Intention of establishing the Foundation

My father, Teruo Kondo, established Kondo Carbon Kogyosho in the Nishiyodogawa district of Osaka City in 1941. I joined the company in 1946 and then was appointed President at the same time the company name was changed to Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd. in November 1949, some 48 years ago. After being appointed President, I devoted myself completely to developing Toyo Tanso into the general manufacturer of carbon products it is today, with top level technical capabilities in Japan. As the 50th anniversary of my appointment as President approaches, looking back on my youth, I feel that it is extremely regrettable when students with excellent academic achievements and good character have to abandon their education with their ambitions unachieved due to economic or other reasons. My birthplace of Kagawa Prefecture is still home to all three of Toyo Tanso’s factories. To honor this strong connection, we were searching for a way to give back to the prefecture and its people for all the benefits we have long received from them. To show our appreciation, we have established the Kondo Scholarship Foundation* to give scholarships to students that are facing difficulties in their studies due to economic reasons. These scholarships will support their studies, as well as contribute to the promotion of education and development of human resources in Kagawa Prefecture.