Supporting the "TOBITATE! Young Ambassador Program"

Sumitomo Corporation has decided to offer its support to the "TOBITATE! Young Ambassador Program" that provides assistance through public-private partnerships enabling students to study abroad.

Our company has allocated 70 million yen to this program for a seven-year period through 2020, and is providing support to cover the tuition fees and living expenses of students abroad. We anticipate that the students who have ventured overseas via this program will play active roles in future in both Japan and around the world as "global human resources."

Sumitomo Corporation has positioned "developing the next generation of human resources" as one of the pillars of its social contribution activities.

At the end of 2013, we joined in the TOMODACHI Initiative led by the US Embassy in Japan and the public-interest incorporated foundation The U.S.-Japan Council (Japan), and launched our own scholarship program to support exchange students; the scholarship's first recipients are scheduled to go to the US this summer.

In addition, the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship was created in 1996 for students in Asia, and scholarships have been awarded thus far to nearly 14,000 students from a total of 17 countries, including China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Approximately 1,000 students are expected to receive assistance in fiscal 2014.

Sumitomo Corporation will remain firm in its commitment to actively developing the next generation of human resources.