Participating in the SMILE TOHOKU PROJECT
Nikon is a sponsor of the SMILE TOHOKU PROJECT, an undertaking presided over by three newspaper publishers in the three prefectures of Tohoku, the northeastern region of Japan blighted by the March 2011 disaster. For the third year running, the project is encouraging the people of Tohoku to share their smiles with the rest of Japan.
Photo makes Smile. — Linking people through photos —
One project under the SMILE TOHOKU PROJECT is known as "Photo makes Smile." In 2012, the project set out to link Tohoku with other parts of Japan through photos and messages that express the vitality of the northeast. Other areas of Japan were asked to contribute photos and messages of encouragement. These photos and messages have been shown at an exhibition and are also on the SMILE TOHOKU PROJECT website. With Tohoku attracting less and less media attention, the project will be expanded in 2013 to show the current situation in Japan's northeast using the power of words and photography.
Live from TOHOKU - The current situation in stricken TOHOKU through students' eyes -
Nikon launched a new project on April 2013 called "Live from TOHOKU - The current situation in stricken TOHOKU through students' eyes -" that involves sending junior high school students from other parts of Japan to the Tohoku northeastern region to report on what they see using both words and photography. The project has the backing of Kyodo, a major Japanese news agency, and regional newspaper companies throughout Japan.
With Tohoku attracting less and less media attention, the aim of this project is to show what is really going on and to keep Tohoku in the news.
Smile Photo Relay!
The project linking Tohoku with other parts of Japan through photos and messages has been renamed "Smile Photo Relay!" It continues to collect photos and messages at events and through the Internet.