Opening Remarks by Ms. Shinako Tsuchiya
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan
at the First Meeting for the Promotion of Asia Forest Partnership (AFP)

11 November 2002
Tokyo, Japan

Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to have this opportunity to say a few words at the opening of this First Meeting for the Promotion of Asia Forest Partnership(AFP). I also welcome the participants here.

First of all, I would like to emphasize the importance of promoting sustainable forest management in every country in order to advance its economic prosperity and environmental well-being. The people in Asia enjoy the blessing of the nature, particularly forests. Forests provide our lives with multiple benefits, such as conserving land and water resources, providing forest products, and preserving bio-diversity.

Considerable work for sustainable forest management is already being undertaken in Asia. Governments, international organizations, NGO's and other stakeholders participating in this meeting are now making contributions to this end.

Japan has been promoting sustainable forest management in the ASEAN region and in China through Official Development Assistance (ODA). Japan's contributions include forestation, prevention of forest fire, capacity building, research for forest sector in many countries in Asia, bilateraly and also through ITTO.

In spite of efforts by all countries, forest degradation is under way at an alarming rate. Further action should be taken by the international community in order to ensure the multiple benefits of forests for future generations.

Sustainable Forest Management is one of the most important tasks which the world should address. Since the UNCED in 1992, the efforts have already had a history of progress through Intergovernmental Panel on Forests(IPF), United Nations Forum on Forests(UNFF), The East Asia Ministerial Conference on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance, etc. In the Final Report on G8 Action Programme on forests issued last June, G8 members emphasized the importance of forests in the context of the WSSD. At the WSSD, comprehensive actions were agreed for the goal of sustainable forest management.

Here, I would like to point out that Asia has shown its leadership in tackling the challenge of forest governance out of its own ownership. Japan, in order to further promote concrete actions, have launched "Asia Forest Partnership (AFP)" during WSSD. The purpose of AFP is to promote sustainable forest management in Asia, by advancing cooperation in addressing such urgent issues, as, forest law enforcement, illegal logging, forest fire prevention and rehabilitation and reforestation of degraded lands in Asia.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss concrete measures and contributions from each partner to the objectives of AFP. By participating in this partnership, governments, international organizations and civil society are expected to enhance the efficiency of their programs through exchange of information and experience with other participants. They would also be in a better position, through consultations with other participants, to identify and implement new programs. Activities by the civil society including NGOs, industries and think tanks are essential in the implementation of AFP, and they are invited to join this partnership.

For this reason, I look forward to all these active exchange of views among all participants here on how to meet the challenge of promoting sustainable forest management in Asia. I strongly believe that the progress of this AFP can influence such countries in other region as Africa and South America. Then AFP can contribute greatly to development of global sustainable forest management.

Thank you.