Epson and JICA sign Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement

March 2022

Epson and JICA sign Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement
Connecting the world with trust and technology

AUCKLAND, 31 March 2022 – The JICA and Epson have signed a Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement aimed at assisting developing nations solve societal issues and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Signing ceremony

With its vision of “leading the world with trust,” JICA operates multiple projects aimed at achieving human security and high-quality development, and has networks and knowledge based on trust accumulated in developing nations.

Epson aims to provide people throughout the world with original technologies including in printing and projection. As it seeks to achieve its goal of “Co-creating sustainability and enriching communities to connect people, things, and information by leveraging our efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies,” Epson plans to undertake various initiatives in the environment, co-creation and DX to provide solutions that create connections worldwide.

Both JICA and Epson have connectivity at the heart of their respective visions. By combining JICA’s networks in developing nations with Epson’s printing and projection technologies, the two organisations will aim to accelerate solutions to issues in these nations and achieve collaboration and cooperation in the following areas.

(1) Demonstration activities aimed at achieving SDG
By leveraging Epson’s printing and projection technologies in developing nations supported by JICA, the two organisations will aim to 1. Improve the quality of education, 2. Improve the working environment, and 3. Reduce environmental burden.

(2) Promoting innovation to contribute to solving issues in education
By promoting ICT education innovation and introducing digital technologies to connect an increasingly decentralised society, they aim to solve issues caused by a lack of educators, teaching materials and education infrastructure, and by deficiencies in education services. The first project they will undertake will involve using small battery-operated projectors to effectively promote education, health, hygiene and the environment in regions off the electricity grid.

(3) Human Resource Development in Developing Nations
Epson will provide internship opportunities to long-term trainees accepted by JICA. The company’s employees will also provide ICT technical support to educational institutions in developing nations supported by JICA.

(4) Promoting understanding of the SDG
They will promote understanding of the SDG in Nagano, Japan, by holding joint JICA-Epson conferences and through exchanges between long-term JICA trainees and local society.

In 2020, Epson cooperated in the printing and binding of an original picture book on the SDG created by JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and donated it to children in Tonga. Starting with this activity, the two organisations began exchanges based around grassroots technology cooperation and information exchanges between JICA long-term trainees and Epson employees.

As a result of this comprehensive cooperation agreement, Epson and JICA hope to further expand their connections and accelerate and expand their support for developing nations.

Picture credit
The Epson JICA Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement signing ceremony

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