On 18 February 2026, the Third AEON SATOYAMA Forum was held at UNU headquarters in Tokyo. The event brought together researchers, local governments and NGOs from across Japan to discuss environmental conservation efforts and how these initiatives contribute to disaster prevention and mitigation.
Opening the session, Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS) underlined the interconnectedness of environmental challenges, including biodiversity loss and climate change. She introduced the work of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) and highlighted the role of traditional satoyama landscapes in disaster mitigation and community resilience.
Tsunao Watanabe (Visiting Research Fellow, UNU-IAS) delivered a keynote speech discussing satoyama and satoumi resources and recovery efforts on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, which was severely affected by earthquakes and heavy rainfall in 2024. A panel discussion addressed ongoing efforts to adopt ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) in Nanao City.
The forum was hosted by AEON Environmental Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Environment of Japan (MOEJ) and UNU-IAS. AEON Environmental Foundation is a member of IPSI, whose secretariat is hosted by UNU-IAS.
