PEMSEA Shares ICM experiences in Tokyo Bay Conference

Tokyo, Japan — The Nihon University held its 2nd International Conference of the Support Program for Contemporary Educational Needs with the theme "Coastal Zone Management and Projects of Asian Countries — Toward Restoration of Tokyo Bay" on 12 January in Tokyo, Japan. Ms. Kazumi Wakita, PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) Programme Officer for Partnership Programmes, participated in the conference as a keynote lecturer.

 

The presentation, entitled "Movements, Challenges and Suggestions on Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia," provided the audience with: comprehensive information on the environmental situation in the Seas of East Asia; PEMSEA's activities in the region including various ICM projects and experiences; and future activities of PEMSEA. Ms. Wakita also shared her insights on coastal issues to which people involved in coastal environment management from Japan could contribute. Finally, she invited the participants to the East Asian Seas Congress 2009, which would serve as a venue for Japanese government agencies and stakeholder groups to share good practices derived from their experiences in managing Tokyo Bay. The Congress will be held on 23-27 November 2009 in the Philippines.Dr. Takeo Kondo, professor at Nihon University and head of the organizers for the international conference, expressed his appreciation for the PRF's participation and promised his attendance at the Congress, as well as his commitment to encourage participation of students and stakeholders in Tokyo Bay to join the EAS Congress 2009.The lecture was attended by over 200 participants consisting of university students from Japan and RO Korea, the academe from Japan, China, RO Korea and Taiwan, practitioners of coastal environmental management, NGOs who are working on the various coastal activities along Tokyo Bay, as well as national and local governmental officials from Japan.