Profile #3 Yoshida Ayami (Friends of the Earth Japan)-October 1994

Yoshida Ayami, a staff member of the Friends of the Earth Japan office, plays a crucial role in supporting environmental protection activities. Since 1992, she has been active in the office located in Naka-Meguro, Meguro Ward, where office equipment and supplies are largely donated, allowing the organization to carry out its initiatives addressing environmental issues.

Friends of the Earth International was established in the United States in 1969 and now has a network in 52 countries worldwide. This organization is characterized by being a policy advocacy-type environmental protection group, with each national group operating independently. Friends of the Earth Japan was established in 1979, and during the 1980s, it undertook campaigns related to whaling, nuclear issues, tropical rainforest protection, and the improvement of development aid.

Yoshida and her colleagues at Friends of the Earth Japan focus on providing advice on Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) and raising awareness about wetland protection. In 1990, they achieved the suspension of Japanese government funding for the Sardar Sarovar Dam construction on the Narmada River in India. In 1993, they effectively highlighted the presence of NGOs at the Ramsar Convention Conference on Wetland Protection held in Kushiro.

Additionally, the organization conducts eco-tours, day hikes, and charity concerts to increase public awareness of environmental protection issues. Many young people interested in environmental issues participate in these events, contributing to the spread of environmental protection activities.

Furthermore, Friends of the Earth International adheres to strict guidelines, refusing donations from companies or organizations involved in environmental destruction. Under this policy, Friends of the Earth Japan accepts donations from only one company, Hotta International Co., Ltd., which contributes a portion of the sales of its "Friends of the Earth" wristwatches.

Yoshida and the staff of Friends of the Earth Japan will continue to promote environmental protection activities both in Japan and abroad, striving to realize a sustainable society.