The 10,000 Trees to be planted this year to protect a World Heritage Properties
The AEON Environmental Foundation (Mr. Motoya Okada, Chairman and Representative Executive Officer, AEON Co., Ltd, hereinafter as “The Foundation”) will hold The Second Angkor AEON Nature Park Tree Planting Ceremony on Saturday, July 4 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Since 2002, AEON Environmental Foundation has been pursuing tree planting initiatives across Cambodia with volunteer until now. These tree plantings were carried out at various locations, including at Chao Srei Vibol Temple and along the road toward to Angkor Wat, as well as at the forest park in Siem Reap, the Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum, and at the Phnom Tamao Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Center in Takeo Province, and other locations. Until now Over 74,000 native trees have been planted with 9,500 volunteers.
The Foundation is implementing a five-year project starting in 2025 to plant trees north of Baray Chey Tadak and Neak Poen Temples of the Angkor site, with the aim of protecting the World Heritage Site from the effects of wind and rain and conserving biodiversity. The First Year of Tree Planting (2025), 800 volunteers from Japan and Cambodia who planted 10,000 trees. This year, the second tree planting ceremony will be carried the same scale.
The foundation will continue to actively participate in tree planting and other environmental activities to pass on a rich natural environment to future generations.
Mr. Takuya Okada, Honorary Chairman of the AEON Environment Foundation, awarded the Royal Order of Sahametrei (Grand Cross) from the Kingdom of Cambodia (2010). Mr. Takuya Okada has been recognized by the Royal Government of Cambodia for his contribution and continuous to environmental and social initiatives in the Kingdom of Cambodia for many years between the two countries. In 2007, he received the Le Grand Officer and in 2010, he received Grand Cross of Royal Order of Sahametrei from the Kingdom of Cambodia.
[About AEON Environmental Foundation]
AEON Environmental Foundation was established in 1990 by Mr. Takuya Okada (Honorary Chairman and Advisor, AEON Co., Ltd), guided by AEON’s Foundational Ideals, of “Pursuing peace, respecting humanity, and contributing to local communities,always with customers as our starting point.” As Japan’s first corporate foundation dedicated to global environmental issues. The Foundation has collaborated with stakeholder to implement four main activities tree planting, environmental grant programs, environmental education and joint research, and recognition of environmental efforts. The foundation is also currently promoting the creation of a new generation of Satoyama to support sustainable community development. Since 1991, AEON has planted a total of over 12,870,000 trees (as of the end of February 2026).
Tree Planting Activities in Cambodia
| Organizer | Planting Site | Year | Number of Trees | Number of Participants |
| AEON Environmental Foundation | Angkor Wat Archaeological Site | 2002, 2004 2005, 2007 | 7,600 | 1,182 |
| Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor
Museum |
2007 | 144 | 20 | |
| Chau Srei Vibol Temple Area | 2010-2011 | 5,266 | 580 | |
| Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center | 2015-2017 | 21,000 | 2,330 | |
| Banteay Kdei Temple | 2019 | 500 | 80 | |
| Angkor AEON Nature Park | 2025 | 10,000 | 800 | |
| AEON Mall “Hometown Forest Creation” | AEON Mall Phnom Penh | 2014 | 10,000 | 1,500 |
| AEON Mall Sen Sok City | 2018 | 12,000 | 2,000 | |
| AEON Mall Mean Chey | 2022 | 8,000 | 1,000 | |
| Total | 74,510 | 9,492 | ||
First Angkor-AEON Nature Park Tree Planting (2025)
- Grant Programs
The AEON Environmental Foundation provides partial funding from its operating budget to non-profit organizations that are carrying out environmental protection activities together with volunteers in communities around the world. In the 35th AEON Environmental Action Grant Program in 2025, the Foundation provided grants to 111 organizations totaling 98.88 million yen. Among them, the NGO Pride of Asia Preah Vihear Association Japan, active in Cambodia, works with local communities near the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near the Cambodia–Thailand border. Their efforts include tree planting, undergrowth clearing, and water supply, contributing to the conservation of the natural environment.
- Environmental Education and Joint Research Initiatives
[Asian Student Exchange Environment Forum]
(2012 – 2023)
With the aim of developing human resources in the field of environment who can play an active role on the international stage, this forum is designed to bring together university students from various Asian countries to discuss and exchange ideas on global environmental issues. Over the past 10 years, a total of 763 students from 10 countries have participated in the forum. For Cambodia, the Royal University of Phnom Penh has participated since 2015, and in the 8th forum (2019), the Royal University of Phnom Penh served as the Host University in organizing the forum.
[AEON Group’s Social Contribution Activities]
- Support for the Battambang Prosthetic Center (1998–2000) The AEON 1% Club Foundation collaborated with the Japanese Red Cross to support the Battambang Prosthetic Center in Battambang Province, Cambodia, for three years starting in 1998. The Battambang Prosthetic Center is an organization that provides prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation services to landmine victims to help them return to life and participate in society. The support was collected from donations at AEON stores and business locations, along with donations from the AEON 1% Club, totaling 173 million yen to the center.
- School Construction Support Project (2000–2003) With the aim of helping Cambodia’s education system, which has been severely damaged by years of civil war, AEON has been organizing fundraising campaigns at its stores and business locations since 2000. The funds raised, together with donations from the AEON 1% Club, totaled 300 million yen, which was donated to the Japanese Committee for UNICEF. In partnership with the Japanese Committee for UNICEF, the project has built 151 school’s building in Cambodia. To date, approximately 370,000 children have graduated from these schools, making a significant contribution to the development of education and the future of Cambodian children.
- [Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum] (2007)The Museum was established to preserve and exhibit Buddhist statues from the Angkor Dynasty, excavated in 2000 and 2001 by the Sophia University Asian Human Resources Research Center. The museum was built through donations from AEON 1% Club, in collaboration with Professor Yoshihisa Ishizawa’s team from Sophia University and the APSARA National Authority, which manages the Angkor archaeological sites. To ensure that Cambodia’s cultural heritage would be studied and preserved by its own people, the museum was donated to the Cambodian government. At the completion ceremony held in November 2007, His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni graciously attended the event.
- AEON UNICEF Safe Water Campaign
To provide safe drinking water to children in Cambodia and other countries, AEON collects donations from across Japan and contributes additional funds through the AEON 1% Club Foundation. These contributions are donated via the Japan Committee for UNICEF. By installing water supply facilities, the campaign supports children who would otherwise spend hours fetching water from distant sources—preventing them from attending school—and those who rely on groundwater containing harmful substances. The initiative supports both education and health. In FY2025, a total of 63.62 million yen was donated, and to date, the campaign has provided safe water to 640,000 people across Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.
- Teenage Ambassadors / AEON Scholarship
Since 1990, the AEON 1% Club Foundation has operated the “Teenage Ambassadors Program”, an international exchange initiative where high school students from Japan and overseas visit each other’s countries to foster mutual understanding and friendship. To date, 2,721 students from 18 countries, including Japan, have participated. The “AEON Scholarship” program provides financial support to university students across Asia. So far, a total of 9,923 scholarships have been awarded. In FY2025, 566 students from eight countries, including 22 from Cambodia, received scholarships.
