On May 28, 2018, the China-Japan Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Forum, co-hosted by the CPAFFC, Sichuan Provincial People’s Government and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Governor of Sichuan Province Yin Li, CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu, Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Nikai Toshihiro and Vice President of Japan Business Federation (KEIDANREN) Yamauchi Takashi attended and addressed the forum. Vice Governor of Sichuan Province Zhu Hexin chaired the opening ceremony of the forum. Luo Qiang, Mayor of Chengdu, and Zhu Dan, Deputy Director General of Japanese Affairs of the CPAFFC, attended the event.
In his speech, Song Jingwu said that China and Japan are close neighbors and suffer from frequent occurrences of natural disasters. The two countries face many common problems in reducing the risks of natural disasters. This year marks the 40th anniversary the signing of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty. In this important year, the forum co-hosted by Chinese and Japanese sides is of great significance for strengthening local exchanges between China and Japan, promoting economic and social development between the two countries, and enhancing the well-being of the two peoples. He also hoped that China and Japan would take the forum as an opportunity to continue the pragmatic cooperation in the fields of disaster prevention and mitigation, so as to further contribute to promoting international cooperation in disaster prevention and mitigation and jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.
On behalf of the Sichuan provincial government and the people of Sichuan, Yin Li expressed gratitude to the Japanese government, Japanese people and Nikai Toshihiro for their support and assistance to Sichuan in the relief work of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. It is hoped that both China and Japan will further deepen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation on disaster prevention and mitigation, strengthen personnel and technical exchanges, establish and improve cooperation mechanisms for geological disaster big data platform, disaster monitoring and early warning, and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, so as to further enhance the ability to cope with major natural disasters.
Nikai Toshihiro said the relationship between the countries is ultimately the relationship between the peoples. Japan and China should continue to deepen bilateral relations, create a better future, and establish a true mutual trust relationship, in order to achieve common development. He hoped that this forum would be an opportunity for Japan and China to work together to promote a better future for the two countries.
Yamauchi Takashi said that this year is the 10th anniversary of the 2018 Wenchuan earthquake. In the past decade, the post-earthquake reconstruction has made tremendous progress. The Japanese economic community is willing to share the experience and technology in response to natural disasters and provide support for Wenchuan's post-disaster reconstruction within its capacity.
Before the forum, Chinese and Japanese guests visited the Photo Exhibition of the 10th Anniversary of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and the Disaster Prevention of Japan.
The theme of this forum is "strengthening cooperation in disaster prevention and mitigation, and building a community with a shared future for mankind." At the forum, Chinese and Japanese participants conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on topics such as disaster prevention and community construction, emergency response and emergency logistics, as well as earthquake-resistance of buildings. More than 240 people from China and Japan attended the forum.
Nikai Toshihiro’s visit to China is at the invitation of the CPAFFC.
Photographed by Li Kun
