Chugai's 80th Anniversary Project: Contribution of Para-transit Vehicles

November 28, 2005 (Tokyo) - Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.("Chugai") [Main Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo. President: Osamu Nagayama] commenced the annual donation of "specially equipped para-transit vehicles" as a part of its 60th anniversary in 1985 to organizations working to provide social services to senior citizens throughout Japan. The total number of donated vehicles has reached 111.

As its 80th anniversary project, Chugai announced today its decision to expand the donation program to increase the number of such vehicles to 47 this time and donate one each for all prefectures at a time. Donation recipients have been selected under the guidance of the Japanese Council of Social Welfare and the Central Community Chest of Japan.

The arrival of graying society has brought ever-increasing number of senior citizens and the population of those needing nursing care has reached four million in 2005. Associated with these circumstances, the amended nursing-care insurance law enhances preventive nursing in terms of containing insurance payments. Meanwhile, there has been an increasing demand in senior citizens every year to receive the welfare services that may lead to preventive nursing in such facilities as the day service center, day care center and nursing homes while living at home. Therefore, securing a means of transportation between their home and these facilities is becoming more important in the eyes of enhancing welfare services at home.

The "para-transit vehicles" donated by Chugai commemorating its 80th anniversary come in a specially equipped edition. The vehicle is a van with a front seat capacity of three passengers (including the driver) and a rear seat capacity of three wheelchair passengers. Loading and unloading of wheelchair passengers are facilitated with ease by the lift. In addition, the vehicle has two fixed seats and two foldable seats for caregivers' use.

A launching ceremony was held on November 25 at Katsushima, Shinagawa, wishing these vehicles will help and get utilized for long at each of their destinations. The ceremony was attended by guest representatives including those from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Japanese Council of Social Welfare and the Central Community Chest of Japan, who kindly extended wishes for those vehicles' safety and success.