Issues Concerning Global Sustainability Current Issues Affecting Global Sustainability A healthy global ecosystem and ecosystem services are essential

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1 Global Sustainability The global environment, the basis of life, is under threat. The Ajinomoto Group is committed to solving problems related to global sustainability through its business activities. Rising temperatures and major changes in climates are severely affecting the harvest of agricultural crops. In response, the Ajinomoto Group is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the entire lifecycle of its products. As biodiversity is being lost and ecosystem services decline, the Ajinomoto Group is creating a business model designed to protect ecosystems and utilize living resources sustainably. Resource recycling is essential to ensure that life continues on Earth. With the view that natural resources are nature's gifts, the Ajinomoto Group maximizes the resources it uses across the entire supply chain. 19

2 Issues Concerning Global Sustainability Current Issues Affecting Global Sustainability A healthy global ecosystem and ecosystem services are essential for our future. However, the sustainability of the global environment is currently under threat. Climate change is a case in point. Atmospheric temperatures are rising due to increasing CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases, and atmospheric circulation over the entire planet is shifting. These factors are affecting the climate, bringing about abnormal weather patterns and other phenomena. They, in turn, affect the lives of plants and animals, the livelihoods of people, and the growth of crops. Nature's gifts, beginning with its living resources, are the outgrowth of biodiversity, a vital process that encompasses all life on Earth. Yet, the myriad connections of biodiversity are being disrupted by human activities, such as over-fishing and environmental pollution. Facts about climate change Global mean surface temperatures increased 0.74 from 1906 to 2005, and are projected to increase between 1.8 and 4.0 between 2000 to The frequency of extreme temperatures, heat waves, and heavy rains is increasing. Land and marine environments are changing dramatically, raising the risk of extinction of plant and animal species. Grain production will fall in low-latitude regions if temperatures rise between 1 and 2. Contributing to a Low-Carbon Society Water is essential for sustaining life. While vast oceans cover the earth with seawater, fresh water sources are meager by comparison. In fact, the amount of fresh water directly accessible to humankind is no more than 0.01% of all the planet's water. As the population grows, so will demand for fresh water, raising the highly probable scenario of increasingly severe water shortages in the future. 20

3 Facts about biodiversity The expansion of human activities is shrinking plant and animal habitats and causing sudden changes in their environment. About 12% of birds, 25% of mammals, and 32% of amphibians are expected to become extinct in the next century. More than 60% of the earth's ecosystem services is expected to degrade, encompassing the purification of water essential for people's livelihoods and the regulation of air quality. Conserving Ecosystems and Biodiversity Facts about water resources Only 0.01% of the earth's total amount of water is available to humankind as fresh water. About 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water resources required for their livelihoods. The global demand for water is predicted to increase 40% above the current accessible and reliable supply by About 70% of the world's water supply is used for agricultural irrigation. Almost 80% of all marine pollution originates from agriculture and inland development. Contributing to the Recycling of Resources 21

4 Contributing to a Low-Carbon Society Approach and Initiatives toward a Low-Carbon Society Extensive climate change caused by global warming is a problem that affects the sustainability of the entire planet, and as such, directly affects the future of the Ajinomoto Group. Accordingly, initiatives are being carried out to reduce greenhouse gases generated not only by production processes, but also throughout all group operations and entire product lifecycles. Specifically, the group intends to search for new applications of amino acids and other materials, and develop and provide products that emit less greenhouse gas emissions over their lifecycle toward realizing a low-carbon society. The Ajinomoto Group has achieved steady progress in reducing CO2 emissions across its operations through initiatives based on the Ajinomoto Group Zero Emissions Plan. Going forward, efforts will focus on developing technologies that can further reduce the amount of raw materials and energy being used in the fermentation of amino acids, the group's primary production process, and increase production efficiency that enable the same quantity of products to be made from less raw materials. Furthermore, the group is working to reduce energy usage by developing technologies that decrease the amount of sub raw materials needed to extract amino acids and other substances in the fermentation process. Progress is also being made in transitioning to renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on oil. While petroleum accounted for 36% of the total amount of energy used by the group in fiscal 2004, the proportion was lowered to 11% by fiscal The proportion of biomass fuel increased to 5% of energy used in fiscal 2010, owing to the start-up of biomass boilers at the Kamphaeng Phet Factory of Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd. The group intends to utilize unused biomass that does not compete with food resources for the energy needed to manufacture its products. To broaden initiatives for using biomass energy group-wide, the company is examining regions with abundant plant resources including Southeast Asia, South America, and Europe. Click here for more details: Zero emission goals and fiscal 2010 results Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Improving Amino Acid Fermentation Production Processes Compared to food production that directly processes agricultural produce, the Ajinomoto Group uses large amounts of water and energy to produce and purify amino acids in the fermentation of agricultural produce such as sugarcane, a primary raw material. In fact, about 70% of the group's total amount of CO2 emissions originates from fermentation-related operations. In response, the Ajinomoto Group is committed to reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impact by applying lower resource fermentation technology in amino acid fermentation production processes, and transitioning to biomass energy using carbon neutral energy sources. Initiative 1: Applying lower resource fermentation technology Over many years, the Ajinomoto Group has been recycling resources in the production of amino acids. Going forward, the group aims to use resources more efficiently, introduce lower resource fermentation technology that reduces environmental impact and the amount of edible food resources required, and further develop fermentation processes. Specifically, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is entering the partial industrialization test stage for four new technologies that drive fermentation production with fewer resources. The first technology improves fermentation efficiency as a means to drastically reduce the usage of raw materials. The second is designed to reduce the amount of sub raw materials used as well as the amount of wastewater and byproducts generated in the product purification process. 22

5 The third technology is applied to independently produce raw materials for fermentation, including sugarcane juice and tapioca starch, and use biomass generated from the process as a fuel source. Production plants that make the umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO are now preparing to employ this technology in their operations. The fourth new technology has been developed to reduce food resource usage by using the cellulose of inedible parts of plants as the main raw material for fermentation. Edible food resources such as sugarcane and corn are used in the amino acid fermentation process. Demand for these materials is increasing, however, owing to population growth, economic expansion in emerging countries, and their usage as energy crops. Consequently, prices are increasing considerably and supply is unstable. The application of these four new technologies will enable the Ajinomoto Group to make significant contributions in saving resources; decrease environmental impact in various ways, such as by cutting CO2 emissions and water discharge; and limit the use of food resources in an effort to use them more effectively. Initiative 2: Introduction of biomass boilers In December 2008, a major amino acid production plant of the Ajinomoto Group, the Kamphaeng Phet Factory of Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., replaced its heavy-oil boilers with biomass boilers that burn rice husks obtained from rice harvested in the local area. The supply of rice husks is stable throughout the year since rice is harvested three times annually in Thailand. A previously unused agricultural resource, rice husks are a carbon-neutral 1 fuel. With the installation of the biomass boilers, the factory has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by about 100,000 tonnes per year. A biomass boiler and huge silo in which about one month's supply of rice husks (10,000 tonnes) can be stored The Ajinomoto Group applied to register this initiative as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) 2 with the Japanese and Thai governments in 2009 the first time for the group to apply. Approval was granted by both countries, and as a next step, the group is preparing an application to the United Nations for registration as a CDM project. 1. The concept of carbon neutral poses that incinerating plants have no impact on atmospheric CO2 emissions, as the CO2 absorbed by photosynthesis in their growth period offsets the CO2 emissions from incineration. 2. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the mechanisms set forth in the Kyoto Protocol. It enables projects that reduce emissions in developing countries to be funded by entities in industrialized countries in return for credits for any emissions reductions that result. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through the Ajinomoto Group Products While greenhouse gases are emitted in business activities of the Ajinomoto Group, products that reduce such emissions through their use are also being developed. Progress is being made in determining the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by products over their entire lifecycle, including usage. Furthermore, the group is working to promote the use of products such as feed-use amino acids, as well as technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Initiative 3: Research on the group's carbon footprint The carbon footprint 1 of a product is an indicator for quantitatively measuring its environmental friendliness by quantifying how much greenhouse gases have been emitted over its entire lifecycle. Currently, the ISO international standard for the carbon footprints of products is now being developed for release in From an early stage, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has been conducting basic carbon footprint research, regarding it as a potentially useful indicator for realizing a A product labeled with carbon footprint information exhibited at Eco Products

6 low-carbon society. Using internationally accepted calculations, the carbon footprint of the group's global products made with amino acids and other fermented materials is being determined, and disclosure of their contribution to environmental conservation has commenced. Beginning with carbon footprint calculations of feed-use amino acid products, in fiscal 2010 the company registered the data with the Carbon Footprint Pilot Program, an initiative of Japan's Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry, and gained certification under Product Category Rules 2. In fiscal 2011, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is broadening the scope of its products subject to Product Category Rules and carbon footprint certification to include all major products made with fermentation materials. In the future, the company intends to provide information on how it is contributing to the environment over the entire life-cycle of fermentation materials. 1. Carbon footprint represents the accumulated greenhouse gas emissions of a product calculated at the time of its release, and based on a lifecycle assessment from production through disposal. 2. Product Category Rules are used for calculating and labeling the carbon footprint of products and services, as determined by Japan's Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry. Initiative 4: Environmental contribution of feed-use amino acids recognized by Japanese carbon credit systems As the Ajinomoto Group expands its feed-use amino acids business globally, it is working to reduce CO2 emissions from production processes. Moreover, the group is jointly conducting feed-use amino acids research on greenhouse gas reduction with certain Japanese research institutes. Results suggest that the products' usage can reduce nitrogen oxide (N2O) emissions, a major greenhouse gas derived from the livestock industry. Based on the results, a project that effectively reduces greenhouse gases through the use of low-protein feed fortified with feed-use amino acids was certified under the Japan Verified Emission Reduction (J-VER) 1 carbon offset credit scheme and the Domestic Credit System 2 in fiscal Under both of these systems, when pig farmers participating in the project reduce greenhouse gases, they can receive credits in proportion to the amount of CO2 emissions reductions, and then earn revenue by selling them. The environmental advantages of feed-use amino acids have now been officially recognized in Japan with these certifications. The Ajinomoto Group regards this as a major breakthrough and significant result. It intends to help fight global warming by further promoting the value of this proven technology worldwide. 1. Japan Verified Emission Reduction (J-VER) is the carbon offset credit scheme of the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. It officially certifies the greenhouse gas reductions achieved by businesses, which can then trade the credits and earn a return. 2. The Domestic Credit System is overseen in Japan by the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The system promotes collaborative efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating the transfer of funds, technologies and expertise from large companies. The verified amounts of emission reductions can then be sold as credits. 24

7 Reducing N2O, a greenhouse gas produced by livestock Nitrogen compounds contained in livestock excrement become oxidized in the soil and air, and are then released into the atmosphere as nitrogen oxide (N2O). N2O has a greenhouse effect about 300 times higher than that of CO2, and its emission volume is the third highest in Japan, after CO2 and methane. Nevertheless, research has demonstrated that when well-balanced, low-protein animal feeds fortified with feed-use amino acids are used, the amount of nitrogen compounds in pig and chicken excrement can be reduced by between 20 and 30% compared to commonly used livestock feed. Accordingly, the same rate of N2O generated from ensuing farming operations can also be reduced. Given these results, feed-use amino acids can contribute in the fight to reduce global warming. Click here for more information on how the Ajinomoto Group applies feed-use amino acids for effective land use 25

8 Conserving Ecosystems and Biodiversity Protecting Ecosystems and Biodiversity Strategic Response to the Changing Business Environment with the Aichi Target At the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP 10) held in Nagoya in October 2010, participants adopted the so-called "Aichi target," which calls on the international community to take effective and urgent action to ensure that ecosystems are resilient by 2020, with a view to realize a world in which humankind co-exists harmoniously with nature by The logo for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity This was followed by the declaration of the "United Nations Decade on Biodiversity," starting from Numerous discussions will be necessary to formulate concrete policies going forward; however, new business frameworks and social systems needed to sustain life and people's livelihoods are beginning to take shape. The Ajinomoto Group uses a variety of living resources from around the world with the concept of "working for life." Accordingly, from early on the group began developing a business model to enable it to use living resources in a sustainable manner. This has led to expectations for the Ajinomoto Group to firmly ground its business in the communities where it operates as it develops globally. Having adopted this important role, the group is pursuing new business opportunities in the new environmental era. Toward this end, in the Ajinomoto Group's Medium-Term Environmental Conservation Plan, the group has positioned the protection of biodiversity and sustainable usage of ecosystem services as important policies designed to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society through business activities. On this basis, the Ajinomoto Group is undertaking strategic management of business risks and opportunities. Initiative 1: Employing the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review to formulate a business plan Among the ecosystem services relevant to the Ajinomoto Group, living resources used as raw materials in its main products are particularly important. Consequently, for the group to continue stable operations and develop business, it is necessary to effectively incorporate plans to secure ecosystem services in business strategies. The process involves determining ecosystem services that require strategic initiatives, relevant businesses and other activities that are being implemented, and projections to where they are leading. Toward this end, the Ajinomoto Group began carrying out management of business risks and opportunities related to strategic raw materials vital to its operations from fiscal 2010, on the basis of the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review 1 management methodology. A workshop on formulating strategies Fiscal 2010 began with an exhaustive examination of issues related to living resources and ecosystem services spanning all of the group's main business domains. From this examination, living resources and business fields to be given priority in management were determined. At present, the group is proceeding with a number of specific initiatives for each of these vital and strategic raw materials from the standpoint of ensuring stable supplies. A business plan was formulated by employing the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review methodology to examine and analyze the relationship between the group's business activities and biodiversity, and set priority measures accordingly. These tasks were not only handled by the group's environmental departments, but also included collaborative efforts with relevant internal departments managing operations, research and development, procurement, and other areas, along with external experts such as specialists, researchers, and members of NPOs. The Ajinomoto Group participated in the 6th Science Committee meeting of the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, held in Tonga in August

9 The business plan was completed after considerable time was devoted to onsite meetings and strategy planning workshops to ensure that the participants shared all relevant facts and reached consensus. The plan lays out specific business activities, their sustainability and relation to ecosystem services. In accordance to the plan, departments mainly involved in operations, R&D, and procurement are currently implementing concrete policies, including necessary measures for protecting biodiversity, which form the basis of sustainable businesses of the Ajinomoto Group. Labeling and returning skipjack to the ocean for research purposes The Ajinomoto Group is focusing on research activities in areas related to the supply of marine and forestry resources, in recognition of the vital importance that procurement of these resources has on both the ecosystem and its business. For marine resources, the group contributes to resource management of skipjack, a raw material used in its main products, and works to conserve the ecosystem in areas where it cultivates and processes shrimp. For forest ecosystems, the group is studying the creation of a framework for procuring paper and palm oil that preserves the ecosystem. With regard to land usage, the Ajinomoto Group has commenced research activities aimed at ensuring that its business sites develop in tandem with local communities and the ecosystem. 1. The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review is advocated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the World Resources Institute, and other organizations. Initiative 2: Innovating wave-dissipating blocks with environmentally active concrete Amino acids are an essential component of life, and their functions are applied over a wide range of products such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and animal feed. With its extensive expertise on amino acids, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. saw a potential application toward revitalizing aquatic environments where biodiversity is threatened. As a starting point to test the hypothesis, research commenced in which amino acids were mixed in concrete to produce "environmentally active concrete" that could stimulate algae growth underwater. From 2009, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has been developing the concrete in collaboration with Nikken Kogaku Co., Ltd., a company renowned for wave-dissipating blocks, and the University of Tokushima's Institute of Technology and Science, which is headed by Professor Yasunori Kozuki. Experiments in rivers observed ayu gathering around the concrete Environmentally active concrete is made by mixing concrete with amino acids, which are slowly released when placed underwater. Experiments conducted thus far have demonstrated that arginine is the most compatible kind of amino acid for mixing with concrete, and that microalgae grows on or around this concrete at a rate of 5 10 times that of ordinary concrete. The research also found that the concrete attracted ayu (a Japanese river trout), abalone and sea cucumbers in seawater. Experiments are being carried out at approximately 20 ocean and river locations in cooperation with local communities and fisheries cooperatives. A wave-dissipating block containing amino acids Looking to broaden the applications of the environmentally active concrete, the company is consigning outside experts to test its durability as a construction material and determine how and at what speed the amino acids are released. Recognizing that environmentally active concrete may be compatible for disaster prevention functions and the revival of aquatic ecosystems, the Ajinomoto Group aims to establish applications of this innovative product worldwide. 27

10 Formulating CSR Procurement Guidelines The Great East Japan Earthquake caused damage to suppliers located in the country's northeastern Tohoku region, disrupting supply chains and, consequently, severely affecting the business of many companies. Up until then, supply chain management in the Japanese food industry placed a premium on guaranteeing food safety and dependability. To ensure business continuity, however, people newly recognized that it is also essential to consider other kinds of risks. The international community has witnessed the logging of tropical rain forests, a major cause of global warming, and is also exposed to risks related to labor and human rights issues such as child labor. Accordingly, customers of Ajinomoto Co., Inc. such as large food manufacturing companies in Europe and North America have been stepping up demands on the company and other suppliers regarding matters of corporate social responsibility. In response, the company is stressing the importance of improvements and initiatives to address environmental issues including ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, and social issues such as human rights across the entire supply chain. The group's approach to procurement is laid out in the Ajinomoto Group Basic Purchasing Policy. CSR procurement guidelines are being formulated to clarify standards to be observed and put into practice by suppliers. The group is meeting with suppliers to discuss the guidelines in fiscal 2011, and is working toward putting them into effect beginning from fiscal Click here for more details: The Ajinomoto Group Basic Purchasing Policy 28

11 Contributing to the Recycling of Resources Recycling Resources and Relevant Initiatives Food, water, and energy are indispensable for life on Earth. To ensure that life continues, it is essential to use these precious resources efficiently, actively pursue identifying alternatives, and recycle whenever possible. The Ajinomoto Group is striving to more efficiently use raw materials, sub raw materials, and other resources. In this way, the group will work towards using natural resources in a sustainable manner by developing a resource recycling-oriented business. Click here for more details: Initiatives and progress toward zero emissions Container and Packaging Recycling Ajinomoto Co., Inc. formulated its Containers and Packaging 3R Promotion Plan in April 2007, with the goal to reduce, reuse, and recycle packaging waste in accordance with Japan's Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging. To help ensure that the goals of the plan are achieved, the Containers and Packaging 3R Promotion Committee holds meetings twice every fiscal year, where representatives of divisions related to packaging regularly check interim results, the plan's progress and share information. Initiative 1: Package labeling to show environmentally friendly products and services The Ajinomoto Group created the "Aji na Eco" mark 1 to effectively display its eco-friendly products and services among consumers. The mark appeared on product packaging from the autumn of 2010, and has been extended to other items the group has developed to be more ecological, such as refill containers and packaging that uses recycle paper or does not include food trays inside. The mark is also displayed on new shipping boxes for the Pure Select series of mayonnaise products introduced in fiscal Featuring a design that eliminates internal compartments, the new boxes will annually reduce both the amount of cardboard used and the equivalent amount of CO2 emissions by approximately 30% compared to previous shipping boxes. Additionally, the "Aji na Eco" mark is printed on the Ajinomoto Group's new gift boxes made of recyclable cardboard and free of coating agents. Whether products, services, packaging or shipping boxes, the mark informs customers and users of their environmentally conscious design and materials. The Ajinomoto Group plans to put forward more measures to develop environmentally friendly product packaging and labeling in the future. 1. The "Aji na Eco" mark is used to clearly label the group's products and services that meet standards for environmentally friendliness. It is a registered trademark of Ajinomoto Co., Inc. 29

12 Initiative 2: Reducing the number of food trays included inside frozen food packages The number of food trays included inside packages of frozen food products sold by Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc. (FFA) is approximately 185 million per year, and possibly more than 1.5 billion 1 trays are used by the Japanese frozen food industry as a whole. To reduce this number, FFA began selling its large packages of Wakadori Karaage fried chicken without trays from 1997, in contrast to the ongoing standard practice of including them inside frozen fried chicken packages. Customers have demonstrated their appreciation by making this product the top seller among frozen fried chicken products for 10 consecutive years. FFA reduced the number of trays it would have used by about 37 million per year after selling the product without trays. From autumn 2010, the product was labeled with the "Aji na Eco" mark to more effectively communicate this initiative to customers. 1. The estimated numbers of trays used applies to retail products sold in fiscal Initiatives to Use Recycled Water Recognizing the scarcity of fresh water resources as a global issue, the Ajinomoto Group is working to reduce water usage and the amount discharged in accordance with the Ajinomoto Group Zero Emissions Plan. Further reductions by promoting lower in-house water usage and expanding research on supply chain water utilization will be pursued. Click here for more details: Zero emission goals and fiscal 2010 results Initiative 3: Reducing water usage and employing advanced wastewater treatment facilities Large quantities of water are required in the fermentation process for producing amino acids, the core component of the group's business. Accordingly, the group generally selects sites for its amino acid fermentation plants near abundant water sources. Nevertheless, the Ajinomoto Group considers the conservation of water to be a crucial issue in its future vision. Therefore, as priority tasks, efforts are being made to reduce water usage as much as possible and to purify the water before its discharge into the natural environment. BDN and coagulating sedimentation equipment installed at Ajinomoto Vietnam Co., Ltd. The Ajinomoto Group discharged approximately 200 million tonnes of water in fiscal 2002, but reduced this amount to less than 100 million tonnes by fiscal In the same period, the volume of discharged water per tonne of products produced was reduced by 77%, from 160 tonnes to 38 tonnes, through the reuse of cooling water and other initiatives. The group has also set targets to reduce the levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nitrogen in discharged water; 20 out of 39 designated production plants achieved target levels in fiscal Plants that fell short of reaching them will continue to pursue targets laid out in the new Ajinomoto Group Zero Emissions Plan commencing in fiscal To further reduce BOD and nitrogen levels, the group recognizes that it will be necessary to implement measures that target water sources and promote bio-cycles, as well as to introduce sophisticated wastewater treatment facilities such as biological denitrification (BDN) equipment. Accordingly, the Ajinomoto Group is proceeding to install advanced wastewater treatment equipment at its main production plants around the world. For example, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is upgrading wastewater treatment facilities at its Kawasaki Plant, a main production plant in Japan, with the plan to implement the latest wastewater treatment technologies in

13 Developing Technologies to Manufacture Materials Using Biomass The Ajinomoto Group is applying advanced fermentation technologies in exploring production methods to manufacture new biomaterials as alternatives to materials derived from natural resources. Successfully circumventing the use of oil resources and other precious natural resources will enable the group to contribute to the creation of a sustainable recycling-oriented society. Initiative 4: New materials from biotechnology for saving and creating energy in production In the context of rising prices for crude oil along with calls for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions around the world, expectations for technological developments that enable feasible alternatives to petrochemical-based products are growing. Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is using biomass as raw materials to produce amino acids and other products. Advanced technologies are employed group-wide to cultivate bacteria for use in fermentation processes. Through the application of these technologies, the company aims to establish production methods that use biomass to produce chemical compounds that are synthesized from petroleum as well as materials that are laborious to extract from natural resources. By successfully circumventing the use of oil resources and other precious natural resources, the Ajinomoto Group intends to contribute to the creation of a sustainable recycling-oriented society. Furthermore, production methods for amino acids with a lower environmental impact are being pursued by replacing petrochemical synthesis with enzymatic reaction techniques using proteins. 31