Want to transmit a message of environment protection to businesses, Abe Makoto, 31 years old, a Japanese man, has left his job and family to voluntarily go to Hoi An ancient town.

“Businesses usually place their economic benefits on the top, so the important issue is to balance between their benefit and protection of the environment,” Makoto shared.

Makoto (right) and local people in Hoi An ancient town – Photo: H.V/tienphong.vn

Born in Niihama City, Eshime province, where they enjoy charming scenery, Makoto has always wanted to preserve and protect nature. When he was a student, apart from participating in social activities, Makoto usually joined in with his father’s company when they conducted activities and projects on the environment.

Makoto worked for Suntory after he graduated because it is evaluated as a leading business for environmental protection.

Going everywhere to discover and experience, Makoto has always been obsessed by beaches full of waste, small beautiful streets with rubbish and dying rivers due to waste water from manufacturing.

Coming to the ancient town of Hoi An, Makoto is assigned to work at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

“As a famous tourist destination, environmental problems in Hoi An are solved very well. The beach in Hoi An is very beautiful, the ancient town very clean, but I pay attention to businesses. I aim for the businesses to change their awareness. However, if I only deliver my vain words, it is difficult to reach their ears, so I have to attempt to persuade them, strike on their benefits and values they have gained,” Makoto said.

He has built and conducted projects, giving lectures, introducing businesses about the benefits and technology to protect the environment.

Makoto can speak Vietnamese fluently. Before coming to Hoi An, he spent five months on studying Vietnamese at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

“Studying Vietnamese language is very difficult because it is rich in meaning and has diacritics, but talking with Vietnamese people is a pleasure so I studied hard. Japanese people are usually drawn into their affairs and pressures, making people not closer to each other. I am fond of the honesty and closeness of local people in Hoi An. Sometimes I forget or drop some things which are all given back to me, and that makes me confident and warm,” Makoto shared.

Outside his working hours, Makoto likes to walk the streets and eat street-food in order to talk more local people, further understand the culture and people in the ancient town./.