and a half years, PFJ has offered support to 447 businesses. Through a range of funds and programs, it has supported small business owners and entrepreneurs who were affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Its initiatives include establishing the Sanriku Tomodachi Fund for Economic Recovery to support people in the cities of Kesennuma, Rikuzentakata, Ofunato, and Minami Sanriku. It launched a program in September 2012 to offer more employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In November 2012, it set up the Minamisoma Tomodachi Fund for Economic Recovery in the city of Minamisoma, which was affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. And in February 2013, it started the Rikuchu Tomodachi Fund for Economic Recovery in the cities of Miyako and Kamaishi.
The UNIQLO Recovery Assistance Project, which was initiated under the Sanriku Tomodachi Fund for Economic Recovery, has participated in the following initiatives.

1

Assistance with disaster recovery and new business creation:
After the earthquake, UNIQLO supported the launch of new businesses that are responding to the needs of people in parts of Japan affected by the disaster. Under the UNIQLO Recovery Assistance Project, the company has already supported the launch of five unique new businesses, including a clothing shop and a day care service for the elderly. Each project has received up to 1.5 million yen in aid.

2

Employment aid for businesses affected by the disaster:
The company wants to help small companies affected by the disaster to hire the people they need to restart their businesses. We have already provided support to seven companies (and eight individuals) that are helping the affected areas to recover, including an established confectionary, a florist, a company that makes fisheries products, a building contractor and a printing firm. PFJ gives each employer 100,000 yen a month per employee for a total of 12 months.

3

Subsidized interest payment program for recovery assistance loans:
In cooperation with the Kesennuma Shinkin Bank, PFJ is offering loans with subsidized interest payments for two years, to promote access to financing for small business struggling to raise funds. Under the UNIQLO Recovery Assistance Project, PFJ has already offered 400 million yen to 52 companies.
PFJ has also held four business seminars and networking events, with more than 200 participants.

Episodes

Businesses receiving support via the UNIQLO Recovery Assistance Project span a diverse range of industries and are responding to the urgent needs of the disaster-affected region in a variety of ways.
For example, one entrepreneur launched an elderly care facility on Oshima Island, Kesennuma City, where many aged residents live alone due to the graying of society. It takes about 25 minutes by ferry to reach the island from Kesennuma commercial port, and the community there suffered extensive damage as a result of the earthquake. Almost no other elderly care facilities exist on the island, and this business provides elderly residents, who suffered due to the disaster, high quality services that bring security and peace of mind. Its existence is vital for the well-being of the community.
Additionally, there are cases of young people who worked outside of the affected region prior to the earthquake, taking advantage of the new business creation assistance program and returning to their hometowns to launch unique businesses. For example, leveraging experience gained working for an apparel company in Tokyo, one person started a clothing and miscellaneous goods boutique in Rikuzentakata City. Another launched a mobile food truck that sold fish-shaped pancakes filled with bean jam. Traditionally made in the shape of sea bream, this entrepreneur, wanting to provide the affected area with a cheerful topic for discussion, chose to make the pancakes in the shape of Pacific saury instead. The power of youth is necessary for the mid- to long-term revival of the affected areas, and this program is linked to supporting youth who are the driving force behind the recovery.

Future Plans

1

Support through the above three programs:
Through the three abovementioned programs, in 2014 we plan to continue to support the recovery efforts of affected small businesses, and aid in the launch of new businesses responding to the needs of the affected areas.

2

Continuous follow-up with businesses receiving support:
We will stay in close contact with the businesses that have received support. In addition to ascertaining the needs of the businesses and staying up to date with the constantly changing situation in the affected areas, we will continue to provide follow-up support, including non-financial support.

Determination

Through our activities to date we have provided support to many companies, which are in turn contributing to the recovery of the disaster-affected region through their businesses. However, many of these businesses are still facing numerous challenges as they work toward full-fledged development of their operations. Continuous support is required as a result. While ascertaining the needs of each business, PFJ will continue to back the strong recovery efforts of these businesses through a combination of financial and non-financial support.

Other

In February, the KUMIKI Project helped Tohoku residents build an assembly hall for people who were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. This initiative is a new project under the Sanriku Tomodachi Fund for Economic Recovery. Fourteen volunteers from Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. participated. Everyone enjoyed working together to complete the wooden assembly hall and it was built over in a single weekend. The residents thanked the UNIQLO volunteers for their support.