JapanGov Weekly

Cabinet Secretariat [Saturday, Aug 6, 2016]

[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony held in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City.

Approximately 50,000 people including atomic bomb survivors and bereaved family members, as well as representatives of 91 nations, the European Union, and international organizations such as the United Nations attended the ceremony marking the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombing, praying for the repose of the souls of the atomic bomb victims and for world peace.

Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima City, and the representatives of the bereaved family members added the names of atomic bomb victims whose passing was confirmed in the past year to the cenotaph, and Prime Minister Abe and other participants led by the representatives of the bereaved family members and the atomic bomb victims offered flowers. Afterwards, the Peace Bell was rung at 8:15 a.m., the time when the atomic bomb was dropped, and all the participants offered a minute of silent prayer.

Next, after Mayor Matsui offered a Peace Declaration and two child representatives recited the Promise for Peace, Prime Minister Abe expressed his heartfelt condolences to the victims and delivered an address.

After the ceremony, the Prime Minister moved to a hotel in Hiroshima City and attended a meeting to listen to requests by representatives of atomic bomb survivors. After receiving requests from representatives of seven groups of atomic bomb survivors, he held a press conference.

Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address Photograph of the Prime Minister offering a silent prayer Photograph of the Prime Minister listening to requests by representatives of atomic bomb victims

Cabinet Secretariat [Tuesday, Aug 9, 2016]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the annual Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony held in the Peace Park in Nagasaki City.

Approximately 6,400 people including atomic bomb survivors and bereaved family members, as well as representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, 53 nations and regions, and the European Union, attended the ceremony, which was held on the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombing, praying for the repose of the souls of the atomic bomb victims and for world peace.

Mr. Tomihisa Taue, Mayor of Nagasaki City, and the representatives of the bereaved family members, the atomic bomb survivors and the youth, placed at the site the list of the names of atomic bomb victims whose passing was confirmed in the past year. Then, the representatives of the bereaved family members and the atomic bomb survivors, and elementary, junior high, and high school student representatives offered water.

Afterwards, the representatives of the bereaved family members and the atomic bomb survivors, the Prime Minister and other guests offered wreaths. The Bell of Nagasaki was then rung at 11:02 a.m., the time that the atomic bomb was dropped, and all the participants prayed in silence for one minute.

Then, following Mayor Taue’s Peace Declaration, the recital of the Promise for Peace by a representative of the atomic bomb survivors, and a choral song performed by elementary school students, Prime Minister Abe expressed his heartfelt prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims and delivered an address.

After the ceremony, the Prime Minister attended a meeting to listen to requests by representatives of atomic bomb survivors at a hotel in Nagasaki City, and heard requests from representatives from five groups of atomic bomb survivors and others. Following this, Prime Minister Abe held a press conference.

Japan International Cooperation Agency [Wednesday, Jul 27, 2016]

On July 26, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement (G/A) with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Cairo, the capital city, to provide grant aid of up to two billion yen for the Project for Procurement of Education and Research Equipment for Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST).

This project will provide educational and research equipment to a school of engineering that will be established at E-JUST. A new campus for the engineering school is being constructed by the Government of Egypt in Borg El Arab, a city in Alexandria Governorate, and is scheduled to be completed by September 2017.

In Egypt, the level of practical education and research programs at national universities is inadequate, resulting in the problem of science and engineering human resources leaving to foreign countries.. The “Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt concerning the Establishment of Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology” was signed in 2009 to address this issue through the cooperation in the establishment and operation of E-JUST. E-JUST is a university that has adopted a Japanese educational approach to engineering education and is based on the concepts of small classes, a focus on graduate work and research, and a practical education that meets international standards. Based on the agreement, JICA has established a post graduate school of engineering at E-JUST, is providing support to improve the education and research capacity at E-JUST, is promoting ties to industry and is implementing measures to improve operations through technical cooperation projects.

It is expected that this project will result in more time spent on experiments, practical training and research in the engineering school than the average time at national universities, develop human resources who will contribute to the industrial and social development in Egypt through their practical education with a foundation in research, and improve the level of scientific and technological research and the quality of education in Africa and the Middle East overall.

JICA will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to E-JUST by combining this project and technical cooperation.

Japan International Cooperation Agency [Wednesday, Jul 27, 2016]

The Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), one of JICA’s volunteer divisions, has been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

Considered the Nobel Prize of Asia, the award was created in memory of President Ramon Magsaysay of the Philippines. Each year, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation in Manila bestows the award on an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to society in Asia or the world at large.

In giving the award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognized the JOCV, which celebrated its 50th year last year, for their commitment to becoming a part of the local community while carrying out support efforts, and for their contributions to socioeconomic development in Asia based on the principle and spirit of solidarity. The JOCV has sent a total of 41,000 people around the world to date, of which 12,127 were deployed to Asia. As of June 30, 2016, there are 575 JOCV members engaged in activities in 18 Asian countries.

Since the award’s inception in 1958, more than 300 individuals and 10 organizations have received the award, including Mother Theresa and the 14th Dalai Lama. Former JICA President Sadako Ogata received the award in 1997.

Source: the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation website

Japan International Cooperation Agency [Tuesday, Jul 26, 2016]

On July 26, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement (G/A) with the Government of the Republic of Kiribati to provide grant aid of up to 3.805 billion yen for the Project for Reconstruction of Nippon Causeway.

The Nippon Causeway is the only road connecting Betio Islet where Kiribati’s only international airport is located, and Bairiki Islet, home to many residents. The effects of aging and tidal waves have caused large-scale destruction to the road, severely hindering the flow of goods and making it difficult to ensure safe passage. Given this background, this project will carry out comprehensive repairs on the causeway to ensure a safe lifeline for residents, thereby contributing to the socioeconomic development of the country.

The Republic of Kiribati (population: 103,000, area: 730 square kilometers) is composed of 33 atolls interspersed in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. Despite having the third largest exclusive economic zone (3.55 million square kilometers) in the world, the causeway and other transportation infrastructure for movement between the islands are inadequate to support the lives and economic activities of residents due to geographical conditions. As a result, the Government of Kiribati has positioned infrastructure improvements as an important part of its “Kiribati Development Plan 2016 to 2019,” and has prioritized efforts to reconstruct deteriorating roads and other such infrastructure that have become problematic in recent years.

It is expected that this project will completely eliminate travel restrictions on roads (the current average number being 20 days per year) and double the average speed of travelling vehicle from the current limited speed to 40 kilometers per hour, and facilitate the safe and smooth movement of people and goods year-round.