Iconic luxury Swiss watchmaker, Girard-Perregaux, launched a project to help reconstruction efforts in Japan's Tohoku region in the aftermath of last year’s earthquake disaster.  As part of this independent project, the Brand has engaged in supporting the development and operation of the web media "Tohoku Manufacture Story"

Girard-Perregaux has the proud history of being the first Swiss watch brand to set up an authorized sales agency in Japan in 1861, at the end of the Edo period. François Perregaux arrived in Japan during this transitional period.  The wonder and inspiration that he experienced in Yokohama were passed on to watchmaking factories in Switzerland, and sales of Girard-Perregaux watches in Japan continues to date.

As a time-honored watch brand with deep and long-standing ties with Japan, Girard-Perregaux has been striving since the onset of the Great East Japan Earthquake to find ways to support the areas affected by the disaster. “Instead of merely sending a one-time donation or offering temporary assistance, we hoped to make a long-term, continuous contribution to help the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas” says Michele Sofisti, CEO of Sowind Group (Girard-Perregaux and jeanrichard). 

“It was then that we learned about ‘Tsumugiya’, a group of young people who have been involved in support activities in the afflicted areas.  Through them, we acquired information that caught our attention. They told us that some afflicted areas are now seeing the emergence of a movement in the Tohoku region which aims for reconstruction through manufacturing on the initiative of local residents using local materials”

The brand found many such initiatives taking place in different areas of the Tohoku region. Sofisti made a visit to one such manufacturing site in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, where he was deeply touched by the earnest dedication of the local people to their manufacturing work.  Sofisti continues “We saw in them the same spirit of devotion exhibited by the watchmakers of Girard-Perregaux”

Through these experiences, Girard-Perregaux has developed a heartfelt respect and admiration for the manufacturing efforts in these afflicted areas, christening them ‘Tohoku Manufacture’.  Girard-Perregaux launches a project with the same name in hopes of contributing to the further development of the local movement. As the first step in the new project, Girard-Perregaux will assist in the operation of the web media ‘Tohoku Manufacture Story’ and work hand in hand with residents of afflicted areas to provide a long term support for the recovery of the region.

Girard-Perregaux announced its launch of the Girard-Perregaux Tohoku Manufacture Aid project at a press conference held in the Venetian Room of the Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo on Wednesday, February 27th. Sowind CEO (Girard-Perregaux and jeanrichard) Michele Sofisti visited Japan for this press conference, and he said enthusiastically “It is an honor to inaugurate the Girard-Perregaux Tohoku Manufacture Aid Project and support this way the individual initiatives of local crafts making to rebuild their region.  I hope this activity will become a bridge between Tohoku and Europe, and different countries around the world”.

The press conference was attended by more than 50 journalists from a wide range of media, reflecting the strong interest in this new project.