UNU-IAS will co-organize an international symposium on supporting recovery efforts in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa, Japan, following the 2024 Noto Earthquake. This event will bring together representatives from municipalities in Noto and Sanriku, stakeholders in regional industries, educators, youth, experts, officials from Ishikawa Prefecture, and government representatives to discuss the following topics: 

Current situation and challenges 
Leveraging regional strengths for recovery, utilizing the resources of satoyama and satoumi 
Vision for a resilient and sustainable future 
Collaborative efforts to reflect regional needs and youth perspectives in policymaking

Participation & Registration

The event will be held online and in-person at the U Thant International Conference Hall at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. To attend in person, please register in advance. To participate online, please register to receive a Zoom link.

Please note that participants in UNU events may appear in photography, screen captures, videos and/or audio (see disclaimer).

Language

This event will be held in English and Japanese with simultaneous interpretation provided.

Organizers

This event will be co-organized by UNU-IAS, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ); Ishikawa Prefecture; Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC); and the Japan Foundation for the United Nations University (JfUNU), with the support of Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation, Japan Global Biodiversity Framework, AEON Environmental Foundation and the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund S21; and the assistance of Springer Nature.

Programme

Subject to change

13:30 – 13:45 Opening Session

Opening Remarks by Tshilidzi Marwala (Rector, UNU)
Remarks by Kentaro Asahi (Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment, Japan)
Remarks by Atsuko Nishigaki (Vice-Governor, Ishikawa Prefecture)

13:45 – 14:15 Keynote Speeches

Masuhiro Izumiya (Mayor, Suzu City)
Jin Sato (Mayor, Minamisanriku Town)

14:25 – 14:55 Government Reconstruction Measures

Reconstruction measures by the Ministry of the Environment; the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries; and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

14:45 – 14:50 Video Message from an International Partner

15:20 – 16:50 Panel Discussion

Moderator: Kazuhiko Takeuchi (President, IGES)

Sayako Koyama (Research Associate, UNU-IAS OUIK)
Chojiro Ono (Notohahaso Charcoal)
Junko Kirimoto (WAJIMA KIRIMOTO)
Kentaro Tada (President and CEO, Tadaya Ryokan)
Satoshi Kimura (Noto High School Coordinator)   
Nanao High School  Students
Nobuhiro Kido (Management Committee Member, Nanao Branch of Ishikawa Prefecture Fisheries Cooperative)

  16:50 – 17:00 Closing Session