Human relations activities (HUREAI activities) are activities at Toyota that strengthen teamwork and communication by widening the circle of human interaction.

With the aim of creating vibrant workplaces, Toyota launched voluntary workplace-based activities comprised of Workplace Recreation Activities in 1965 and the Personal Touch Campaign in 1966.

Starting in the 1970s, as new plants were built, Toyota's workforce grew, and organizations became more hierarchical, the need emerged to conduct human relations activities not only in small groups but also on sectional, divisional, and plant-wide levels. Activities were also seen to have become stereotyped so, in 1989 at the start of the reign of Japan's new emperor, Toyota launched a new program called 'Freshness & Harmony Activities' to tailor activities to individual workplaces.

From the 1990s, one of Toyota's strengths, teamwork, was showing signs of decline. An increase in the number of fixed-term contract and temporary employees created the need for more inclusive HUREAI activities. Employees were finding different ways to spend their free time, and coworker relationships were becoming more detached. Events were also harder to hold because Houhachikai membership was falling and its members were getting older. Consequently, in 2002, Toyota revamped its human relations activities and launched its new human relations activities program to stimulate communication and interaction between employees. Toyota announced the official name for its program, 'HUREAI Activities,' at the Ekiden long-distance relay race held that year.

Year	Names and goals of human relations activities programs
1965	Workplace Recreation Activities; - Create vibrant, healthy workplaces through recreational activities
1966	Personal Touch Campaign; - Foster human interaction and development through discussion
1989	Freshness & Harmony Activities; - Create vibrant workplaces from the perspectives of encouraging quality relationships in the workplace, increasing employee motivation, and promoting physical and mental health, through autonomous and voluntary activities by employees
2002	Human Relations Activities (HUREAI Activities); - Hold events aimed at increasing opportunities for employees to interact outside work, expand management information through executive committees, and promote communication about the state of the workplace. By inviting participation from everyone, from full-time employees to fixed-term contract and temporary employees, and fostering vertical, horizontal, and diagonal communication within workplaces, between workplaces, and between people at all levels and positions, the HUREAI Activities program aims to widen the circle of human interaction and help everyone in the company lead a rewarding work life

Source: HUREAI Manual