Soraiku (literally, "sky education") is an environmental education program that JAL launched in September 2007. Under the program, JAL Group captains visit mainly elementary schools, and tell children about the state of the Earth as seen from the sky. They also speak about their own environmental preservation efforts, as well as those of other members of the JAL Group. The classes, originally conducted only in Japan, have been expanded overseas in response to a request from China, which is working to introduce its own environmental initiatives.
Requests for the Soraiku classes are increasing from all around Japan. It is a rare opportunity to hear about environmental changes from pilots, who witness these climatic and environmental changes with their own eyes, and the curriculum content is also very popular. In fiscal 2008, the classes were held in Japan 37 times, and in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Qingdao, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong a total of 9 times. In Japan, 8,618 children participated, and in China, 1,415, for a total of 10,033 participants.
We plan to expand these activities worldwide, particularly in developing countries, where it is especially necessary to raise awareness regarding environmental concerns.