History of the Maeda Ippoen Foundation
1957:
Shoji Maeda, the second director of the Maeda Ippoen Foundation, passed away. His wife, Mitsuko (1912–1983), became the foundation’s third director. Continuing her husband’s wishes to preserve the natural environment and establish a permanent tourism industry in the Akan region that improves the welfare of local residents, she endeavored to protect the land, promote tourism, and also to turn the foundation into a corporation. She provided land for the use of the native Ainu people, enabling them to live more independently, and helped many young students continue their education through the Maeda Scholarship Fund. She was affectionately known as “the mother of Akan” by the Ainu people.
1983:
On April 1st, the Maeda Ippoen Foundation became an incorporated foundation. Receiving financial support from Maeda Mitsuko, Eako, and Mineko, the business begins the preservation of the area’s natural environment. Mitsuko becomes the corporation’s first chief director.
Subsequently, the Maeda Ippoen Foundation established forest operation policies, including a ban on clear-cutting forests, protecting trees that contain nesting wildlife, and conserving waterside ecosystems. With the principle of harnessing the power of nature rather than fighting against it, the foundation continues to restore this region to its original natural state.