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In March 2004 the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, held the
Japan–Arab Environment Ministers Seminar with the cooperation of the
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Environment Ministers and
representatives from twelve Arab states participated in the Seminar.
1. Objectives
Aiming to expand the cooperation between Japan and the Arab states into the
environmental conservation, the Seminar was planned to give an occasion to
introduce initiatives for conservation of the environment in Japan and the Arab
states and Japanese technologies for the environmental conservation and to
exchange views on future prospects for the cooperation by the Environment
Ministers of Japan and the Arab states.
2. Date and time
10:00-15:00, Saturday, 27 March, 2004
3. Venue
Institute for International Cooperation of Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), Tokyo
4. Agenda
(1) Presentation
a. The Japanese historical experience and policies for solving environmental
issues.
Ms. KOIKE Yuriko, Minister of the Environment, Japan
b. Environmental cooperation between Japan and the Arab states and Japan’s
diplomatic efforts with regard to global environmental issues.
Mr. MINE Yoshiki, Ambassador for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Japan
c. Japanese technologies for environmental conservation of Japanese companies
- - Cars
- Dr. WATANABE Hiroyuki, Senior Managing Director, Member of the Board, Toyota
Motor Corporation
- - Household electrical appliances
- Mr. OTSURU Hidetsugu, Managing Director, Member of the Board, Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
- - Solar cell
- Mr. FUJIMOTO Toshihiko, Group General Manager of Solar Systems Group, Sharp
Corporation
- - Johkasou (on-site waste water treatment tanks)
- Dr. IMURA Masahiro, Head Office, Fuji Clean Co., Ltd.
- - Waste disposal sites
- Mr. ITOH Saburo, Senior Executive Officer, Ebara Corporation
d. The Japanese experience of international cooperation in the field of
environmental conservation
- Mr. IZAWA Tadashi, Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
- Mr. OKAMOTO Iwao, Senior Executive Director, Japan Bank for International
Cooperation (JBIC)
e. Environmental situation in the Arab states and policies for addressing their
environmental issues
- Ms. Fatma EL MALLAH, Director, Environment and Sustainable Development
Department, League of Arab States
(2) Discussion
by Japan and Arab Ministers on Environment
(3) Display
Besides the seminar, the following exhibits and presentations were displayed at
the venue:
Technologies for environmental conservation: Johkasou (displayed by the
Johkasou System Association), solar cell (by Sharp Corporation), waste disposal
sites (by Ebara Corporation), fuel cell vehicle (by Ministry of the Environment,
Japan).
And, Arabian coffee was served by Arabic Islamic Institute in Tokyo.
5. Participants
Arab states（17 countries and regions, 1 international organization）
- Ministers of Environment and representatives from 12 countries and regions
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Palestinian Authority, Saudi
Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
- Representatives from 5 embassies in Japan
Djibouti, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
（The Ambassadors from Mauritania and Morocco to Japan were participated.）
- Director of Environment and Sustainable Development Department, League of Arab
States
Japan
H.E. Ms. KOIKE Yuriko, Minister of Environment, Dr. Kato Shuichi, Vice
Minister of Environment, H.E. Mr. MINE Yoshiki, Ambassador for Global
Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others.
6. Outline of results
(1) Presentations
H.E. Ms. KOIKE, Minister of Environment, made a presentation on the Japanese
historical experience and policies for solving environmental issues. H.E. Mr.
MINE, Ambassador for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
gave a brief lecture on environmental cooperation between Japan and Arab states
and Japan’s diplomatic efforts to solve global environmental issues. Following
these presentations, leading Japanese companies introduced Japanese technologies
for environmental conservation, and JICA and JBIC presented the Japanese
experience of international cooperation in the field of environmental
conservation. The League of Arab States introduced an overview of the
environmental situation in the Arab states and their policies for addressing
their environmental issues.
(2) Discussion
The Environment Ministers and representatives from Arab states outlined their
respective environmental situations, countermeasures, and future perspectives.
H.E. Ms. KOIKE summarized the discussion as follows.
-
Japan endeavors to promote policies that enable the integration of environment
and economy. We would like to introduce our efforts to the world to help improve
the global environment.
-
A Fund for Japanese Official Development Assistants (ODA) is raised from the
economic activities of the Japanese people and society. In other words, we could
disseminate our vitality to the world through ODA.
-
The seminar provided a good opportunity to exchange valuable information and
opinions. Participants recognized that waste treatment, water supply,
desertification and urbanization are common environmental issues in the Arab?
region.
-
To tackles these issues, training, capacity-building and formation of an
administrative structure are challenges ahead.
-
The feasibility of international cooperation to meet these challenges could be
investigated in collaboration between Japan and the Arab states.
7. Photographs
