NISSAN ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 28TH NISSAN CHILDREN'S STORYBOOK AND PICTURE BOOK GRAND PRIX

March 2, 2012

NISSAN ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 28TH NISSAN CHILDREN'S STORYBOOK AND PICTURE BOOK GRAND PRIX
- "20th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition" to be held in conjunction at the National Children's Castle -

YOKOHAMA (March 2, 2012) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced 38 winning stories including the Grand Prix award for the "28th Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix" organized by the International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka, as part of Nissan's corporate citizenship activities. In conjunction with this Grand Prix, the "20th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition," will be held from Saturday, March 24th through Thursday, April 5th at the Atrium Gallery of the National Children's Castle (Jingumae, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo).

The 28th Picture Book Grand Prize "Picchi to Rita Mayonaka no Saakasu"

The 28th Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix attracted 2,450 entries from amateur authors and illustrators between July and October 2011, comprising 2,052 children's storybooks and 398 picture books. The Storybook Grand Prize was awarded to "Guutara-dou no Oshisho-san" by Ms. Eiko Takishita of Shizuoka Prefecture. The Picture Book Grand Prize was awarded to "Picchi to Rita Mayonaka no Saakas" by Mr. Takuma Nagao of Aichi Prefecture.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Nissan Hall at Nissan Global Headquarters on Sunday, March 4. Winners of the Grand Prize and Special Prizes will receive prizes in cash and commemorative goods, while the winners of the Excellent Prizes will be awarded commemorative goods. The company will distribute leaflets introducing the top eight prize-winning works at the Nissan Galleries throughout Japan.

Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix
The "Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix", a contest of original children's story books and picture books, commemorates the May 1984 opening of the International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka, which is Japan's first comprehensive center for international children's literature. Through the publication of the Grand Prize winners, the contest provides talented amateur authors and illustrators with the opportunity to become active professionally, and it provides children with outstanding storybooks and picture books through donation activities.

Donation of Publications to Libraries and Other Facilities Nationwide
The publications are donated through Nissan offices to approximately 3,400 libraries and 700 kindergartens and nursery schools across Japan. In 2010 Nissan also began donating the published picture books to Japanese schools and Japanese language schools through its offices overseas. Furthermore, the company has been carrying out various initiatives related to "children and books," such as holding storybook reading events at the Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery.
Website: http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/CITIZENSHIP/FAIRYTALE/ (Japanese only)

28th Children's Storybook Grand Prize: "Guutara-dou no Oshisho-san," Picture Book Grand Prize: "Picchitorita Mayonaka no Saakasu"
The main character in the Storybook Grand Prize winner, "Guutara-dou no Oshisho-san," is a small girl who encounters a mysterious cat just as she is lazing about at home while her parents are out, which instructs her in "Guutara no Osahou" (the manners of being lazy). It is a book brimming with humorous ideas.
The Picture Book Grand Prize winner, "Picchi to Rita Mayonaka no Saakasu," tells the story of two cats, "Picchi" and "Rita," who get lost in a mysterious circus in the middle of the night. The overall accomplishment of the book and its stunning use of color were particularly highly appraised. Additionally, three storybooks and three picture books were awarded Special Prizes while 20 storybooks and 10 picture books received Excellent Prizes.

20th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition: "Naminami Afureru Ureshii Kimochi"
The "Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition" has been held jointly by Nissan and the Foundation for Child Well-being (The National Children's Castle) during spring break each year. The event aims to provide an opportunity for children to exercise their imagination through their experiences with picture books and storybooks.
Originally launched in 1992, the 20th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition this year will display original drawings used in "Umi no Soko no Tenshi" by Mr. Keiji Matsumiya, the 27th Picture Book Grand Prize winner, and workshops will be held based on the theme of the ocean.
Website: http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/CITIZENSHIP/EXHIBITION/

• 20th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition: "Naminami Afureru Ureshii Kimochi" Event Outline

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