Japanese week in Brussels 2013
-In commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake-

Kobe University Symposiumin collaboration with European Economic and Social Committee
Date: 13 March 2013 10:00 - 17:30
Venue: European Economic and Social Committee
JDE 63 (6th floor, Jacques Delors Building)99, rue Belliard, 1040 Brussels

Yamada (Iwate, Japan) “Dawn in Japan” by Katsumi HirabayashiJapanese week in Brussels 2013
-In commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake-

Kobe University Symposiumin collaboration with European Economic and Social Committee

Date:
13 March 2013 10:00 - 17:30

Venue:
European Economic and Social Committee
JDE 63 (6th floor, Jacques Delors Building)99, rue Belliard, 1040 Brussels

Organised by:
Kobe University
Co-organised by: European Economic and Social Committee
Supported by:
Tohoku University

Contents
Opening:
HE Mr Kojiro Shiojiri, Ambassador of Japan to the European Union .................................................... 3
Mr Henri Malosse, President of Employers’ Group, European Economic and Social Committee......... 4
Professor Noriyuki Inoue, President of EU Institute in Japan, Kansai .................................................. 5

Part I:
EU-Japan economies: issues and perspectives ................................................................................... 6

Part II:
Disaster recovery support from scientific/academic perspectives ......................................................... 9

Photo exhibition by Mr Katsumi Hirabayashi
Dawn in Tohoku ................................................................................................................................... 12

Japanese week in Brussels 2013

-In commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake-

Kobe University Symposiumin collaboration with European Economic and Social Committee

ProGrAMMe
Opening: 10:00 - 10:20
HE Mr Kojiro Shiojiri, Ambassador of Japan to the European Union
Mr Henri Malosse, President of Employers’ Group, European Economic and Social Committee
Professor Noriyuki Inoue, President of EU Institute in Japan, Kansai
Part I: 10:20 - 12:30

EU-Japan economies: issues and perspectives

Part II: 14:15 - 17:20

Disaster recovery support from scientiﬁc/academic perspectives

Closing: 17:20 - 17:30
Professor Hiromasa Kubo, Executive Director of Kobe University Brussels European Centre

Photo exhibition by Mr Katsumi Hirabayashi

Dawn in Tohoku

2prevention and preparedness measures. The following new Kobe Framework will be implemented

HE Mr Kojiro Shiojiri

Ambassador of Japan to the European Union

for the post 2015 period. It serves as an important
example of our past experiences shaping our future
responses.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is a great pleasure,Japan and the EU are facing serious economic andfinancial challenges. Now the EU is struggling toovercome the EU debt crisis and Japan is struggling

privilege for me to be here withyou at the Kobe University
Symposium during “Japanese

to get out from the deflation which has lasted almost
20 years. And we face the challenge of competitiveness. How do we make our economies and socie-

week in Brussels 2013.”
It has been two years since theGreat East Japan Earthquake.

ties more competitive under the circumstances weboth face, such as declining population and the riseof emerging economies? It is through sharing views

For those who lost loved ones, life goes on and they
had to adapt to a totally changed and harsher reality.
Even if their sorrow will not disappear, many of them
have chosen to live with their heads up and shoulders back. Their minds begin to turn to the future as
they look to move forward.
Today’s symposium is unique. It offers a forum tolook beyond current thinking and discover new platforms and new paradigms from which we can realize
a better tomorrow.
Our discussions today focus on disaster prevention and Japan-EU economies, areas where we canactively demonstrate the benefit of sharing experiences and finding new platforms.
Here I would like to share one of our experiences in
the Great East Japan Earthquake. In Kamaishi City,
which was badly hit by the tsunami, over one thousand people lost their lives or are missing. On theand experiences that we can find a new paradigm, a
new way of thinking to overcome our challenges.
And it is on this point we see the worth of today’s
symposium. We have a lot of room to work together
in and this symposium will bring forward new opportunities for collaboration. Each day of work, eachnew discussion and each new collaboration, canunlock a new paradigm. For this perspective, I amvery much looking forward to the discussion of this
symposium. Thank you.

other hand, of around three thousand elementaryand high-school students in the city, 5 students losttheir lives. It means 99.8% of the students survived.
These students on their own initiative and without
waiting for instructions, climbed to higher ground,owing this to the disaster prevention education they
had received. With this education, students learned
first and foremost to safeguard their own lives bythemselves.
Now I would like to remind you of the home cityof today’s hosts, Kobe. After the Great Hanshin
Earthquake in 1995, the Kobe Framework was
established, offering a new paradigm in disasterprevention. It shifted the paradigm for disaster risk
management from post disaster response to a morecomprehensive approach that would also include3

to which Japan is prepared for earthquakes, buteven as probably the most prepared society, theHenri Malosse

President of Employers’ Group
European Economic and Social Committee

most prepared country, you experienced so muchdevastation, mainly due to the tsunami. So prevention is the key, thus we should devote more funds
and more effort, to prevention. This is for me themain lesson we can gain from what happened. Concerning the protection of nature is the importance of

Excellency, president, professors, ladies and gentlemen,prevention, what we call in French “Principe de Précaution”, we should always take care whatever wedo and make impact assessment in advance!

dear colleagues, it is very important for us, for the European
Economic and Social Commit-

Second, we just mentioned one other very importantvalue, which is social responsibility. What happened
in Fukushima after the earthquake and after the tsu-

tee, which is a unique assembly
here in Brussels representing
civil society. We are not politi-

nami showed us how important it is for both government and the private sector to share responsibility intimes of trouble. The reaction of some private companies, namely the one who rules the Fukushima
nuclear plant, seemed from Europe, not to havebeen transparent enough.
To be socially responsible is to recognize the obligation of transparency. The dissemination of information is an obligation for everybody, but mainly companies and public sector in very sensitive sectors
such as energy. Social responsibility is a value weshare together.
The third value we share together is solidarity. Of
course solidarity can be seen in our being here withyou and hosting this event. Solidarity was also seenin the marvellous reaction of the Japanese people
after the earthquake and the tsunami.
The news we see on French TV is of people living

cians, we are not technocrats, nothing against politicians, nothing against technocrats, we are useful
but we are different.
We represent employers. I am now chairing the Employers’ Group. Some of our colleagues here represent the workers. But in Europe it is values that are
the most important.
Last Sunday when I was still in Brussels, I participated in a rally for the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan
uprising. That took place on the 10 of March 1959.
I was there to express our support for the Tibetan
nation in their quest for more freedom, solidarity andfreedom of expression.
Although today is a totally different occasion, when I
was asked by my dear colleague, Vice-President of
Employers’ Group - Eve Päärendson to participate inand host this symposium on the second anniversaryof the Great East Japan Earthquake I thought it was
something the European Economic and Social Com-in and around the region of earthquake and how
feelings of solidarity have grown between them.
How young people help old people, old people help
young children, it is also true that some European

mittee should do. The values we want to promote, in
the European Union were founded on values after
the Second World War, values of peace, values ofsolidarity, values of democracy. This is why we haveto support our friend Japan in her time of need.
Moreover, what happened to Japan could have hap-

and Japanese companies have displayed an awareness of their social responsibility having been active
in showing solidarity with the affected areas.
So, the values of taking care of nature, social responsibility and solidarity are ones we share together. This is why we feel that this commemoration

pened to us.
First, the value of preservation of nature. I’m notso-called green; I have not made my career as an

is very important issue for both, for the Japanesenation, and also very important for us. Thank you.

environmentalist, but it is a very important value forall of us including both entrepreneurs and employers. What happened 2 years ago in Japan with the
Earthquake and Tsunami showed us how importantthe concept of prevention is. We all know the extent
4Noriyuki Inoue

President of EU Institute in Japan, KansaiDistinguished guests, ladies
and gentlemen, first it is a great
pleasure for me to hold this
symposium as one event ofJapan week in Brussels andwelcome you today. On behalfof Kobe University, I would liketo express my sincere gratitude
to his Excellency Ambassador Mr Shiojiri, Missionof Japan to the European, Union for his support oftoday’s symposium, and Mr Henri Malosse and hiscollegues of the European Economic and Social
Committee for co-organizing this event. Moreover,
we have in attendance a prominent researcher fromTohoku University, who was affected a great deal by
the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
I would like to say thank you for coming to Brussels
today. But regrettably I have to inform you that Professor Hormoz Modaressi, the French researcher,could not participate in this symposium because ofyesterday’s bad weather.
As a university which experienced a mega disaster18 years ago, Kobe University has constantly been
thinking of the people in the affected and devastatedregion and collaborating with Tohoku University inthe recovery process.
The day before yesterday was the second anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. On this occasion Kobe University reaffirmed
its commitment to contribute to the reconstruction of
the area and also the establishment of the resilient,sustainable and safe society against mega disasters. So, together let’s consider this theme throughthis symposium today.
Enjoy yourself and thank you very much.

5Part I: 10:20 – 12:30

EU-Japan economies : issues and perspectives
Moderator:
Professor Hiromasa Kubo, Executive Director of Kobe University Brussels European Centre

Presentations: 10:20 - 11:40
10:20 Professor Yoichi Matsubayashi, Kobe University“External Imbalances in Japan: Past, Present and Future”

10:40 Associate Professor Kazufumi Yugami, Kobe University“The transition from school to stable employment:
A comparative perspective”

11:00

11:20

Senior Assistant Professor Miki Kobayashi, Kobe University“Income Inequality and Poverty in Japan”

Mr Pierre Jean Coulon, European Economic and Social Committee“Nuclear Energy and Industry Have to Be Transparent”

Panel discussion: 11:40 - 12:30
Ms Eve Päärendson, European Economic and Social Committee
Professor Taiji Hagiwara, Kobe University
Mr Pater Krzysztof, European Economic and Social Committee

In the morning session there were four presentations which addressed issues concerning the economies in Japan and the EU.
There followed a panel discussion in which three speakers reﬂected on certain points raised in the preceding presentations.
Ms Päärendson discussed two issues: the proposed EU-Japan FTA/EPA and youth unemployment in the EU. She insisted that
the EPA/FTA would have a positive impact on the EU, due to a possible increase in EU exports to Japan. However, in order toexploit the beneﬁts of the FTA/EPA, the EU should strengthen its competitiveness by promoting R&D activities, especially intheir SMEs. Furthermore, the EU should reform their labour market, to reduce the skill mismatches between young people andemployers. Prof Hagiwara agreed with the rather pessimistic views of Prof Matsubayashi. He also pointed out that the viewsof the three Japanese speakers are interrelated. He noted that although Prof Matsubayashi emphasised Japan’s growing
budgetary deﬁcit, he did not explicitly state that one of the main sources of the deﬁcit comes from social security spending.
He thus observed that if the Japanese government tries to reduce spending, this means that it should also cut its spending
on social security and education, which would, in turn, aggravate youth unemployment. Prof Hagiwara also agreed with Mr
Coulon’s view on the transparent nuclear energy policy. Prof Hagiwara insisted that the Japanese government should release
more information on its nuclear policy to the public. In addition, he noted that anti-nuclear groups should not overreact withrespect to the risks posed by nuclear power. He emphasised the importance of constructive dialogue. Mr Krzysztof argued that
judging from recent demographic changes, in order to avoid the negative impact of a possible collapse of the pension systemon the European economy, reforms would seem to be necessary. However, as it is a very sensitive issue among people,
politicians seem to put off making any concrete decisions. He insisted that the EU should take care of the elderly seriously.
There followed a lively discussion between the speakers and the ﬂoor.

6

Yoichi Matsubayashi

Kazufumi Yugami

Professor
Graduate School of Economics
Kobe University

Associate Professor
Graduate School of Economics
Kobe University“External Imbalances in Japan: Past, Present
and Future”“The transition from school to stable
employment: A comparative perspective”

Japan’s current accounts havebeen in surplus for a long time.

The transition from school towork has been an issue with

However, a surplus has been
decreasing lately, and suchsurplus is forecasted to turn tovital interest in Japan during“lost two decades”. I examine
the transition situations bydeficit as early as the second
half of 2010s.
Current accounts reflect not
only transactions in goods and services, but also thestatus of lending to and borrowing from other nations. In other words, continuous current accounts
deficit means that Japan will require greater funding
from other countries. With concerns over Japan’s
aging society and fewer children, as well as thethwart expansion of public debt, we will examine
current accounts trends, and their impact on theJapanese economy, from a long-term perspective.

educational background andits relation to labour market
institutions using survey ofJapan, Germany, France, and the UK. Specifically,
I focus on national school-to-work institutions andemployment-protection legislation (EPL), both ofwhich affect inflows of youth into and outflows from
temporary jobs. As for first job after graduation,
country-specific factor indicates that regardless of
their educational background, British school-leavers
are least likely to be temporary employees. Amongthe other three countries, with more stringent EPL
for permanent jobs, only French non-college youth
are more likely to be temporary workers than their
Japanese and German counterparts, suggesting thatcountry-specific transition institutions for the lesseducated group foster direct transition from school
to permanent jobs in these countries. Furthermore,from the results for the transition from first temporary
jobs, I found that Japanese youth are least likely tomove into permanent jobs. Among the other three
countries, the outflow to permanent employment ishighest in the UK and less for Germany and France,suggesting that temporary jobs serve as a steppingstone towards permanent jobs in the absence ofschool-to-work institutions.

7

Pierre Jean Coulon

Miki Kobayashi

EESC member
former President INGO “Right to Energy SOS Fiture”
former member of Local Information Commission of
three nuclear plants
European Economic and Social Committee

Senior Assistant Professor
Graduate School of Economics
Kobe University“Income Inequality and Poverty in Japan”“Nuclear Energy and Industry Have to Be
Transparent”

Japan’s income inequality has
been moderately increasing in
the long term. Income inequality
in terms of the Gini coefficient
based on initial income is con-

The road to greater nuclear
safety goes via greater (total)transparency.
We need international guidelines clear and widely endorsed

firmed to have risen moderatelyfrom the 1980s until recently.
In addition, Japan’s relative
poverty rate has been on an upward trend. Especially, most single parent households with children
are found to be in severe poverty situations. The
children from poor families tend to have lower educational attainment, to face higher poverty risks.
They are more likely to consider themselves to be
unhappy and to be poorer health.
In Japan, the never-married proportion increased
rapidly from 2.1% for males and 4.3% for females in1975 to 16% and 7.3% in 2005, respectively. One of
the reasons for this high level never-married proportion is the childhood poverty. Especially, the malenever-married proportion is significantly high amongon the transparency clauses
in texts on nuclear waste andsafety, notably with regard to
the right of the public to participate in the process.
In fact, the issue of public invovement in the inherently complex debate about nuclear energy, needfor building up the expertise of citizens, by making
information available that is understandable (don’t
believe citizens are stupids!) to the public, thus leading increased awareness of the issue: By example
creation in all the nuclear countries of Local Information Committee and Commissions as existing inFrance, with more power and independance, would
be necessary.
By other hand, such an organisation as -Aarhus
Convention- is a real challenge, its role in improw-

these less educated and non-regular workers.
And income inequality has substantial influence on
people’s health. Individuals who live in the area ofhigh income inequality tend to be unhealthy.

ing, governance, and strictly holding authorities toaccount.
I also believe the need of a progressive way out
nuclear energy, with the same transparency, safety
rules and involving the public in decision making.

8Part II: 14:15 – 17:20

Disaster recovery support from scientiﬁc/academic perspectives
1. Disaster Safety and Human Health
14:15 Professor Satoru Oishi, Kobe University“Research and Education for Developing Resilient Society against
Mega Disaster in Kobe University”

14:40 Professor Satoshi Takada, Kobe University“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders and Mental Health Care
(Lessons Learned from The Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, Kobe, 1995)”

2. Regional sustainability and industrial recovery
15:05 Professor Masahiko Fujimoto, Tohoku University“What should we do in order to reconstruct regional economy fromgreat disaster as a university located at the center of the affected area?”

15:30 Mr Katsumi Hirabayashi, photographer“what I have witnessed in Tohoku as a photographer”- Cofee Break - 15:45 - 16:00
3. Panel discussion: 16:00 - 17:20
Speakers from 1 & 2Professor Hormoz Modaressi, BRGMMr Pierre Jean Coulon, European Economic and Social Committee

In the afternoon session, we had four presentations. The ﬁrst presentation, made by Prof Oishi, introduced the activity of the
Research Center for Urban Safety and Security in Kobe University. He introduced a class, volunteer activities, and research
regarding Tohoku. The second presentation, made by Prof Takada, introduced the research results of a study into children’s
PTSD and the difﬁculties faced by handicapped children and their parents. The third presentation was made by Prof Fujimoto,who talked about regional industry, especially medium- and small-sized companies. It was argued that their lack of innovation
made it difﬁcult for these companies to get out of structural recession. Finally, the photographer Mr Hirabayashi related histhoughts through his photographs. He stressed that despite there being many ideas for regeneration for Tohoku’s devastatedareas, none have been implemented. In the discussion session which followed we shared our ideas concerning the structuralproblems preventing substantive progress from being made, like the shortage of administrative personnel, gap between
victims, too many different sources of support being arranged and accepted by devastated areas. The audience was asked
to consider the definition of “resilience”; it was eventually defined as the society of self-recovery. Finally, we talked about
the missing people and how their families are still having difﬁculty accepting the inevitable. We concluded that a common
administrative procedure is fundamental to the recovery of such individuals.

9Satoshi Takada

Satoru Oishi

Professor
Graduate School of Health Sciences
Kobe University

Professor
Research Center for Urban Safety and Security
Kobe University“Research and Education for Developing
Resilient Society against Mega Disaster inKobe University”“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders and Mental
Health Care (Lessons Learned from The
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, Kobe, 1995)”

The Research Center for Urban
Safety and Security (RCUSS)The Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
occurred in 1995. After thewas established on May 11,
1996, almost one year after
the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earth-earthquake we conducted two
surveys consisting of approximately 8,000 families with pre-quake. RCUSS contributes toensure safe and secure urban
society by conducting researchand education based on scientific methodologies
and academic frameworks that has a vision towards
the resilient society. Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJET) happened in March2011 reminded us of our original mission and wehave conducted a lot of surveys and supporting activities not only for people suffered by the GEJET
but also for citizens all over Japan.
Generally, Japan is very disaster prone country. We
have many kinds of natural disaster in our history.
However, the most important source of disaster isthe fact that people tend to forget disaster. Forgetting is very natural healing system for each person.

school aged children and 466
families with disabled children.
Symptoms related to PTSD
were found more frequently in the small children
whose houses had been severely damaged one
year after the earthquake. Although the symptoms
decreased, they were still present more frequently
in the children and their mothers with severely damaged homes in 1998. Children with intellectual oremotional disabilities displayed many behavioral
problems, while the physically disabled children
required medical resources. Both groups voiced
concern for the need to set up specialized facilities
to cater for the people disability. Specialized support
in a structured environment is necessary for disabled children. Since the Central Java Earthquake

But we have to prevent the society from forgetting
disasters for making resilient society against Mega

occurred in 2006, we have engaged in “children
house” activity in the disaster stricken area in col-disaster.
In the symposium, the educational activities in Kobe
University including lectures of Great Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake, volunteer activity in conjunction withlaboration with Gadjah Mada University. Throughthis activity, we have been able to share what works
in helping children with disabilities and their families.
The Great East Japan Earthquake has moved into

the disaster, international risk management program
are talked. It is followed by recent research activities

the recovery phase. This exchange of information
among the disaster stricken areas reduces the psy-

related with natural disasters by using cutting edge
science and technology. Finally, academic activities
connected with municipal governments and citizens
are introduced. Though introducing topics, we canchological damage of the children and aids in therecovery process.
Key words
Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, Great East Japan Earth-share the idea to develop resilient society against
Mega disaster.

quake, Central Java Earthquake, PTSD, Pre-school
aged children, Children with disabilities

10Masahiko Fujimoto

Katsumi Hirabayashi

Director
Regional Innovation Research Center
Tohoku University

photographer“what I have witnessed in Tohoku as aphotographer”“What should we do in order to reconstructregional economy from great disaster as auniversity located at the center of the affected
area?”

K a t s u m i H I R A B AYA S H I i s
a commercial photographer
based in Tokyo, Japan. Following the Great East Japan
earthquake, Katsumi personally

Two years has passed since theGreat East Japan Earthquake.

witnessed the damage caused
to the Tohoku region and began
to help as a volunteer. Since

The incident was a complex ofhigh intensity ground shaking, amassive tsunami and a serious
nuclear power plant accident
and the scale of the disasterwas unprecedented in the history of Japan. The toll of dead and missing stands
at 18,579 today, of which over 90% is estimated tohave drowned by the tsunami. Many people evacuated from Fukushima prefecture and nearly 60,000
people still live outside the prefecture.
The Tohoku district, including areas most severely
affected by the tsunami and nuclear power accident,
was facing structural problems such as aging of
population, depopulation and decrease in numberof jobs and the Great East Japan Earthquake madematters worse. We have to tackle these difficult
problems in order to reconstruct regional social andeconomic situation.

then he has visited the affected region more than 30
times to capture the reconstruction efforts in Japan.
He has successfully held the photo exposition “Dawnin Japan” in Tokyo(Ginza), Kobe and Okayama.

This time, we intend to introduce what and how weare doing in the Tohoku district as a university located at the center of the affected area.

11

Photo exhibition by Mr Katsumi Hirabayashi

Dawn in Tohoku

Katsumi Hirabayashi Photo Exhibition was held within the celebration of Japanese week in Brussels 2013 organized by theMission of Japan to the EU and the Embassy of Japan to Belgium.
The exhibition was showcased at:- ‘Japan after the tsunami: Tackling the challenge of resilience’ by Friends of Europe at Bibliotheque Solvay (Mar 11)- Kobe University Symposium in collaboration with European Economic and Social Committee at EESC(Mar 13)- GMF Brussels Forum at Steigenberger Grand Hotel (Mar 15-17)- Yuzuko Horigome & Jean-Marc Luisada Conservatory at Bozar (Mar 18)

12

Edited and issued by

Office for the Promotion of International Exchange

Kobe University

1-1 Rokkodai-cho, 657-8501 Kobe, JAPANE-mail: intl-relations@office.kobe-u.ac.jp