1.
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)
2.
World Ministerial Conference on
Disaster Reduction in Tohoku
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JICC
Newsletter
No.9, August 2012 |
World Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction in
Tohoku
Joint Endeavors for Solutions: Wisdom of the World to the
Disaster-Affected Areas, Lessons of the Disaster- Affected Areas to
the World
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Panel
discussions |
Inspection |
Side events |
“The World Ministerial Conference on Disaster
Reduction in Tohoku” was held on July 3rd and 4th. The plenary
sessions were held in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. Three breakout
sessions were held in Ichinoseki City of Iwate Prefecture,
Ishinomaki City of Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima City of Fukushima
Prefecture. The Conference was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Cabinet Office, Reconstruction Agency, Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport, and Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), and co-hosted by the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP), United Nations International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (UNISDR), United Nations Office for the Coordination for
the Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi
Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Sendai City, Ichinoseki City,
Ishinomaki City and Fukushima City. Representatives from 63
countries and 14 international organizations, as well as the
representatives from international and domestic NGOs, the private
sector and civil society participated in the Conference. In total,
about 500 people participated in the conference. The participants
from Japan include the following: Mr. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister
of Japan; Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr.
Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction and Minister for
Comprehensive Review of Measures in Response to the Great East Japan
Earthquake; Mr. Masaharu Nakagawa, Minister of State for Disaster
Management. Minister Gemba, as the Chair of the Conference, issued
the Chair’s Summary. A number of side events were also organized by
the public and private sectors, academia and civil society.
The participants underscored the needs to mainstream
disaster reduction and build resilient societies; to realize human
security; to maximize capacity regarding disaster reduction through
combining structural “hard” measures and “soft” measures such as
education; and to forge partnership among various stakeholders, as
well as and the importance of addressing emerging issues such as
climate change and urbanization. The conference disseminated strong
messages to the world regarding the need of “disaster reduction in
the 21st century” which promotes above mentioned elements in a
comprehensive way. The participants confirmed the need to
incorporate disaster reduction in the post-2015 development
framework and to establish the post-Hyogo Framework for Action based
on the outcomes of this conference, in order to promote “disaster
reduction in the 21st century”. Japan expressed its intention to
host the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction, and its
commitment to contributing three billion dollars for the next three
years in Disaster Reduction.
Japan expressed its determination to continuously
lead the international efforts for disaster reduction, and succeeded
in building a foundation to mainstream disaster reduction, to
disaster reduction in the Post-MDG framework, and to establish an
effective post-Hyogo Framework for Action. Japan also had a strong
appeal to the world regarding the reconstruction effort in the
disaster-affected areas through carrying out site visits during the
conference. Moreover, “the importance to make efforts for disaster
reduction with full-cast” and “the mainstreaming disaster reduction”
were put into practice by the participation of various actors
including concerned government ministries, local governments and
CSOs at the side events.
- Chair’s
Summary
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/environment/warm/cop/wmcdr_2012/chairs_summary.html
- Opening
Remarks by Mr. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan
http://kantei.go.jp/foreign/noda/statement/201207/03remarks_e.html
- Welcoming
Remarks by Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
at Opening Ceremony
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/environment/warm/cop/wmcdr_2012/fm_speech_1.html
- Closing
Remarks by Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
at Closing Ceremony
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/environment/warm/cop/wmcdr_2012/fm_speech_4.html
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