Press Release_2004 [MOE]

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

Result of the Japan-Arab Environment Ministers Seminar