Toyota holds ceremony commemorating first presentation of Study Assistance stipends in China

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced that it held a stipend presentation ceremony of the Toyota Study Assistance Fund*1 today at Ningxia University in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. The Toyota Study Assistance Fund was established jointly with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation*2 in March of this year to provide assistance to students in mid-western China who for financial reasons would otherwise have difficulty entering university or advancing their tertiary education. The presentation ceremony was the fund's first.

In attendance at the ceremony were 10 first-year Ningxia University students selected to receive stipends, representatives of the 20 universities subject to the fund, representatives of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation and TMC Executive Vice President Yoshimi Inaba, among others.

In his address at the ceremony, Inaba stated: "The Toyota Study Assistance Fund was created to allow those who face financial hardship to devote their full energies to their studies with peace of mind. It is our passionate hope that the fund will expand its presence throughout Chinese society, provide hope to the youth who will be tomorrow's leaders, and continue to develop."

Toyota has long engaged in diverse social contribution activities in regions around the world with a focus on human resource development, environmental protection and traffic safety. In addition to the Toyota Study Assistance Fund, activities in the area of human resource development in China include the creation of the Technical Training Center of Toyota Jin Bei of China Automotive Industry in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, and the establishment of a research center in Beijing in collaboration with the Tsinghua University's School of Public Policy. With respect to environmental protection, Toyota engages in afforestation programs to combat desertification and has established the Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth in the traffic safety area, Toyota conducts Toyota Driver Communication hands-on safe-driving courses in cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.

Through these initiatives, Toyota seeks to be a good corporate citizen in China and plans to continue contributing to Chinese society.

*1 The Toyota Study Assistance Fund targets one university in each of 20 different provincial, municipal and autonomous regions in mid-western China. Stipends are made available for 10 first-year students a year per university and consist of a yearly amount of 5,000 Chinese yuan (approx. 75,000 yen) for four years. To select recipients, a selection committee of educators and experts on poverty issues reviews the economic situations of those sitting for university entrance exams who applied for a stipend. TMC plans to offer financial assistance to a total of 1,000 university students through the fund over a five-year period from 2006 to 2010 (200 students per year). The entire fund is valued at 20 million yuan (approx. 300 million yen).

*2 The Soong Ching Ling Foundation, one of China's oldest community service organizations, was established in May 1982 in memory of Soong Ching Ling, the late honorary president of the People's Republic of China. The Foundation, which engages in the promotion of a wide range of independent activities, including international exchange, exchange between Taiwan and China, education of the needy, the spread of scientific knowledge, children's culture and entertainment, sporting activities and assistance to underprivileged children, has significant domestic and international influence.