International Energy Seminar on
"Smart Community Proposals for Reconstructing Disaster-Affected Areas"

February 10, 2012

Japanese

Poster (PDF)

As announced in the MOFA press release dated on January 10, 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment will jointly host an International Energy Seminar on "Smart Community Proposals for Reconstructing the Disaster-Affected Areas" in Fukushima Prefecture on March 2, with cooperation from the Prefecture as co-host.

Many local municipalities that suffered damage as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake, including Fukushima Prefecture, are seeking to create new communities, for example, by encouraging the use of renewable energies, and to disseminate this effort to inside and outside of Japan. Based on the above-mentioned intention, the International Energy Seminar will be held in order to contribute to the reconstruction of the disaster affected areas.

The Seminar will be participated by citizens and local government officials from the disaster-affected areas, experts and company representatives in fields related to smart community, and the ministries, agencies and organizations concerned. At the Seminar, proposals for realizing smart communities in the disaster-affected areas will be formed through discussions by energy-related international organizations and specialists from inside and outside Japan with reference to the advanced initiatives of smart community around the world.

To attend the Seminar, please register as indicated in section 2. We very much look forward to your attendance.

1. Outline of the Seminar

(1) Date:

Friday, March 2, 2012 10:30-18:00

(2) Host / Co-host:

Host: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment

Co-host: Fukushima Prefecture

(3) Venue:

Convention Hall "Paruse Iizaka"

27-1, Chikumae, Iizakamachi, Fukushima-city, Fukushima-pref. 960-0201

(4) Program

(note: Japanese-English (simultaneous interpretation). Listed in random order, without honorifics.)

10:30 Opening Session (doors open at 9:30)

• Opening Remark by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

10:50 Keynote Speeches

• Richard Jones, Deputy Executive Director, IEA
• Shuzo Murakami, President of the Institute of Building Environment and Energy Conservation (IBEC)
• Kimio Yamaka, President of the Institute of Energy Strategy

12:00 Lunch

note: Please bring lunch with you as restaurant facilities are very limited in the surrounding area.

13:00 Panel Discussion I "Leading-edge Projects in Japan and abroad"

[Panelists]

• Ger Baron, Project Manager, Amsterdam Innovation Motor responsible for Amsterdam Smart City Project (the Netherlands)
• Leo Christensen, Project Manager responsible for the Green and Sustainable Development in Lolland (Denmark)
• Bruno Schmitz, DG Research and Innovation, New and Renewable Energy Sources, Head of Unit, European Commission (EU)
• Brewster McCracken, Executive Director, Pecan Street Inc. (Texas, the US)
• Paul Nelson, Senior Advisor, Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP) , The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Policy Chair of Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (Colorado, the US)
• Alamira Noor Bani Hashim, Urban Planning Professional, MASDAR (the United Arab Emirates)
• Matsuoka Toshikazu, Chief Executive Environment Bureau, City of Kitakyushu (Japan)
• Katsuhiko Naito, Deputy Mayor, Minato City, Tokyo (Japan)

[Moderator]

• Yosuke Mochizuki, Director, Nikkei BP Cleantech Institute

15:00 Coffee Break

15:20 Panel Discussion II "Smart Community Proposals for reconstruction"

[Panelists]

• Ken-ichi Funazaki, Professor, Department of Mechanical System Engineering, Iwate University (Iwate-pref., Japan)
• Sho Okuno, Chairman, Sho Okuno Architect and Associate Co., ltd. (Fukushima-pref., Japan)
• Eiji Oyama, Department Manager of Engineering, Kokusai Kogyo Co., ltd. (Miyagi-pref., Japan)
• Dolf Gielen, Director, the IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre
• Hiroshi Watanabe, Executive Director, New Energy and Industrial Technology
  Development Organization
• Koji Kato, Professor, College of Engineering, Nihon University

[Moderator]

• Jiro Iwase, Director, University of Aizu in Fukushima

17:20 Short Break

17:30 Closing Session

• Presentation of a draft proposal of a draft initiative by Moderators
• Closing remark

2. How to register

1. (1) Registration will be closed when it reaches the capacity of the venue.
2. (2) If you would like to attend this Seminar, please download this registration form (Word, PDF) and fill out the form, then fax (+81-(0)3-5501-8337) or e-mail (intl-seminar2012@mofa.go.jp) to the secretariat office.

   note1: Advanced registration is required for attending the Seminar. (Those without advance registration may not be admitted. Registrants may be informed that attendance is not possible owing to limited seating capacity.)

   note2: Personal data submitted to the secretariat shall be properly administered and used exclusively for the purpose of the management of the Seminar.

3. (3) Enquiry about the Seminar

   Economic Security Division, Economic Affairs Bureau, MOFA

   TEL: +81-(0)3-5501-8000 (Ext.3672)

   (10:00-12:30, 13-30-18:00 (except on Sat, Sun & holidays))

4. (4) Enquiry about the venue

   Paruse Iizaka

   27-1, Chikumae, Iizakamachi, Fukushima-city, Fukushima-pref. 960-0201, Japan

   TEL: +81-(0)24-542-2121

   [Access]

   http://www.paruse.jp/Access/Access.html (Japanese)

   • App. 25minites by car from JR Fukushima Station
   • App. 25minites by Iizaka Line, a private railway, from JR Fukushima Station
   • App. 10minites from the Iizaka-Onsen IC of Tohoku Expressway

5. (5) Information on the surrounding area (Japanese hot spring Iizaka Onsen).

   Iizaka Onsen Tourism Association

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