18th Meeting of the Emergency Response Headquarters for the Heavy Rain in July 2018
Cabinet Secretariat, Thursday, August 23, 2018
[Provisional Translation]
On August 23, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the 18th meeting of the Emergency Response Headquarters for the Heavy Rain in July 2018 at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Prime Minister said in his opening address,
“The very strong Typhoon No. 20* is expected to make landfall in the regions of Shikoku and Kinki tonight. There has been a concern of heavy rain over a wide area from before its landfall. In particular, the Shikoku and Tokai regions are expected to see record-breaking heavy rains approaching 1,000 millimeters in the total amount of rainfall including the rain caused by Typhoon No. 19**. It has given rise to the concerns that rivers may overflow as well as landslides and high water levels may occur. Please maintain a high level of vigilance. In particular, heavy rain will be falling in western Japan, which was affected by the torrential rain earlier this summer and where full restoration has not yet been achieved, while we have been undertaking various initiatives, including removing earth, sediments, and trees from rivers, strengthening our surveillance system of rivers through installing water-gauges, optimizing for emergency management and preparing drainage pump vehicles to respond, and starting temporarily applying one level higher criteria in the standards for evacuation advisories and orders. To prevent secondary disasters, I ask to take all possible measures, including early initiation of evacuations, without worrying that it might ultimately have been unnecessary.
Yesterday, Minister of State for Disaster Management Okonogi convened an Inter-Agency Disaster Alert Meeting and the Government is now on heightened alert. I ask that each of you work in unity as the Government to implement measures to prevent damages wherever possible, including proactively giving advice which lead to evacuations in a timely manner, working closely with local governments and related agencies and organizations.
I ask that the people of Japan take action at an early stage to protect their lives by evacuating while it is still light out as the typhoon will make landfall at night.”
* Typhoon Soulik
** Typhoon Cimaron
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
Japan’s Condolences on the Passing of Former Secretary-General of the United Nations H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan to the Republic of Ghana
Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, August 21, 2018
On August 20, following news of the passing on August 18 of H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, sent a message to H. E. Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, and Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, sent a message to Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, that expressed their condolences as well as their deepest respect for the achievement of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations.
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
Japan-Colombia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
Foreign Affairs, Thursday, August 16, 2018
On August 16, commencing at 8:30 a.m. (local time; 10:30 p.m. on the same day, Japan time) for approximately 70 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is visiting the Republic of Colombia, held a foreign ministers’ meeting over breakfast with H.E. Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the beginning, Minister Trujillo sincerely welcomed Minister Kono to Colombia, along with explaining the policies of the new administration. Minister Trujillo explained that he intends to strive to strengthen the bilateral relationship by making use of his own deep ties with Japan thus far.
Minister Kono congratulated Minister Trujillo on his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and stated that he hopes to work together to strengthen the bilateral relationship in cooperation with Minister Trujillo, who has deep ties with Japan via his six years of experience as a resident of Japan. Furthermore, Minister Kono explained that Colombia is an important partner that shares fundamental values with Japan such as freedom, democracy, the rule of law and free trade, and he hopes to utilize the 110th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Colombia diplomatic relations this year to further deepen exchanges between the two countries.
2. Minister Kono welcomed that Colombia is pursuing domestic reforms in order to satisfy international standards and became a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) this year, along with expressing expectation that Japan will build a stronger economic relationship with Colombia, which continues to enjoy robust economic growth. Additionally, the two foreign ministers touched on issues such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Japan-Colombia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and discussed promoting economic cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, Minister Trujillo explained that Colombia hopes to learn from Japan’s post-war economic growth, and intends to make efforts to strengthen its economic relationship with Japan.
3. Additionally, Minister Kono explained that Japan has consistently supported Colombia’s peace process thus far, and will support it going forward also.
4. In addition to discussing the bilateral relationship, the two ministers also held a meaningful exchange of views regarding cooperating in the international arena, including United Nations Security Council reform and nuclear disarmament, the North Korea situation, and regional affairs such as the situation in Venezuela, including assistance for displaced people.
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
Foreign Minister Kono Attends ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings and Visits Russia, Myanmar, Bangladesh
YouTube, Wednesday, August 22, 2018
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
Social Participation Begins With the Special Olympics: JOCV Supports the Participation of the Sudanese Team
JICA, Monday, August 20, 2018
In contrast with the Paralympics, in which mainly people with physical disabilities participate, and the Deaflympics, in which mostly people with hearing impairments participate, the Special Olympics is an international sports organization which provides year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympics-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It has held international athletic competitions in the summer and winter every four years.
It has been 50 years since the Special Olympics held the first Special Olympics World Games in 1968. Next March, the Summer Special Olympics World Games will be held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. Ahead of this event, national and regional athletic meets are being held separately all over the world. In March, a Sudanese team participated for the first time in the Special Olympics Middle-East North Africa Regional Games. The support of a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) dispatched from Japan to Sudan was a factor in that first-time participation.
A JICA volunteer dispatched overseas provides assistance 'to eliminate prejudice'
Aiming to promote the social participation of people with intellectual disabilities, the Special Olympics emphasizes participants growing together and enjoying themselves together regardless of gender, age or sports level.
It was JOCV Ayako Iwabuki, an occupational therapist, who supported the Sudanese team that participated in its first regional Games. She got her occupational therapist qualification with the aim of getting involved in international cooperation, then worked at a university hospital for about three years. After working in the area affected by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and in Nepal, in July 2017 she was assigned to a day care center for children with disabilities in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.
Occupational therapists work to maintain and improve physical and psychosocial function, including such daily activities as changing clothes, eating and going to the bathroom, and such functions as working and going to school. In Sudan, there is no system or training organization for occupational therapists, and almost no one knows about the importance of occupational therapy to people with intellectual disabilities. "To eliminate prejudices against intellectual disabilities, we should work to advance their social participation," said Ms. Iwabuki. She made appeals to people involved in the Special Olympics, and as a result she became involved in the organization's activities.
She had no experience in rehabilitation through sports and was unsure of herself, but because there are no professions in Sudan with expertise in both physical and psychosocial function, she decided to take on the task of supporting the Sudanese Special Olympics team ahead of the World Games.
Creating teamwork and interacting with many people.
The first people chosen for the Sudanese team were 12 males and females between the ages of 11 and 21. Eight of them were track and field participants, and four participated in a ball game called boccia. Ms. Iwabuki continued her support by attending all practices for about two months, including at the training camp.
Some people with intellectual disabilities are unable to build good relationships with the people around them*. So, Ms. Iwabuki set goals such as focusing on a model and imitating it, focusing on a partner to cooperate with when surrounded by many stimuli, and working with a sense of teamwork. Through the training camp, the athletes achieved these goals in a short period of time.
In addition to 12 athletes, about 40 people including coaches, doctors, parents of athletes and people from facilities for children attended the Middle-East North Africa Regional Games. The Sudanese team won 17 medals, including gold, silver and bronze. They achieved things more important than medals as well.
"It was a great experience being able to compete in the Games and spend time overseas," said one male who competed in boccia.
"I'm proud that she won a medal in her first overseas competition," said the mother of a female who competed in track and field.
"Many people who had never had anything to do with persons with disabilities had the opportunity to talk and interact with some during practice in Sudan, the training camp and the Games," Ms. Iwabuki said.
The participation of the Sudanese team in the Games was covered by several local newspapers and television stations.
From small changes, big changes in both physical and psychosocial function
Perhaps because the athletes had had insufficient opportunities to exercise in facilities and at home and few experiences with being taught how to be part of a group and follow rules, with just a short period of exposure, they improved their physical function and sociality, including being part of a group and following rules.
"I hope people who have never interacted with persons with disabilities and people who don't know how to interact with them, by reading about athletes competing in newspapers and seeing them on television or by getting involved in training and the training camp, realize that they are human beings deserving respect just like themselves," said Ms. Iwabuki.
It looks like even more athletes and coaches from Sudan will participate in the World Games.
"I'm very happy that the devoted support of Ms. Iwabuki provides Sudanese athletes an opportunity to participate in the Special Olympics competition for the first time" said Yuko Arimori, president and CEO of Special Olympics Nippon. "I'm also incredibly proud that JOCVs are able to cross national borders to support people with intellectual disabilities."
* The symptoms of intellectual disabilities vary greatly from person to person.
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
Crown Prince and Crown Princess Grant Audience to Returned JOCVs
JICA, Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Eight representatives of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) who finished their two-year assignments in developing countries and have returned to Japan were granted an audience with Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako at the Crown Prince's Palace on July 26.
Since 1999, Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess have succeeded their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan in the practice of meeting with representatives of returned JOCVs, giving them the precious opportunity to report on their activities abroad.
Eight JOCVs who were sent to Asia, Oceania, Latin America and Africa met the Crown Prince and Crown Princess this time.
'It's OK for everyone to be different.' Promoting children's understanding of cultural differences
Miya Katayama taught classes in Japanese culture, English and math to about 100 children ages 3 to 16 who are either orphans or are living apart from their parents due to family circumstances. This work was done at the NGO SOS Children's Village in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. She also participated in the Art Mile Project to teach aesthetic sensibility, and held seminars in sports, making things by hand and Hiroshima peace studies at a summer camp.
Enlarging the market for traditional handicrafts while supporting independence
Tomomi Kotoda was assigned to the Industrial Promotion Bureau of Sainyabuli Province in northwest Laos. She worked on opening markets for specialty products, improving product quality and new product development. The producers she supported won a prize in a specialty goods contest sponsored by Japan External Trade Organization two years in a row and participated in a tour of Japan. She tripled the sales turnover, raised the ambitions of producers and provided support for them to continue the activities independently.
Advising on improving the finances of a nationally managed market, and contributing to composting
Toshiaki Sakamoto was assigned to Auki Central Market, Malaita Province, the Solomon Islands, where he worked to improve the accounting process, finances and management awareness. He made a big contribution to improving the market's finances by being thorough about collecting market use fees and was praised by the governor of Malaita Province. His work gave rise to a partnership in which the vegetable waste created in the market was composted at an agricultural occupational training school where another JOCV was stationed, and he succeeded in getting this on track.
Managing milk cow breeding and encouraging the use of data analysis to improve medical examinations
Shinta Suwa was sent to the Animal Husbandry Department of Ecuador's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries, which is in the inland Chimborazo Province. He mainly went around with young veterinarians and animal husbandry engineers giving advice to manufacturers on managing cattle breeding. He contributed to increasing the knowledge of producers by summarizing data from breeding medical examinations and holding classes in which he explained issues facing Ecuador's stockraising industry and coping strategies.
Teaching up to 33 classes per week and advising the recorder club
Haruka Yunokizono established music classes at a large elementary school in Orange Walk District, Belize. She also organized a recorder club and coached the students after school to prepare for local music festivals and school events. By holding workshops for fellow teachers to teach them how to teach music classes, show them the fun of teaching music and motivate them, she paved the way for the school to hold music classes on its own.
Offering various educational opportunities to students by partnering with JOCVs in other professions
Maki Usui worked at a school for the people with hearing impairments established by the NGO Fair Children/Youth Foundation in Nyange Sector, Musanze District, Northern Province, Rwanda. At the school, she taught the students how to cultivate aesthetic sensibilities and provided assistance with school management. She also assisted with a survey of the people with hearing impairments in the community and supported student job seekers. To increase the range of activity of the students, she taught sign language to their families and local schools and worked to connect persons with disabilities with their community.
Working on a project to re-evaluate the wage structure at the national level
Tomohisa Shirakawa was sent to the Public Service Reforms Unit, Public Service Agency, Office of the President, in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. He investigated the wage structures of public servants in other countries (mainly developed countries), including Japan, and while comparing them with the wage structure of public servants in Botswana, greatly contributed to the drafting of wage structures by occupation for new public servants.
Holding an athletic meet at a teacher training school and appealing for more widespread physical education
At a teacher training school in the Thiès region of Senegal, Toru Sasabe (occupation elementary education, age 33, from Tokyo) introduced practical skills and a student self-evaluation system into a teacher training curriculum in which all students were being taught simultaneously using a lecture model, and he trained students to be ready to begin working in the classroom. At a teacher practice school, he used special activities such as an athletic meet as a tool to set objectives and instituted ongoing classes in physical education, music and arts and crafts, subjects that were almost never taught before.
During the meeting, each JOCV reported to Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako on the status of their volunteer post and related issues, their cooperation with other people involved in the work, the process and outcomes. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess listened attentively as the JOCVs also reported on differences they noticed during their work between their host countries and Japan, and how their work relates to their employment and studies since returning to Japan.
あのイーハトーヴォのすきとおった風、夏でも底に冷たさをもつ青いそら、うつくしい森で飾られたモリーオ市、郊外のぎらぎらひかる草の波。またそのなかでいっしょになったたくさんのひとたち、ファゼーロとロザーロ、羊飼のミーロや、顔の赤いこどもたち、地主のテーモ、山猫博士のボーガント・デストゥパーゴなど、いまこの暗い巨きな石の建物のなかで考えていると、
