Overview of the 12th "Asia Pacific Forum, Awaji Conference Japan" Forum

The forum opened with a welcome message by Awaji Conference Representative Director Satoshi Iue and followed with keynote proposals by four speakers, coordinated by Yutaka Katayama, Professor of Kobe University Graduate School. After that, participants broke up into three sessions where active discussions on selected themes ensued.

The plenary session that followed lunch began with session moderators reporting on the discussions of their respective sessions and was followed by deep discussions by all in attendance. Finally, to close the two days of events, Awaji Conference Executive Director Makoto Iokibe gave a summary of events and made acknowledgements.

Overview of Keynote Proposals

Using Culture to Revitalize Japan in the 21st Century

Seiichi Kondo, Commissioner, Agency for Cultural Affairs

The Japanese people have much to be proud of in their view of nature, acceptance of ambiguity, strong pacifism and their ability to constructively absorb, digest and refine foreign cultures.

Culture is one key to revitalizing Japan. What is needed is a system that can effectively tie together Japans cultural assets, human resources, tangible and intangible heritages, and an integral and wonderful mindset that has been handed down from ancient times, and integrate them into socio-economic strengths of the country.

Postwar society stressed economic growth and neglected to establish social systems that would generate spiritual wealth through culture. The country has been overly focused on churning out workers and promoting a standardized system of mass-production and mass-consumption in schools, homes and workplaces. And, because of the success Japan has had with that, it has failed to give the Japanese people the chance to partake and admire the cultural arts. That approach needs to be greatly changed. This is the key to making the people who will build Japans systems ethical, moral and happy.

A Super-Aging Society and Reform of Health Care System

Tetsuo Tsuji, Professor, Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo

In Japans super-aging society, it will be important to improve the quality of life during the period that nursing care is needed. Medical care needs to evolve from the conventional organ-centric care to home care that supports the patients lifestyle in addition to treating his/her conditions.

In Japans super-aging society, it will be important to improve the quality of life during the period that nursing care is needed. Medical care needs to evolve from the conventional organ-centric care to home care that supports the patients lifestyle in addition to treating his/her conditions.

What is meant by a super-aging society is that nursing systems have become necessary as a result of economic development, that is to say, the longer lifespans, progressive urbanization and growth of nuclear families that have been spawned by that. Accordingly, even if people change their values and accept greater responsibility, as long a system is still needed to ensure everyone a secure way of life, our economic development cannot be considered complete. Societies in Asia are aging rapidly and it is unknown how this will play out in the future. Being the first society to age like this in Asia, Japan is in a position to set an example of how to successfully address a super-aging world the Asian way.

Rebuilding from a Major Disaster

Yoshiteru Murosaki, Professor, School of Policy Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University; Director, Institute of Disaster Recovering System Research Institute, Kwansei Gakuin University; Director, Hyogo Voluntary Plaza

The Great East Japan Earthquake was a compounded disaster of massive size and widespread impact. Despite the best possible aid and assistance, food and medicine did not reach some individuals, instilling a sense of hopelessness. When looking at the land and social structures of Japan in the background of this event, the keywords of disaster mitigation and living together come to mind.

Disaster mitigation: In the face of all-mighty Mother Nature, despite being small by comparison, mankind must take measures to reduce damage by looking at space (public spaces large and small), time (before, during and after), means (hard, soft and spiritual) and proponents (governments, experts, residents and businesses).

Living together: This particular disaster is an opportunity for Japan to build new and safe social systems that carefully incorporate what mankind has thought of disasters until now (praying, fleeing, bending and resisting). It is imperative to face the power of Mother Nature with the ability to coexist with Her, study our local history and apply the wisdom it teaches us, employ scientific technology towards disaster mitigation without overly believing in it, and work with one another in the name of safety and peace.

Coexistence between Industry and Mankind in the 21st Century: Future of the Welfare Industry

Kazuo Sekiguchi, Professor, Faculty of Healthcare Management, Nihon Fukushi University

Needs for the welfare industry will become increasingly more pronounced in the future, but the key lies in what the supply side does about those needs. The welfare industry is growing because of lifestyles and welfare are grasped as an integral part of all industries. In developing business, it is important to train human resources and faithfully meet user requests. In addition to identifying and addressing life issues and needs, the conditions that allow anyone to take part must be put in place. Moreover, for the welfare industry to develop further, mechanisms that allow free activity must be built as a part of industrial policy, new services not provided by systems and insurance plans must be developed and demands for those services must be created.

The welfare industry is needed for the role it will play in shaping future communities. It must incorporate care systems for all of society in order to fulfill this role and be an integral part of the lives of the people.

Overview of Sessions

Key Points of Session 1: Culture and Japanese Society

Reported by: Yutaka Katayama, Professor, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University

Elderly citizens issues and culture: Babyboomers are the most indifferent to culture; they have hobbies, just golf and strolling, and thats about it. This is common amongst politicians and other leaders, and one of Japans weak points. That is when it was suggested to look at elderly citizens issues from a cultural perspective. While some will insist that matters must be left up to markets, others feel that the importance and power of culture should be used from the perspective of making life worth living for.

The power of culture and art in times of crisis: In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, when people were living in destitute and feeling desolate, culture gave them strength. Culture and art have the power to bring divided people together in the truest sense. The opinion was put forward that culture should be reconsidered especially in times of crisis. Though the decline in social capital is a regular topic these days, the Great East Japan Earthquake saw a strong nationwide effort to help that spurred even young people, who normally are indifferent to the sorrows, misfortune and problems of others, to volunteer. Some have suggested that this should be explored for future use.

Culture and industrial competitiveness: It is not preferable that the national and local governments meddle in culture. Yet, governmental funding is needed in one way or another. Before industrializing Japanese culture, we must first rediscover and identify the international comparative advantages of Japanese culture. Developing these strengths in clusters can exhibit international competitiveness in the broad sense and strengthen the competitiveness of the industry. Governmental involvement and support were discussed from this perspective.

Castle town cultures: In more rural areas, culture is deeply rooted in the way people live. It is what people come to rely on. The power of culture that local communities have nurtured over the centuries should also be reexamined from the perspective of power decentralization. Local cultures can exhibit their strengths in recovery from disaster and as tourism assets.

Openness and diversity: Coexistence is an important concept that is conveyed via culture and communications, but it must not exclude that which is different, to note foreign nationals or minorities. It was pointed out that openness is absolutely essential.

Key Points of Session 2: A New Civil Society

Reported by: Naoto Yamauchi, Professor, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University

A model of civil society to aim for: The point was raised on the future society being about new government rather than non-government. This would be like a Northern European public sector that juxtaposes citizens to government with the activities of civil and workers cooperatives in the middle, and everyone bearing the load and sharing the benefits.

Difference in private sector activities between the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake: Though the number of volunteers serving the Great East Japan Earthquake was lower than in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, donations were far higher and the objective and means of donating were varied, i.e., donations to NPO activities, online donations, etc. Notice needs to be taken on whether these volunteer activities and donations will take root in the future.

It was pointed out that, in the case of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, there was vast urban infrastructure in and around Kobe and residents in stricken areas were on equal terms with local government, whereas the stricken areas in the Great East Japan Earthquake retained traditional communities centered on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. And, because they relied heavily on government, there was a big difference in how Tohoku residents who were directly impacted reacted to the event.

In defining the actors of a new civil society, it was noted that, in Japans case, traditional neighborhood associations and community development councils play very important roles and that these roles should be rediscovered.

Private businesses fulfilled big roles in both the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake. In particular, their contribution via the transport of goods was called to attention.

Defining the term civil society: More so than the sessions theme of civil society, Japanese people would find it easier to comprehend terms like a new convivial society or convivial society. It was finally concluded thatconvivial society was better suited than civil society because of the cooperation and assistance connotations it has.

Key Points of Session 3: New Models for an Industrial Society

Reported by: Toshihiko Hayashi, Professor, Graduate School of Policy and Management, Doshisha University; Director of Research, Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 2lst Century Research Institute

Building a sustainable industrial society: It was unanimous amongst participants that a new industrial society would be centered on a new generation and that the concept of building a sustainable industrial society was extremely important.

Tax increases: An opinion was put forth that tax hikes should be considered in order not to lay todays burdens on the next generation. The illustrated vision was for using tax increases to make Japan a better and optimistic country rather than increasing taxes because of shortage of capital, which naturally would require the consent of taxpayers.

Industrial restructuring: Industrial structures need to be converted to constructively address globalization and build a non-manufacturing industrial society in Japan. Talks pointed out that innovative policies, administration and politics are needed in order to get society moving. In Japans transition to a non-manufacturing industrial structure, systems, mechanisms and industries would be adapted to the new structure using medical care, ecology, nursing care and regional issues as demand sources. Several examples were given of advanced businesses having already transformed themselves from manufacturing companies into non-manufacturing companies that provide services.

Local production for local consumption: Local production for local consumption was talked about as the key to building this new business model. Both demand and labor come from the local area. Food, healthcare, nursing care and the greater welfare industry, as well as energy would be locally produced and locally consumed as well.

Human resources: Women and elderly persons, because of their experience, were named as human resources needed by non-manufacturing industries. Discussions also delved into the possibilities of bringing women at home into the labor force, reorganizing retirees who have returned to the their native communities to create a special economic zone for agriculture and industry, and developing the services industry.

Changing the system of values: To think of new things, we must change our system of values. For what regards society as well, a big clue can be found in the concepts of integrated medical care. Medicine focuses on the health of those active in society, but parts of modern society have fallen ill. To deal with this, issues should not just be economically analyzed, as a policy of prevention that - for example - builds a society that is tough against disaster is needed.

Ways to transform ideas into action: Many good proposals and ideas are crafted, but not applied to society. The opinion was put forth that persons from industry, politics and academia need more than anything else to confide in each other and share frank opinions with one another, and that these people from differing fields should think about who should do what and how.

After hearing the session reports, all participants furthered the discussions. Finally, to close the two days of events, Makoto Iokibe, President of the National Defense Academy of Japan and Chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, gave a summary of events and made acknowledgements. Then, with the consensus of participants, the forum was brought to a close.

A joint statement is released under the title of Awaji Conference Statement.