Initial Meeting with GAD Bago District and Village Visit at Thanatpin – 8 July 2016

Dr. Win Win Zin coordinated the meeting for the district level GAD headed by Director U Soe Naing. The meeting was attended by UTokyo-YTU team and GAD personnel. The UTokyo-YTU team was composed of Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki, Dr. Win Win Zin, Mr.Hiroyuki Okazaki (JICA coordinator), Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto, Ms. Shelly Zin(YTU PhD student), Ms. Suwai Thin (YTU MS Student), and Mr. Chit Bo Bo Win (YTU MS Student). The GAD personnel were U Nay Min Thu Aung (Deputy Director - Bago District), U Tin Tun Zaw (Bago Township), and U Than Naing (Deputy Director – Thanatpin Township). GAD Director U Soe Naing briefly attended the meeting due top previous appointment. Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki introduced the project details to the GAD personnel through a presentation. The meeting was to create an initial understanding between the parties and potential support of GAD in the activities related to the project. The GAD office was receptive of the project activities and further coordination with the UTokyo-YTU was well received.

Initial Meeting between UTokyo-YTU team and GAD Bago District Office    

In addition, U Tin Tun Zaw (Deputy Director of Bago Township) joined the UTokyo-YTU team in going to a small village in Thanatpin Township. The group visited the village to ask the potential of doing a 2-3 days immersion visit by UTokyo undergraduate students headed by Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki and several YTU students. The aim of the immersion visit was to further understand the daily lifestyle of the local villagers. This understanding aids in developing the local community level disaster management system that the UTokyo-YTU collaboration is currently developing. This understanding strengthens the potential effectiveness of the disaster management system in the local community level implementation. Figure below shows the picture of the meeting of the group with the local villagers.

UTokyo-YTU Meeting with Village Residents at Thanatpin Township 

DIAS short movie

"What's DIAS (Data Integration and Analysis System)? "
This short video summarizes the outline of DIAS
https://youtu.be/vuZM16mOvQE

『データ統合・解析システムDIASとは？ 』
DIAS（Data Integration and Analysis System）の概要を紹介します。
https://youtu.be/Dyn5_d6np6w

災害は貧困を加速する：持続可能な開発に向けた減災・防災の貢献

日時：　2016年8月27日（土）13:00-14:30
会場：　東京大学　理学部1号館西棟206講義室
主催：　日本学術会議 科学技術を生かした防災・減災政策の国際的展開に関する検討委員会

参加登録：　
http://bosai-kokutai.jp/exhibition05.html#32

概要：　持続可能な開発を考えるためには、頻発する巨大災害や気候変動などの自然災害リスクに加えて、増大する世界人口や社会・経済活動の発展など、急速に変化する世界の諸問題に対する統合的アプローチが必要である。本セッションでは、持続可能な開発目標（SDGs）に関連する貧困と災害の問題を中心として、国際的な動向や問題解決に向けた科学・技術の役割について最新事例を紹介する。総合討論では、持続可能な社会の実現に向けた自然科学系と社会科学系の融合、さらには開発援助機関やNGOなどの実務者を含めた社会と学術界の連携のあり方について考えたい。

内容：
・ 司会　小野 裕一（東北大学災害科学国際研究所 所長補佐・教授）
・ 開会挨拶　　大西 隆（日本学術会議　会長）

・ 先進的取組み事例紹介

「防災大国日本が名実ともに世界をリードする防災支援の潮流とは：仙台枠組みに反映された日本の主張と、持続的発展の基礎としての防災」
　　竹谷 公男（独立行政法人 国際協力機構（JICA）・上席国際協力専門員）

「災害の経済成長へのインパクト：パキスタンを対象にしたケーススタディ」
　　横松 宗太（京都大学 防災研究所・准教授）

「人文・社会系での問題の捉え方、見方」
　　林　春男（国立研究開発法人 防災科学技術研究所・理事長）

「洪水と貧困の関連性分析：ミャンマーでの地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力プログラム（SATREPS）の取組み」
　　川崎 昭如（東京大学 大学院工学系研究科・特任准教授）

「防災・減災に関する学術界の国内外の動向」
　　塚原 健一（九州大学 工学研究院 附属アジア防災研究センター・教授）
　　
・ 総合討論
座長　　小池 俊雄（東京大学 大学院工学系研究科・教授／水災害・リスクマネジメント国際センター(ICHARM)　センター長）

チラシPDFダウンロード

奮って、ご参加ください！

DIASシンポジウム2016

『データ統合・解析システム（DIAS）が生み出す知、社会、ビジネス
　～地球環境情報プラットフォームの構築に向けて～』

---------------------------------------------------------------
皆様のご登録・ご参加をお待ちしております！

●申し込み及び詳細
http://www.diasjp.net/infomation/dias-symposium-2016/

●開催概要
●───────────────────────
■日時：2016年8月1日（月）13:30 - 17:30
　（13:00受付開始、終了後懇親会予定）
■会場：東京大学 弥生講堂 一条ホール
■定員：270名（無料）

●プログラム
●──────────────────────
■第１部：DIASの基盤技術と、その活用・発展
  13:50-14:50
  「DIASの力をビジネスへ」
      井上 準二　リモート・センシング技術センター 常務理事
      岩野 和生　地球環境情報プラットフォーム事業構築プログラム・マネージャー、東京工業大学客員教授

  「DIASの進化の歴史と今後の展望」
      喜連川 優　国立情報学研究所 所長、東京大学 教授

  「DIASによる水課題解決の実例と今後の展望」
      小池 俊雄　水災害・リスクマネジメント国際センター センター長、東京大学 教授

  「DIASを用いた持続可能な都市開発の可能性」
      林 良嗣　中部大学 総合工学研究所 教授

■特別講演
  14:50-15:10
  「地球環境情報、日本が果たし得る役割」
      藤山 知彦　科学技術振興機構 上席フェロー

■招待講演（通訳付き）
  15:25-15:55
  「Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and the Australian Geoscience Data Cube - Toward the Integrated Earth Environmental information System -」
      Dr. Alex Held, 2016 CEOS Chair representative / CSIRO

■第２部：地球環境情報がもたらす、社会・ビジネスインパクトの展望
　15:55-16:55
  「DIAS×G空間情報がもたらす新たな社会とビジネスの可能性」
      柴崎 亮介　東京大学 地球観測データ統融合連携研究機構 機構長、空間情報科学研究センター 教授

　  農業：「地球環境情報を用いた次世代農業の可能性」
　　　島津 秀雄　NECソリューションイノベータ株式会社 執行役員

　　エネルギー：「ダム管理におけるDIAS活用への期待」
　　　　村井 寛人　中部電力株式会社 発電カンパニー 再生可能エネルギー事業部 運営・技術グループ 副長

　　気象：「気象ビジネスにおけるDIASへの期待」
　　　　鈴木 靖　一般財団法人日本気象協会 執行役員技師長
　「DIAS活用のビジネスモデル」
　　　　本郷 尚　株式会社三井物産戦略研究所 シニア研究フェロー

■第３部：パネルディスカッション
　16:55-17:25
    「 DIASのビジネス化に向けた今後の課題と展望」
　　　　モデレータ：井上 準二
　　　　ディスカッサント：喜連川 優
　　　　パネリスト： 第２部の講演者

JSCE International Activities Center News Issue No.45 (2016-07-01)

Hi everyone, this is Abdul Moiz (M-1 Student).

An article about my experience as an international student at the University of Tokyo and in Japan in general, was published by the Japanese Society of Civil Engineer's International Activities Center in their Newsletter Issue No. 45.

This article may be very interesting to international students willing to study at the University of Tokyo or any University in Japan, specifically for majoring in Civil Engineering.

Please see the link below:
http://www.jsce-int.org/pub/iacnews/45

Zaung Tu Weir Observation Checking (May 25, 2016)

The observation was installed almost two months ago. However, there were some problems encountered in the collected data. Due to this, efforts were made to recheck the instrument and analyze the reason for the problem. The checking was participated by Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto, Dr. Zaw Zaw Latt (ID Officer), and two YTU students – Ms. Shelly Win and Ms. Su Wai Thin as shown in Figure 7.  The group checked the set-up, instrument, connections, data collection, and data archiving functions of the observation system. Finally, the problem was diagnosed to be due to the connections. The problem was fixed. Every aspect was checked in the data collection including the data archiving to the UTokyo server. This experience on the observation checking will be translated to a manual for the succeeding checks and succeeding installation of the other observations for the telemetry system to be established in Bago River Basin.

Checking of the operation of the weather station at Zaung Tu Weir with YTU students and ID Officer

In the afternoon, additional discussions with Daw Khon Ra (Director of Irrigation Department), Dr. Aung Than Oo (Assistant Director of Irrigation Department), Dr. Win Win Zin (YTU), and Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki was facilitated in YTU to discuss other issues for the succeeding installations of the telemetry system in Bago River Basin.

Global Water Partnership’s High Level Roundtable Meeting for Water Security and SDGs in Myanmar (May 24, 2016)

The High Level Meeting was organized primarily by Global Water Partnership (GWP) in coordination with Office of the UN Secretary-Generals’ Special Envoy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Water and Government of Myanmar. The High Level meeting aims to further endorse and strengthen the role of water as main foundation in national development agenda in Myanmar. This is done by convening professionals and institutions in the region with various experience and knowledge with key water-related Ministers and members of the Water Think Tank in Myanmar in the discussion of ensuring water security and achieving sustainable development goals in the country and in South East Asia. This is to further the improvement of governance and management of water resources for water security that can lead to a sustainable and equitable development in the country and region. The Round Table Meeting was focused on five SDGs, namely SDG 5 (Gender), SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Cities), SDG 13 (Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction), SDG 17 (Partnerships).

Group Photo taken at the High Level meeting at Inya Lake

(Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/globalwaterpartnership/sets/72157668281304670/with/27317347046/)

The welcome address was delivered by Deputy Union Minister U Kyaw Myo from the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Myanmar. He stressed the importance of water in the lives of the people and how water insecurity can have negative impacts that may lead eventually to crisis. Due to this, he emphasize the role of water as the “basis of all economic development activities” and the importance of understanding the “water-energy-food nexus” in order to “boost the sustainable development in Myanmar”. He concluded his speech by saying that the meeting was a positive development and expressed his gratitude to the participants. Congratulatory remarks were given by Dr. Jennifer Sara (Global Water Practice Director, World Bank Group), and by Dr. Koji Ikeuchi (Vice Minister, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan).

Photo (left image) during congratulatory remarks delivered by Dr. Koji Ikeuchi (Vice Minister of  Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan) and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Resilience Roundtable led by Professor Toshio Koike (right image)

Four keynote addresses were delivered in the meeting. The keynote speakers were Dr. Kenzo Hiroki (Special Advisor, United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation), Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein (Secretary of Myanmar Water Think Tank, Water Security and new Economic policy in Myanmar), Mrs. Kenza Robinson (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), and Drs. Koos Wieriks (Strategic Advisor Water Management, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment of the Netherlands). Afterwards, each group facilitated round table discussions for SDG 5 (Gender), SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Cities), SDG 13 (Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction), and SDG 17 (Partnerships). Each group was tasked to discuss the recommendations and corresponding rationale in dealing with the water security and achieving the SDGs in Myanmar and South East Asia. A background paper as a result of the meeting can be found in GWP website to summarize the proceedings. Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki and Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto participated in the round table discussion as representatives of University of Tokyo and part of SATREPs project. Dr. Kawasaki was designated on SDG 11- Cities, while Dr. Acierto was assigned to SDG 13 Climate Change and DRR. Lastly, Dr. Toshio Koike led and summarized the discussion on the SDG 13 table tackling Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction. The High Level meeting paves the road in mainstreaming the importance of dealing with water security issues and achieving SDGs in the national development agenda of the new administration in Myanmar.

The background paper on the meeting can be accessed to this link  below:

Source: http://www.gwp.org/Global/Events/Myanmar/Background%20Paper%20HLRT%20Myanmar.pdf

Accessed on 31May2016