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【JWF News Vol. 171】New Year’s Address
9 January, 2019
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◇ Contents ◇
・Foreword New Year’s Address
・Report from the Japan Water Forum
– 16th Meeting of the Committee for Basic Policy of the Water Security Council of Japan (WSCJ)
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・Foreword New Year’s Address
By Kotaro Takemura, Chair of the Japan Water Forum
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As 2019 starts, I wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
Thanks to your enthusiastic support during the past year, we, at the Japan Water Forum, are ready to make a fresh start in the new year.
Last March, the 8th World Water Forum was held in Brazil. H.I.H. the Crown Prince of Japan attended the opening ceremony and offered his congratulations. The next day, he delivered a keynote speech entitled Water to Bring about Prosperity, Peace, and Happiness, at a meeting of the High Level Panel on Water and Disasters. He emphasized the fact that water is a source of peace, based on Japan’s history, making deep impression on many people around the world.
H.I.H. the Crown Prince of Japan served as Honorary President of the 3rd World Water Forum held in Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka and gave encouragement to the participants coming from every corner of the world. Since then, he has consistently delivered warm speeches, saying that water is the most important issue for global peace, security and sustainable development. We are extremely grateful for the remarks he made throughout the Heisei era, as they have provided great encouragement to us and inspired us to step forward confidently towards a new era.
In the 8th World Water Forum, the JWF coordinated the Asia-Pacific regional process as secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum. We set out on a long journey towards the embodiment of the Yangon Declaration, the outcome document of the 3rd Asia-Pacific Water Summit, issued in December 2017.
At present, we have launched preparations for the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit. In the new year, we will continue to make policy recommendations in order to realize water security for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region as well as throughout the world.
Since its foundation, the JWF has addressed water and sanitation issues in developing countries at the grass-roots level. The JWF will make an extraordinary contribution towards achievement of the slogan “No one will be left behind”, advocated in SDGs, through both policy recommendations and support for grass-roots activities in parallel, like the two wheels of a cart.
In Japan, we are facing various water-related challenges, including the maintenance and recovery of a sound water cycle through watershed management, sustainable management of water supply and sanitation services, energy-food issues, enhancement of efforts by private companies, vitalization of local economies.
The JWF will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this April. We must address even more diverse and wider-ranging challenges. All our staff, though limited in number, are determined to work together for the resolution of these challenges. We look forward to your continued support and cooperation.
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・Report from the Japan Water Forum
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– 16th Meeting of the Committee for Basic Policy of the Water Security Council of Japan (WSCJ)
On December 12, the 16th meeting of the Committee for Basic Policy of the WSCJ was held in a special conference room in the building for House of Councilors of the Japanese Diet.
The Committee for Basic Policy, comprised of members of the governing council of the WSCJ, is considering how to manage watersheds from a 21st century perspective. For the first time since the Committee´s foundation on January 30, 2009, its meeting was held in the Upper House members’ building and attracted various stakeholders in public-private sectors of Team Water Japan, including a record number of 12 Diet members.
▼Please visit the following website for details▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/all/policy_recommendations/twj/2019/0109/?p=10552tag=en,rep_en
(Reported by Atsushi Noguchi, Manager)
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JWF News Vol. 171 / 9 January 2019
Japan Water Forum
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