TOKYO —

Actress Reese Witherspoon visited Japan for the first time Wednesday to bring a message of empowerment and hope to women in the Asia Pacific region. Witherspoon was the guest of honor at a traditional Japanese tea ceremony where she met female breast cancer survivors. In addition to the tea ceremony, Witherspoon, Avon’s global ambassador, introduced the region to Avon’s first-ever global fundraising product, the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet.

Witherspoon attended the tea Ceremony dressed in a traditional kimono by a prominent kimono dresser, Midori Yogi, whose family has dressed the Japanese imperial family for weddings since 1952.

During the ceremony, Witherspoon met the chairman of the Japan Breast Cancer Association, and three Japanese breast cancer survivors, and talked with them about the lack of breast cancer awareness and screening facilities.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to meet with such extraordinary women, and experience a highlight of Japanese culture” said Witherspooon. “While their courage is inspiring, I was saddened to hear that only about 12% of women in Japan receive regular breast cancer screening. The lack of testing equipment and breast cancer experts in Japan means that many women here do not have access to the medical technology and care that is critical to diagnose and fight this deadly disease.”

The Women’s Empowerment Bracelet was first unveiled in the U.S. in March at the second annual Global Summit for a Better Tomorrow, presented by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in partnership with Avon, at the United Nations in celebration of International Women’s Day. Over half a million units of the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet have already sold in the U.S.

The bracelet, which features a clasp in the shape of the infinity symbol to carry the message of the limitless possibilities for women, will be sold by Avon in Japan and will be also available in Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and India and sold in the more than 100 countries globally in which Avon operates. In support of this mission, proceeds from the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet will go to a new endowment, the Avon Empowerment Fund, which will contribute to the UNIFEM-managed U.N. Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

The first $500,000 from bracelet sales will be matched in 2008 by the Avon Foundation for a total donation of $1 million for new grants by the U.N. Trust Fund, representing the single-largest one-year corporate contribution to date.

2 Comments

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  waynekonab at 12:33 AM JST - 13th June

  Awareness comes and go, thanks Reese for making us aware briefly before it fades into the past. Laws need to be enforced, and people continually educated when they go to get a license or whatever.

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  rjd_jr at 11:22 AM JST - 13th June

  It was nice of her to do this.

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