"AOYAMA no Mori (Nakado District)" Certified as Environmental Ministry's First "Nature Coexistence Site" in Apparel Industry (Restoration Type)

AOYAMA SHОJI CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture / President: Taizo Endo), more trees, and the town of Yusuhara, Kochi Prefecture, have had their "AOYAMA no Mori (Nakado District)" certified as a "Nature Coexistence Site" for fiscal year 2026, 1st round, promoted by the Ministry of the Environment. This certification, under the "Partnership Agreement on Forest Conservation," marks the first in the apparel industry for the restoration type, which focuses on activities to restore biodiversity.

In fiscal year 2022, our company entered into a "Partnership Agreement on Forest Conservation" with the forest conservation organization more trees and the town of Yusuhara, Kochi Prefecture, launching "AOYAMA no Mori" in the Nakado District of Yusuhara Town to promote diverse forest creation. To date, we have planted 3,276 saplings and are currently promoting biodiversity restoration through silvicultural management and ecological surveys. Furthermore, in fiscal year 2025, we plan to expand the forest to two locations and have begun planting activities in the clear-cut coniferous forest area of the Idaka District in the same town. This time, we applied for and received certification for our first site, "AOYAMA no Mori (Nakado District)," as a restoration type "Nature Coexistence Site" under the Law for Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. This is the first time a forest involved with a company in the apparel industry has received certification as a restoration type. Including maintenance and creation types, this is the third Nature Coexistence Site in the apparel industry nationwide.

Our company will continue to strengthen its sustainability initiatives, emphasizing SDGs, and strive to realize a sustainable society.

About AOYAMA SHОJI's Forest Conservation Activities

What is a Nature Coexistence Site?

A system where the government certifies areas where companies and other entities are working to conserve biodiversity, aiming for "Nature Positive" (halting and reversing biodiversity loss) and the international goal of "30by30" (effectively conserving at least 30% of land and sea as healthy ecosystems by 2030).

Maintenance Type: Activities to maintain biodiversity

Restoration Type: Activities to restore biodiversity

Creation Type: Activities to create biodiversity

A certificate awarding ceremony will be held at the Yusuhara Town Hall, Kochi Prefecture, to commemorate this certification.

Certificate Awarding Ceremony Overview

Date and Time: August 19, 2026 (Wed) 13:00~

Location: Yusuhara Town Hall (1444-1 Yusuhara, Yusuhara Town, Takaoka District, Kochi Prefecture)

<Attendees>

Mr. Tomoyuki Fukui, Director, Shikoku Regional Office, Chugoku Shikoku Regional Environmental Office, Ministry of the Environment

Mr. Motofumi Takahashi, Mayor, Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture

Mr. Shinkichi Mizutani, Secretary-General, more trees

Mr. Makoto Ogawa, Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, AOYAMA SHОJI CO., LTD.

<Reference Materials>

Joining the "30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity"

Our company joined the "30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity," promoted by the Ministry of the Environment, in October 2025. This alliance was launched in 2022 by 17 organizations, including the Ministry of the Environment, from industry, academia, and government to promote initiatives for achieving the international 30by30 goal on an all-Japan basis. Alliance participants are working to secure direct conservation areas or support conservation activities to achieve the goal. Through "AOYAMA no Mori," we will further promote business activities that consider biodiversity, and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through internal awareness-raising and collaboration with local communities.

Reference URL: "30by30 Alliance" from the Ministry of the Environment website

https://policies.env.go.jp/nature/biodiversity/30by30alliance/index.html#alliance

Implementation of "Open Company" Utilizing the Forest Space "AOYAMA no Mori"

In collaboration with the forest conservation organization more trees, our company has been holding "SDGs Open Company" at "AOYAMA no Mori" since fiscal year 2024, aimed at supporting career development for students. We invite students to Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture, where they participate in orientations and group work on the current state of forests and environmental issues facing the apparel industry. Through experiences such as planting saplings at "AOYAMA no Mori," students learn about the mechanisms and importance of environmental conservation, and are provided with opportunities to consider their own social contributions and future careers.

Orientation/Lectures Tree planting experience for all participants

Woodworking experience utilizing thinned wood Group work based on learning and practice

About more trees

more trees is a forest conservation organization founded in 2007 by musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and over 100 supporters to take action against the critical situation of deforestation and global warming. Currently headed by architect Kengo Kuma, the organization engages in various initiatives with the keyword "connecting cities and forests" to aim for a "society where forests and people can live together forever." These include developing "more trees forests" in collaboration with local communities, planning and developing products and services using domestic timber, and disseminating information and attractions about forests through seminars and events.

(HP: https://www.more-trees.org/)

About Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture

Yusuhara Town, located in the northwestern part of Kochi Prefecture, is about 90% covered by forests. Aiming for coexistence with nature, the town has been certified as an "Environmental Model City" and is engaged in advanced environmental initiatives. In particular, it promotes decarbonization of the region through the introduction of natural energy sources such as wind, small hydropower, and solar power, and through sustainable forest management with FSC certification. Furthermore, beautiful architectural complexes designed by architect Kengo Kuma, utilizing the abundant timber, are scattered throughout the town, attracting attention both domestically and internationally as an attractive town that fuses environmental consideration with world-class architecture.

(HP: https://www.town.yusuhara.lg.jp/)

Resource Recycling Initiative "WEAR SHiFT"

"WEAR SHiFT" is an initiative that evolved from our trade-in service (used clothing collection), which began in 1998, aiming to reduce environmental impact by creating a system where clothing can be recycled. In partnership with FiberCycleDM Co., Ltd., a leading textile recycling company in Japan, we have established a resource recycling scheme that sorts collected clothing at stores for reuse and recycling. Items that can be reused are distributed as used clothing overseas, and through recycling, they are reborn as new products such as disaster prevention blankets (recycled blankets for disaster relief), suits, and coats, or used as insulation for cars and cushioning materials for cargo. This project also supports local governments' disaster preparedness through the donation of regenerated disaster prevention blankets and contributes to forest conservation through donations to more trees.

Recycling Box

This box is installed at our stores nationwide, providing customers with an easy way to participate in environmental activities by directly depositing unwanted clothing.

Material: 100% waste fiber (Lifmo Board*)

*A material formed by heating and pressurizing fiber waste. Its intertwined structure makes it resistant to cracking and less likely to scatter fragments. Made from used clothing and fabric scraps, it is attracting attention as an environmentally friendly material.

◎ What is WEAR SHiFT, creating clothes that last forever?

"Aoyama" YouTube Official Channel

https://youtu.be/yBbE45gxeOM

This initiative received the "Minister of the Environment Award, Excellence Award" at the 12th Good Life Award hosted by the Ministry of the Environment.

<About the Good Life Award>

A project that solicits, recognizes, and supports activities and initiatives from companies, schools, NPOs, local governments, community groups, and individuals that realize "a good life for the environment and society."