A Japanese businessman has collected litter strewn around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake during the weekend for over a year.
Mr. Ninomiya collecting litter around Hoan Kiem Lake every Sunday
Ninomiya is the director of the Japanese invested Ishigaki Rubber Vietnam plant located at Hanoi-Dai Tu Industrial Park. He has lived in Vietnam for four years.
Armed with a 50-cum litter stick and plastic bag, he wanders the area around the lake, trying to keep the public space clean.
Graduates and students also join him in this activity.
He’s typically modest about his efforts “The work is very useful and doesn’t require any money,” he says.
Every final Sunday of the month, more people join the clean-up collection, including around 10 Japanese and five Chinese people. The work takes them just 30 minutes, but each of them can collect a five-kilo rubbish bag.
“There’s too much litter to be collected, particularly after holidays,” said a volunteer.
Mr. Ninomiya denies being the founder of the group, claiming he heard about the work from his friend Mr. Takuchi from Japan’s Ashahi Densco Vietnam situated at Noi Bai Industrial Park.
According to him, all the Japanese who participate in the clean-up are investors or experts working in Hanoi. He expects that, this December, 50 people will join the clean-up attempt.
He also prints leaflets aiming to promote the environmental protection message.
He has also prepared tools for other volunteers to join in his activities.
Mr. Ninomiya (left) and young volunteers