2023. 11. 8

Japan Society of Civil Engineers
International Activities Center

IAC News No.133
The IAC News introduces significant and unique international projects, technologies,symposium, communication undertaken by JSCE IAC, International Section, ACECC, andResearch & Development Section with over 30 committees, state-of-art- civil engineering
technologies and projects, great and interesting achievements of civil engineer and researcher
once a month.
This month’s issue features 2023 JSCE Annual Meeting International programs and JICA’s
Ramp Seminar.
We are happy to receive your interests, requests and feedbacks anytime. Thank you.

2023 JSCE Annual Meeting

IAC Discussion: Junctions, Paths, and Future,Crossroads of Civil Engineering
The IAC Discussion was held at the International Conference Center Hiroshima(ICCH) on Wednesday, September 13 from 10:00 to 12:00. It was held both in-personand streamed on Zoom, with a total of 92 people in attendance.
Just like the event the previous year, this discussion adopted “Crossroads of CivilEngineering” as its main theme, acting as an opportunity for everyone involved in civilengineering to continue to think about what path we should take. This event, which
was the second time the IAC Discussion has been held in its history, focused on ‘bigglobal projects,’ as well as ‘carbon neutrality,’ which continues to drive sudden

Assoc. Prof. Hiromasa
Iwai(Kyoto University)changes in legislation all over the world.
An opening speech by Makoto Kimura, Senior Director of the International Activities Center, began proceedings,followed by two keynote lecturers during the first half.
Takeshi Kawakami, Managing Executive Officer at IHI Corporation, gave a keynote lecture on the topic of “TheSustainable Deployment of Bridge Projects in Turkey, Europe through Long Bridge Engineering,” in which hetouched upon the differences in how bridge projects are conducted overseas and in Japan. While I sensed adifference in the speed at which things get done overseas and in Japan, I learned that Japanese civil engineering
technologies are doing great things all over the globe.
Next, Masaki Tokubuchi of ARUP gave a keynote lecture on the subject of “Sustainability and Building
Construction,” in which he discussed global carbon neutrality efforts in the construction field. I learned that inEurope, legislative changes to realize carbon neutrality are advancing at a fair rate and that there are a wide
variety of circular economy efforts that play a part in this.

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In the second half of the event, Mr. Kawakami, Mr. Tokubuchi, Professor Michael Henry (Shibaura Institute ofTechnology), Associate Professor Takafumi Nishikawa (Nagasaki University), and Associate Professor Ji Dang(Saitama University) all took the stage for a panel discussion. Following on from the keynote lecturers, thediscussions mainly focused on the issues of ‘Can you feel the carbon neutrality efforts in Japan first hand?’ and‘How is the increase in demand for civil engineering infrastructure as a result of an increase in the population
balanced with the opposing challenge of carbon neutrality?’ At the end of the panel discussion, the panelists
were asked, “When is the crossroads of civil engineering in Japan?” to which all the panelists responded, “Now”(= it’s the last opportunity). The sense of an impending crisis toward this issue that involves the whole ofhumanity is clear.

“When is the crossroads of civil engineering in Japan?”

Lastly, Makoto Kimura, Senior Director of the IAC, putup the strong message of “No more following
precedents” as a comment to wrap up the conference.
The next event in 2024 will also continue discussions
about the “Crossroads of Civil Engineering.” I want tomake it a memorable conference that breaks away frompast events by adopting the notion of “No morefollowing precedents.”“No more following precedents”【Reported by Assoc. Prof. Hiromasa Iwai, Kyoto University 】

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JICA RAMP Seminar for International Students
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has established a Road AssetManagement Platform (RAMP) to support the overseas deployment of technologies
relating to road asset management in Japan and to develop the core personnel ofdeveloping countries. In its long-term training project, which is a RAMP initiative,
JICA has accepted a total of 71 individuals from 17 countries since 2017, including
officials from various government ministries, research institutions, and universities,
for long-term training at Japanese universities as master’s or doctoral students until
April 2023.
During the long-term training project, a seminars are held for international students

Ryuhei Kondo(The JapanInternational
Cooperation Agency)

to create opportunities for them to deepen their understanding of the technologies andefforts related to road maintenance and management in Japan during their stay, to learn practical information in
the field of road maintenance and management, as well as examine the sharing of domestic knowledge in thisfield. In recent years, with the help of each expressway company, online lecturers have been held during theCOVID-19 pandemic. On this occasion, we will take a look at the international student seminar held at theShibaura Institute of Technology between the three-day period from August 22 to August 26, 2023, which wasattended by 47 long-term trainees.

[Day 1]The keynote lecture entitled ‘Implementation of Digital Twin with Data Platform in Road Maintenance andManagement’ given by Hiroshi Dobashi, Vice President of the Shutoko Technology Center, introduced thecompany’s road asset management system built using a data platform. Also, the panel discussion, which adopted“Life in Japan and useful information for international students who are new to the country” as its theme, saw
discussions about the challenges of studying abroad and how to overcome them. A passionate exchange ofopinions took place in which I learned that the challenges that I had personally experienced were common to
many of the trainees, and this gave me encouragement.

[Day 2]
Following on from the first day, a report presenting the progress of their research was conducted by each longterm trainee, and through a Q&A, I got to learn a lot about various research topics and tools and approaches thatcan be used in these areas. During the site visit of Shimizu Corporation’s Institute of Technology, feedback from
attendees was that they learned about the research outcomes regarding problems caused by natural disasters andhow these problems can be resolved using simulations and models, and they were impressed by the effort toresolve these problems unique to Japan.

3Panel Discussion

Research Presentation of Trainee[Day 3]
During the observation of the bridges over the Sumida River seen from a water bus, attendees were able toactually get a close look at various types of bridges and what kind of maintenance had been carried out to keep
the bridges resilient. It was also an opportunity for attendees to build good relations with another student.
Responses to the questionnaire following the end of the seminar event included comments such as, “The researchpresentations of fellow international students were a good platform to get lots of ideas. We got to share ourexperience and learn about each other.” “I learned that we have similar problems despite coming from different
countries.” “I would also like to observe a construction site next time.” I intend to make the most of this feedback
to help improve the next seminar event.

To close, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Michael Henry ofthe Shibaura Institute of Technology who assisted the planning and running of the seminar, Hiroshi Dobashi,Vice President of the Shutoko Technology Center, who gave the keynote lecture, and Shimizu Corporation’s
Institute of Technology that helped with the bridge observation outing.

Prof. Henry with JICA Trainees at Shibaura Institute of Technology【Reported by Ryuhei Kondo, The Japan International Cooperation Agency】

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The 25th International Summer Symposium
The International Summer Symposium has been hosted by the International Student
Network Group, International Activities Center (IAC) since 2012, and this year
marked the 25th time it has been held. The symposium is held for international
students studying civil engineering in Japan, Japanese students, and young civilengineers, to present research, interact and collaborate with people of different
nationalities and fields of research, and network in English. This year on September
14 and 15 during the JSCE Annual Meeting, the symposium was held in three parts,
consisting of (1) the International Sessions presenting English research papers during
the JSCE Annual Conference, (2) the Workshop for Global Civil Engineers, and (3)Assoc. Prof. Ji Dang
(International Student
Network Group, IAC)

a networking reception.
In the International Sessions (Table 1) from September 14th to 15th, 54 papers were
presented across a wide range of fields such as tunnel engineering, geotechnical engineering, structuralengineering, disaster prevention and resilience, AI and data science, the environment and materials,infrastructure maintenance, etc. The theme of the JSCE Annual Meeting this year was “Appropriate Population
Distribution and Resource Allocation,” and by linking both campuses of the Hiroshima University and theHiroshima Institute of Technology via Zoom, the sessions were held in a whole new format that also enabledpresenters to present their research remotely. The sessions, which saw passionate discussions and Q&As span
across two days, were full of energy and proved to be a big success. I would like to take this opportunity toexpress my sincere gratitude to the chairperson, the speakers, and the attendees.
Table 1: International Sessions
No. of papers

Session Name

Chairperson

Session (1) Tunnel and Foundation

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Assist. Professor Chandra Shekhar Goit(Saitama University)

Session (2) Structural Engineering

7

Assist. Professor Xinhao He (Tohoku University)

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Associate Professor Takafumi Kitaoka (KansaiUniversity)

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Professor Kuniaki Sasaki (Waseda University)

Session (3) Urban Lifeline and Disaster
Resilience
Session (4) Construction, Planning andManagement

Professor Michael Henry (Shibaura Institute ofTechnology)
Associate Professor Hailong Wang (WasedaUniversity)

Session (5) AI, Data Science, DX

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Session (6) Construction Material and Waste

5Session (7) Geotechnical Engineering

7Mr. Gulsen Feyzullah (Toda Corporation)

Session (8) Infrastructure Maintenance

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Associate Professor Yasuo Sawamura (KyotoUniversity)

Total54

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From 15:30 to 18:00 on September 15, the Workshop for Global Civil Engineers was held in the Reception Hallof the Faculty Club Building at Hiroshima University. The theme for this year was “The Role of Civil
Engineering in Achieving the SDGs,” and 39 international students participated.
Theworkshop

welcomedProfessor

Michael Henry (Shibaura Institute ofTechnology) as the lecturer, and he gave akeynote speech that outlined the SDGs. The
participants then split up into 7 groups todiscuss what the civil engineering industry
and civil engineers in general should do torealize a sustainable society and how canthey start to contribute immediately. After
passionate discussions, each group gave
presentations about their vision of what thecivil engineering industry should strive forWorkshop for Global Civil Engineers

and the role of civil engineers to achieve the SDGs. It was a really productive workshop, with one participant
saying, “I got a lot of new ideas about SDGs and so on and I was really glad to mingle with so many international
students.” Next year’s workshop will be led by Professor Henry on the same theme of SDGs. We would like toinvite all of you to join us.
After the workshop, a networking reception was heldfrom 18:30 in the restaurant La Bohème in the Faculty
Club Building. The reception welcomed a total of 36
attendees, with international students who attended theworkshop and professors, etc. who were involved asfacilitators present to raise their glass. The reception
began with a toast by Makoto Kimura, Senior Directorof the IAC, and then with myself acting as the host, areport of this year’s workshop and his aspirations fornext year’s workshop was given by Professor Henry.

Networking Reception

The venue was enveloped in a friendly atmosphere and the attendees were encapsulated in endless engaging
discussions with each other, making it a really fruitful opportunity for everyone to network.
★ Announcement of the 2023 Joint Company Information Session for International Students ★
The International Student Network Group holds the Joint Company Information Session for International
Students every year as an opportunity for Japanese companies to showcase themselves to international students
and to provide information about recruitment. This year, we plan to hold this event on Saturday, December 9.
We are currently looking for companies to take part, so if you are interested, please contact us via the JSCE
International Activities Center website ( https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/) or contact the JSCE IAC directly.

【Reported by Assoc. Prof. Ji Dang, International Student Network Group (Saitama University) 】

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We are launching the Host Senpai Program!
The Civil Engineering International Students Support Group (CEIS), which is part of the Int'l Activities Center(IAC) of JSCE, announces its new initiative: The Host Senpai Program.

What is the Host Senpai Program?
This program aims to provide foreign students studying civil engineering in Japan with first-hand information
by assigning them a senpai (foreign civil engineer working in Japan) who can provide them with close guidance.
Students will also have access to networking opportunities, career advice, cultural exchange, exposure to newideas and friendships! All this under the framework of a variety of activities supported by JSCE which include
gatherings, study sessions and site visits.
At this moment the inscriptions are open to register as a senpai or as a student, so if you are an international
civil engineer working in Japan, ready to guide and inspire the next generation of civil engineers, or you are a
civil engineering international student in a Japanese University, eager to learn from those who've walked thepath before you, don’t miss the chance and register here:
Student Registration: https://forms.gle/YdDvnb6VctdvJs726

Senpai Registration: https://forms.gle/7ptjekLFNh8qRfPs9

Host Senpai Program Registration

International Civil Engineers Group Members

Contact: intlstudentsjp@gmail.com.



CEIS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089190174033.

7Updates◆The International Infrastructure Archives– A Compilation of Japan’s Greatest Projects in Transfer of Civil
Engineering Technology in Service –http://www.jsce.or.jp/e/archive/◆Infrastructure System Resilience: An Engineering Framework forAssessment, Management, and Governancehttps://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/9780784485088◆Construction Site Tour for International Students 2023 (November 30)
https://www.jsce-int.org/node/841◆Joint Company Information Session for Int'l Students, Online (December 9)https://www.jsce-int.org/◆IAC “News Pick Up!!” on the JSCE Japanese website
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/iac_dayori_2023◆Call for JSCE Award Nominations: "International Lifetime Contribution Award" and "International
Outstanding Collaboration Award"
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kouken_sho/R5_English◆Summary of featured articles in JSCE Magazine Vol. 108, No.11, November 2023
http://www.jsce-int.org/pub/magazine◆Journal of JSCE
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/journalofjsce◆Call for Papers: Advances in AI, Data Science and Digital Twin
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/struct1002/node/36◆Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age 2023-2025 Campaign
https://healthy-workplaces.osha.europa.eu/en/media-centre/events/launch-ceremony-healthy-workplacescampaign-safe-and-healthy-work-digital-age-2023-2025◆CECAR10：http://www.cecar10.org/§ IAC News Subscription §The IAC News is one of the communication tools to share information and ideas with the members. We would like to invite
you, your friends and colleagues to join the communication and to subscribe the IAC News. Please register online:(http://www.jsce-int.org/node/150). We look forward to meeting you.
§ IAC Facebook §Recent activity of International Activities Center is introduced on this Facebook. Please see this home page(https://www.facebook.com/JSCE.en).
Comments and Questions
Please send us your feedback and comments to help us improve the IAC news. We look forward to hearing from you.
JSCE IAC: iac-news@ jsce.or.jp

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