Background of the Establishment of the Foundation
The York-Benimaru Foundation was established in memory of Yoshio Ohtaka, founder of York-Benimaru Co., Ltd., who passed away on September 23,1980. Throughout his life, Mr. Ohtaka believed that all business ventures should ultimately contribute to the greater good, and that the nurturing of human resources is the key to the progress of both commerce and society. To achieve that goal, he began sending employees abroad annually in the 1950's to foster in them a global perspective. His heirs established the foundation so that his vision for a generation of truly cosmopolitan Japanese could be realized.
The Foundation's Programs
Since 1985, as its main program, the foundation has sent high school students from Fukushima prefecture on 32nd International Exchange Programs, with a total of 813 participants (740 students and 73 teachers). In addition, the foundation began the International Exchange Program for Manitoba Youths in 1989, and has invited a total of 221 participants (190 high school ･ college students, and 31 chaperones) from the Manitoba 4-H Club on 15 programs, which take place every other year.
Sponsoring Organization
The Foundation is supported by York-Benimaru Co., Ltd., which has more than seventy years of experience in the Tohoku region of Japan, and operated 244 supermarkets as of March 2023, in Fukushima, Miyagi, Yamagata, Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures.
List of Exectives
Trustees of the Foundation
| Chairman Zenko Ohtaka (Honorary Chairman, York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.) |
Trustee Aiichiro Ohtaka (DAISO INDUSTRIES Co., Ltd.) |
| Vice-Chairman Yoshito Suzuki (Chairman, Fukushima Prefecture Association of Senior High School Principals) |
Trustee Yoko Takahashi (Representative, Aoimadonokai) |
| Vice-Chairman Katsutoshi Sato (President, SB Shokai Co., Ltd.) |
Trustee Kyoko Nagasima (Fukushima Multi-language Forum) |
| Trustee Ryo Mori (Chairman, Fukushima Prefecture Association of Private Secondary Schools) |
Trustee Yukio Mafune (Exective Chairman, York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.) |
| Trustee Shintaro Kikuchi (Principal, Kikuchi Clinic) |
Trustee Takashi Misawa (Auditor, York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.) |
Councilors of the Foundation
| Councilor Kiyonori Ito (President, Mutsu TEC Consultant Co., Ltd.) |
Councilor Kyoko Washiya (2hours) |
| Councilor Takenori Imaizumi (Vice-President, Imaizumi Gakuen Educational Corporation) |
Councilor Kazuhito Kikuchi (Adviser, York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.) |
| Councilor Ami Abe (Lawyer, KREIS Law Office) |
Councilor Toshiaki Nakano (York-Benimaru Co, Ltd.) |
Auditors of the Foundaion
| Auditor Katsunori Hashimoto (President, Hashimoto-Katsunori Certified Tax Accountant Office) |
Auditor Takashi Saito (Adviser, York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.) |
Links
・York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.
・Manitoba Agriculture
・4-H in Manitoba
・A.C.E.
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