Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company

Okinawa Cellular Telephone, KDDI, and Tokio Marine Asset Management have launched the Ishigaki Island Future Seagrass Bed Project, which uses NFTs to protect the endangered seagrass species known as sea vine on Ishigaki Island. A portion of the funds from digital art purchases will be channeled into seagrass bed restoration activities, and support histories will be recorded on the blockchain to visualize the ongoing relationship between supporters and the local community. The digital art will be sold on an online store operated by Okinawa Cellular from July 16 to September 30, priced between 2,000 yen and 30,000 yen. Depending on the purchase plan, benefits include having the supporter's name printed on T-shirts worn by children participating in conservation activities, a tour of a Euglena factory, and the placement of name tags on protective fences. According to the three companies, this is the first initiative in Japan to simultaneously advance the conservation of endangered species and support for artists with disabilities using blockchain technology.