Welcome Party for the Participants to the JICA Program on Port Development and Planning (for port engineers)

On June 10th, 2016, the reception was held at the Tokai University Club, Kasumigaseki Building.

The program, which started from 4th June and ended 6th August, received 16 participants form Angola, Cambodia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Papua New Guinee, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tonga and Vietnam, among which 4 were female.

The ceremony started 18:30, thereafter followed welcome Reception. While all the Participants were asked to introduce themselves, some of them made their introduction in Japanese. During the party, there were several circles in which Participants enjoyed conversation with the Japanese guests known to them.

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Kyousuke Korematsu of the International Planning Office, MLIT emceed the Ceremony.

Guest of honor, Mr. Shuichi Tsuda, Deputy Director-General for Engineering Affairs, MLIT made a welcome speech.

Rep. of the Participants, Ms. Basilio Marisa Lourenco, Angola made a thank-you speech.

Mr. Eiji Tomida, President of OCDI (Overseas Coastal area Development Institute) welcomed the Participants and proposed a toast on behalf of nine (9) port-related organizations which co-hosted the party.

Group Photo of the Participants.

Group Photo of the assembly.

26th Board of Directors Meeting and 24th Annual Conference

On June 14th, 2016, 26th Board of Directors Meeting and 24th Annual Conference, were held at the 6th floor SCOPE(the Service Center of Port Engineering) meeting room of the Shoyu Kaikan Building.

Mr. Takeshi Nakazaki, Director of International Planning Office, Industrial Port Department, MLIT attended the Board of Directors Meeting as a guest of honor.

Mr. Shuichi Tsuda, Deputy Director-General for Engineering Affairs, MLIT attended and addressed at the Annual Conference.

Mr. Ikeda, Chaired the conference.

Some questions from the floor.

Mr. Sato, Planning Committee, reported the 2nd Philippine Seminar.

All items on the Agenda were approved without objection.

Excursion to see Japanese Society and Culture for the Participants to the JICA Program

The excursion was held on June 11th, 2016, which aimed to provide the Participants who arrived only a few days ago, with an opportunity to encounter Japanese society and culture, as well as to deepen friendship between the Participants and the Japanese guides. The event was the first of this year. Places to visit were the same to the last year's program as they had been well accepted. Last year JOPCA conducted the program as a trial basis. It decided to make this program as regular basis.

The Program this time was for the Participants to the JICA Port Development and Planning Course, in which 14 Participants (11 countries) out of 16 enjoyed. As tour guides, 9 Japanese from JOPCA Secretary, JOPCA member and MLIT (4 junior officers) volunteered to join the program.

At 8 o'clock in the morning, the tour started from JICA Yokohama Training Center (YTC), headed for the first destination, Tukiji Market where participants were very much interested in the active atmosphere of the gigantic market.

Then they headed to the Hama-rikyu Gardens, where several group photos were taken (an example is shown below). In a teahouse, they enjoyed green tea and fresh sweets, while looking the beautiful scenery around. Some like green tea while others don't. But all of them were impressed by the taste and delicacy of workmanship of the sweets. It is a pity that 2 participants from Indonesia were on Ramadan, and could not eat nor drink. From Hama-rikyu Gardens, they took water-bus to Asakusa, through Hinode-sanbashi pier and under the bridge over Sumida River. Then they took a group photo with the Sky Tree tower behind.

For lunch, the party ate set menu of Tempura at the restaurant next to the Kaminarimon gate. After quick guidance of the manner to eat Tempura, the Participants challenged to use chopsticks with a little difficulty, but they enjoyed Tempura. The Participants who could not eat because of Ramadan, Tempura was doggy-bagged for night meal. After the lunch, they enjoyed Japanese culture as well as tradition while strolling Nakamise-dori lane and seeing people praying at Sensoji Temple.

At 3 pm, the party disbanded and the members were announced to be free to go. This time all of the Participants liked to directly return to YTC, and the party went back to Asakusa Station and experienced how to charge PASMO.

This small excursion surely provided the Participants an opportunity to know Japanese society as well as culture, hence made their first holiday in Japan a happy one. For Japanese participants who volunteered to guide the tour, the excursion gave a great experience of international exchange.

OCDI・JOPCA joint Workshop on the World Movement surrounding the port sector

On October 7th, 2016, the said Workshop was held, in which 2 former Embassy secretariats, 1 former consul and 3 JICA experts, presented the port-related topics of the countries where they had worked to serve. More than 100 participants took part in.

Opening Address by Mr. Eiji Tomida, the President of OCDI

Guest's speech by Makoto Mizutani, Director, Industrial Port Policy Division, MLIT

Topic 1 by Mr. Tsutomu Tsuiki, Chief, Port Project Evaluation Section, Planning Division, Ports and Harbors Bureau (PHB), MLIT (former secretary of the Japanese Embassy at Colombia)

Topic 2 by Mr. Hironori Ito, Deputy Director, Cruise Promotion Office, Industrial Port Policy Division, PHB, MLIT (former Consul of the Japanese Consular Office at Shanghai)

Topic 3 by Mr. Toyoteru Doi, Chief, Performance Regulation Section, Engineering Management Office, PHD, MLIT (former Secretary of the Japanese Embassy at Sri Lanka)

Topic 4 by Mr. Koichi Sase, Director, Risk Management Office, PHB, (former JICA Expert to Chile)

Topic 5 by Mr. Hiroyuki Onishi, Rinkai-Nissan Construction Company, (former JICA Expert to East Timor)

Topic 6 by Mr. Tetsuro Ikeda, Director, Nagoya Port Office, Chubu Region Development Bureau, MLIT (former JICA Expert to Cambodia)

There were some questions from the floor.

Excursion to see Japanese Society and Culture for the Participants to the JICA Program (2)

The excursion was held on November 5th, 2016, which was the second occasion in 2016. The program had started 2015, and was well established now.

The excursion started from the Tsukiji Market, to Hama-Rikyu Gardens, and ascending Sumida River by waterbus to Asakusa. The party enjoyed Tempura for lunch, which was equally well accepted by the JICA Participants who had various cultural as well as religious background. The destination of the excursion was to visit Sensoji temple after seeing the wave of people at the Nakamise-dori lane.

The Program this time was for 14 men and women out of 10 countries who participated in the JICA Port Logistic Improvement Course (for Africa). They are all good friends and chats never ended through the course of the tour. 7 Japanese including 4 junior officials from MLIT and the city of Yokohama, accompanied the tour trying to explain Japanese society and culture.

Highlight of the tour 1

At the Hama Rikyu Gardens, the party visited the teahouse at the island in the Shioiri Pond and was served Japanese tea and sweets. They were worried but enjoyed the manner of tea ceremony, particularly of sitting straight on the tatami mat while sipping tea.

Highlight of the tour 2

When all of the party members finished a course lunch; small dish of starter, pickles, miso-soup, cup of rice and tempra, one of them suddenly said "By the way, when we can get main dish?" No wonder, he was well built, far bigger than average Japanese, all the others laughed and understood the Japanese standard of quantity was not enough for this titan.

In the late afternoon when all the programs completed, the party returned to JICA Yokohama in groups. Have a good rest.

In front of the three hundred year pine tree, Hama Rikyu Gardens

Tea Ceremony at the teahouse, Hama Rikyu gardens

Strolling inside the Hama Rikyu gardens

On the waterbus to Asakusa

At the stop of Asakusa waterbus stop

At the entrance to the Sensoji temple

Tempura lunch at Sansada, Asakusa

In the Sensoji Temple

7th JOPCA Seminar on November 15, 2016

The Seminar was held on November 15, 2016 at Shoyu Kaikan with 100 audiences. The theme was quality infrastructure systems expansion overseas.

Opening address by Mr. Ikeda, the president of JOPCA

Opening remarks by the distinguished guest, Mr. Mizutani, Director, Industrial Port Division, MLIT

Topic 1: Implementation of Infrastructure and International Cooperation, by Dr. Masahide Horita, Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Tokyo University

Topic 2: Recent topics on infrastructure export of the port sector, Taku Nishimura, Director, International Planning Office, Port and Harbor Bureau, MLIT

Topic 3: JICA's commitment for quality infrastructure, by Masahiro Yoshimi, Technical Counselor, Infrastructure and Peace Building Department, JICA

Questions and answers

2nd Indonesian Seminar

The seminar was held on December 21st, 2016, at Jakarta, Indonesia.

Ⅰ．Indonesian Seminar

1. 9:00am to 15:30 pm, December 21st, 2016

2. Venue: Millennium Hotel, Jakarta

3. Hosts: Directrate-General of Sea Transportation (DGST) and JOPCA

Co-sponsors: Overseas Coastal Area Development Institute of Japan (OCDI)

and Ports and Airports Engineering Center (SCOPE)

Patrons: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)

and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

4. Seminar Program (see Attached paper)

5. Participants

Indonesia: 35

Japan: 29

Total: 64

6. Seminar in brief

① Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony took place just on time at 9:00 am. Ms. Niken of DGST emceed the Ceremony. First, on behalf of Japanese side, Mr. Ikeda, President of JOPCA made an opening remark. Then Mr. Tony, Director-General of DGST made a welcome speech. As Mr. Tony was fully occupied at his office and could not stay at the seminar, group photo was taken at this moment with all the people attended.

After Mr. Tony left the seminar, two greetings were made by two distinguished guests; Ms. Takada, Minister, Japanese Embassy at Jakarta, which was followed by Ms. Denir, Deputy Representative, JICA Indonesia Office.

Mr. Fujita, Planning Committee of JOPCA, briefed the audience of the purpose and the history of JICA Alumni Association (JAA), which had been established five years ago basing upon the fact that total number of Indonesian visited Japan for participating in the JICA Training Course in the port sector counted more than 230. At the occasion of the 2nd assembly, Mr. Ikeda for Japanese side and Mr. Tony for Indonesian side as Presidents of the JAA were designated. Both gentlemen (Mr. Kemar was acting for Mr. Tony) made acceptance speech, and committed for further cooperation.

② Seminar, Session 1

The first speaker was Mr. Hiderou Sasaki, Deputy President of the Tomakomai port (former JICA expert to Indonesia) talked about the port of Tomakomai as a ferry terminal for RORO type vessel, and as a core of industrial compound, suggesting the full utilization of RORO vessels and integrated development of industrial compounds and port facilities within the framework of President Jokowi's plan, "To Laut". Dr. Hiroshi Yokota, Professor of Hokkaido University, talked about the present and future prospects of technical standards such as international unification of design standards like Euro Codes, Japanese Technical Standards on Port and Harbors and its updates including basic modifications.

③ Seminar, Session 2

Mr. Sadao Orishimo, Director, Project Department, Oriental Consultants Global, who had been working for more than 30 years on Jakarta Fishery port financed by Yen Loan, talked about the history of the port, ground improvement technique using bamboo piles and mats, mangrove-planted breakwaters for safety measure. Final Speaker, Mr. Keiji Arita, Senior Researcher of SCOPE, talked about their publication of Technical Standards on Port and Harbor in English version, and the utilization of the book together with the Port and Harbor works Implementation Guidebook (also English version), and their efforts to improvement for further internationalization.

④ Closing Ceremony

After the Seminar, each participant received Seminar Completion Certificate from Mr. Ikeda.

Finally, Mr. Fujita of the Planning Committee of JOPCA, made a closing remark, expressing JOPCA's commitment for further mutual interchange between the two countries.

Ⅱ. Study Excursion to the port of Tanjung Priok, North Karibal District

Following the Seminar, 19 JOPCA members visited the New Priok Terminal at the North Karibal District, Port of Tanjung Priok, which had been just opened August 18th this year. The terminal was 850m long, 16m deep with the handling capacity of 1.5 million TEUs annually.

Group Photo just after the opening

Group Photo after the hand-out ceremony of certificates

Opening

Opening Speech by Mr. Ikeda

Welcome speech by Mr. Tony

Greeting by distinguished guest, Ms. Takada, Minister of Japanese Embassy

Greetings by Ms. Dinur, Vice Representative of JICA Indonesia

Designation of new presidents of JICA Alumni Association

New presidents shaking hands (for Indonesia, Mr. Kemar was acting for Mr. Tony)

Presentation of Handbooks by Mr. Nakao, President of SCOPE

MC, Ms. Niken of DGST

Mr. Sasaki

Dr. Yokota

Questions and answers

Mr. Orishimo

Mr. Arita

Mr. Ikeda handing certificate to a participant

Mr. Ikeda with Mr. Tony and Ms. Takada (back room before the seminar)

Briefing at their conference room

The first berth had already put in operation

Excursion to see Japanese Society and Culture for the Participants to the JICA Program - 3

The third excursion was held on January 21st, 2017, for the Participants who enrolled in the JICA Strategic Port Management Course. The number of the Participants counted 18 from 14 countries. 9 Japanese volunteers guided the tour; 4 from MLIT, 1 from Yokohama city, 1 from Nikken Kogaku Co, and 3 from JOPCA secretary. This JICA course has a long history, just like the Port Development and Planning Course, and the some of the Participants were senior officials of the mother organization.

The route this time had a few modifications. The Tsukiji Market had changed their opening hour for tourists from 9 am to 10 am, which forced us to skip the market, and the time for lunch was set a little later than before, which made the tour enable to visit Asakusa Cultural Tourists Center in front of Kaminarimon, where the tour enjoyed the Sensoji Temple as well as Nakamise-dori lane from the 8th floor observation terrace. In total, the tour route was Hamarikyu Gardens (where the tourists enjoyed Japanese green tea with sweets on tatami mat), Sumida-River Cruise, Asakusa Cultural Tourists Center, Lunch (Tempura set menu), Nakamise-dori lane and Sensoji Temple.

What we cared most was weather. The season was the coldest of the year in Japan. If it was rain, some of the Participants, most of who were from warm countries, might get sick. The team was worried by the weather forecast on the previous day that it might snow the day followed. It turned out the weather was clear and no wind, which made the day best suitable for the tour. Besides, the Participants were well prepared for the cold temperature. Good weather as well as the well preparation would surely promise the tour success. The purpose of the tour was to get the Participants familiar with the tradition and the culture of Japan. Nowadays, Japan has been getting more and more attention from all over the world, thus all the Participants were very much interested in the tour.

Another concern was that the Participants were from various countries with various religions and customs, which might cause trouble among the Participants. Lunch was carefully selected and a typical Japanese food of tempura of shrimp and vegetables were selected, which were served while sitting on chairs on tatami mat. Fortunately none was vegetarian. Even Islamic Participants enjoyed tempura. A Participant was not accustomed to Japanese green tea, who instead took a cup of not very hot water.

The most important thing was not to let anyone lost through the end of the tour. Nakamisa-dori lane as well as Sensoji Temple were chaotically crowded, but Japanese guides were well organized and there were no lost during the tour.

The tour completed without major troubles, which after all resulted from the good characters and good behaviors of the Participants. At the end of the tour, the Participants were asked whether they enjoyed the tour or not. All of them answered yes! After all the objective of the tour was to let the Participants know and like Japan. If the Participants really enjoyed the tour and tended to like Japan, Japanese guides were very happy.

After the tour, some members went to Tokyo Sky-tree and others went directly back to their Hotel, with each group escorted by Japanese guides, thus concluded the rather long day. Some Japanese members were reportedly enjoyed drinking with some participants at the Hotel.

In front of 300 years old Pine Tree

At the terrace of tea ceremony room

At the tea ceremory room

With JICA Participant

In front of the ASAHI Beer Company

Tempura lunch at Sansada Tempura Restaurant

Group photo in front of Sensoji