Quarterly Journal from Chiba, Japan

Nomizo no Taki, Kimitsu City

Welcome to Summer 2023 edition of Chiba Update!
The summer heat is here! This year is another hot and humid one in which individuals seek relief fromthe heat. This season is also known as 'Obon,' a yearly Buddhist ceremony remembering one's ancestors,
the spirits of whom are said to momentarily return to this world.
Based in old tradition, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the spirits of the ancestors, bon odori
are performed, and family visit graves and offer meals at house altars. In some regions, floating lanterns
are placed in rivers, lakes, and seas to guide spirits back into their realm. The customs observed differ
greatly from region to region. Obon is celebrated annually from August 13 to 16.
There are various summer-related large-scale events in Japan, such as summer parades, float festivals,dance parades, tanabata festivals, and more. Goers enjoy not only the main attraction but also local foodand festival delicacies being sold at stalls and kiosks at the venue. Also, this time of year is the best timeto try on yukata or summer kimono.
Aside from the many yearly summer events in the prefecture, Chiba also offers relaxing beach time withits many surrounding seashores. Check out the ‘Visit Chiba’ homepage for more information.
Once again, it is our pleasure to bring you latest happenings in Chiba. Through this edition, we hope you
will learn more about the advantages of Chiba as MICE destination, and will look forward to our next
issues for more updates.

● Seminar on Initiatives of Attracting Business Events in Chiba was held at
Meikai University● Chiba Convention Bureau in IMEX Frankfurt 2023
● The Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2023 Hyperwall Lecture
aimed to educate junior and senior high school students● The 67th Annual State Conference was held in Narita● 33rd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR2023) was held
first time in Chiba after 29 years!
● New Members
Shuranza Makuhari Bay● Upcoming Events

Shuranza Chiba

Seminar on Initiatives of Attracting Business Events in Chiba
was held at Meikai University
The Chiba Convention Bureau is working on regional development by attracting and hosting business events inthe Prefecture. In order to promote Chiba as a MICE destination, CCB is focusing on building cooperative
relationships with people of various groups who are involved in MICE on a daily basis.
In relation to this initiative, CCB has facilitated a seminar focused on the significance of attracting MICE events,
including the role of Convention Bureaus from a regional perspective. The seminar was held at Meikai University
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in Urayasu City. It was aimed at providing knowledge and firsthand information helpful to the future of the younger generations of the Tourism and MICE Industry in theregion.
The seminar was focused on the actual process, which includes participation in various international tradeshows,bid preparation, planning, and event implementation assistance, among other things. During the seminar, CCB
was able to educate students about various aspects of the MICE Industry in Chiba, such as convention facilities
and Chiba-exclusive venues for events, as well as Chiba’s strengths as a MICE destination. The topics sparked
lively discussion among lecturers and students.
The seminar served as inspiration to many aspiring students, firing up their desire to pursue a career in thebusiness event industry. The Chiba Convention Bureau hopes to continue to actively engage in this kind ofactivity, promote awareness among the younger generation, and improve the MICE Industry in Chiba.

Chiba Convention Bureau in IMEX Frankfurt 2023
The Chiba Convention Bureau (CCB) has
participated in the IMEX Frankfurt 2023, thelargest MICE trade fair in Europe, held inFrankfurt, Germany, from May 23 to 25, 2023.
The CCB took part in this event first time after
four years following the pandemic.
On this occasion, two representatives from the Chiba Convention Bureau presented
Chiba at the event, engaged in the promotion of Chiba’s attractiveness as a convention,and held business talks with conference organizers from around the world. It was an
excellent opportunity for the CCB to showcase Chiba's local sake at the 'happy hour' heldat Japan's exhibit, in addition to partaking in various networking events. Chiba’s sake orrice wine is one of the many popular products of Chiba.
IMEX Frankfurt has indeed provided opportunity for another fruitful business exchange
as international business events resumed in earnest. As a convention bureau, we feelthe need to adopt the new trend as demands arise, such as requests for value-added
content for visiting the site, sustainability initiatives, and hands-on experience programs
that provide an exclusive experience to participants. Going forward, the Chiba
Convention Bureau, together with its supporting members and stakeholders, will work
hand-in-hand to further promote the MICE Industry in the region, and continue todevelop areas that will contribute to the appeal of Chiba as a MICE destination.

The trade show was attended byabout 2,900 organizations fromvenues, travel agencies, and otherrelated industries from about 150
countries and regions worldwide.
There are about 10,000 MICErelated people from all over theworld gathered under one roof,
including representatives fromacademic societies, convention
bureaus, event organizers, andmeeting planners for fruitfulbusiness exchanges.
The participation is as part of the‘Japan Team’ in which the Japan
National Tourism Organization(JNTO) played a central role. The
team was composed of 17 coexhibitors, including convention
bureaus, travel agencies, and localorganization from all over Japan.
IMEX Frankfurt 2023 was threedays of MICE business meetingsand networking.

The Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2023
Hyperwall Lecture aimed to educate junior andsenior high school students
From May 21 to 26, the Japan Geoscience Union 2023 Conference was held hybrid at the Makuhari Messe
International Conference Hall, bringing together over 5,800 attendees from more than 40 countries and regions
under one roof. The Japan Geoscience Union, a prominent academic organization with over 10,000 members,
is hosting the conference. It has been hosted at Makuhari Messe every year since 2003, with the exception of2014. More than 50 academic talks on earth and planetary science were presented at the gathering, which wasattended by academics and students from all over the world.

JPGU 2023 Excursion
The post-convention activity led 30 participants toKatsuura City as part of the excursion program.
Blessed with fine weather, participants fully enjoyed
the tour of the Submarine-Mass Transport Deposits(MTDs) of Boso Peninsula, listening intently to manygeological knowledge shared by Professor Yamamotoof Kobe University.
Through various forms of support and assistance as
described above, the Chiba Convention Bureau willcontinue to support event organizers in staging
business events in Chiba as well as develop activities
related to the hosting of international conferences inthe Prefecture.

The first international convention of the Hawaii Association of Public Accountants

The 67th Annual State Conference was held in Narita
The Hawaii Association of Public Accountants (HAPA) held its 67th Annual State Convention from May 21st toMay 24th at the Hilton Hotel Narita. This organization's annual general meeting is held once a year, and thiswas the first time it was hosted in Japan.
About 100 Hawaii members have attended the convention that lasted three days. On the final day during the banquet
and installation gathering, the Narita City's mascot, Unari Kun came to greet guests The event was also blessed by thepresence of Narita City's Deputy Mayor, Mayor Sekine attended the celebration and presented a heartfelt greeting tothe attendees. The live koto performance provided by the Chiba Convention Bureau (CCB) produced a relaxing
atmosphere at the venue.
The CCB has been promoting Narita City as the venue for the event since 2019. The 65th annual convention was thenagreed to be held in Narita in 2020. It was, however, canceled owing to COVID-19. Despite the cancellation, the CCB
has continued to collaborate with the organizers and pursue the plan that was canceled. Due to the pandemic,planning for this year's event was challenging. Various safety and health precautions were taken during the process,including the venue layout, the rooms, the arrival of guests, and more. This was the first annual convention for theassociation held outside the United States, and the first ever in Japan. Despite the fact that many of the participants
were of Japanese heritage, the majority of them were visiting the country for the first time.
As venue of the event, Narita City in collaboration with Chiba Convention Bureau has provided various support andassistance such as provision of tourist information, and introduction to local groups. This incredible chance gave
benefits for promoting not only Narita City but Chiba Prefecture as a whole, resulting in new relationships and deep
bonds. We hope that the 67th Annual State Convention of HAPA will serve as a springboard for many more newconferences in Chiba in the near future.

33rd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research(ICAR2023) was held first time in Chiba after 29 years!
The 33rd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR2023) was held at Makuhari Messe fromJune 5 to June 9, 2023. This year’s conference was Chiba’s first after 29 years. It was attended by more than
1,000 people from all over the world. In order to understand more about the details of the conference, wehave asked the person-in-charge from the Chiba Convention Bureau (CCB), Ms. Eri Shiraishi, about ICAR2023.

Ms. Eri Shiraishi
Assistant Manager
In-charge of ICAR2023Chiba Convention Bureau
Convention Department

Q1 What made the organizers choose Chiba as the Conference venue?
There are several factors that helped with the organizers’ decision to stage ICAR 2023 inChiba. The promotion of Makuhari Messe as the venue for ICAR 2023 started in 2020. The
promotion is parallel to the planning of the 45th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology
Society of Japan (MBSJ2022), which was held in November 2022 at Makuhari Messe.
Because of the various connections that we have established through MBSJ2022, especiallywith professors at Tokyo University, we were able to develop a great connection withorganizers. The financial support provided by CCB and Chiba Prefecture, along with themany advantages of Makuhari Messe as a venue, made a large impact on the selection ofChiba as the conference’s venue Bureau (CCB), Ms. Eri Shiraishi, about ICAR2023.
Q2 Where have you been certain of winning the organizers' hearts since thebeginning?
Yes. As I have said, over years, we have developed a good relationship with the organizers,
especially with professors of University of Tokyo and Riken.

Q3 What are the challenges encountered during preparation?
During the preparation period for the event, many international conferences were canceled or postponed due to
COVID-19. Those that pushed through deliberation held conferences online. All the preparations were held duringthat uncertain time. I think the unpredictable situation was the most challenging part of the preparation.
Q4 What kind of assistance has been offered?
It was three years in the making. We have provided various subsidies, such as financial support, assistance with
PCO selection, and introductions to local groups for services such as sake tasting and taiko live performances. It
was really a trial-and-error process, from COVID-19 countermeasures to the question of whether to include
foreign participation due to border restrictions, etc. The implementation of the hybrid format wasn’t decided until
the last minute, too.
Q5 Despite many challenges, what was the most fulfilling?
For me, it was seeing more than 700 participants from overseas on the day. The conference lobby and the venue
were overflowing with participants, and we got a glimpse of the post-corona situation, such as holding a buffetstyle party at the venue foyer.
Over the years, we have not posted details on the conference website, or posted any information regarding aninternational event. The ICAR 2023 marked the beginning of the revival of business events following the pandemic,
and it was wonderful to once again combine the all-Chiba spirit through collaboration with Chiba Prefecture, Chiba
City, and many local organizations.
Q6 What do you think about assisting future conferences such as ICAR 2023?
ICAR2023 reminded us that collaboration between local organizations is critical to the success of staging abusiness event. We will continue to seek the cooperation of local groups and our supporting members anddevelop further MICE contents. Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our relationships with university
professors and other academic institutions while maintaining close relationships with our supporting members,
and promote Chiba’s appeal as a MICE destination around to the world.

New Member

Shuranza Makuhari Bay
Hotel Shuranza MAKUHARI BAY, the third hotel in the Maruei Group thatspecializes in lodging. Opened on December 20, 2022 in the Kaihin
Makuhari area.
A 2-minute walk from the south exit of Kaihin Makuhari Station. The top
floor is fully equipped with a large public bath and an open-air bath.
Conveniently located next to the station and with a convenience store
inside the hotel. It is ideal not only for business but also for sightseeing andevents at Makuhari Messe.
230 rooms (28 single rooms, 90 double rooms, 112 twin rooms)

Hotel Shuranza Chiba
Convenient for business and sightseeing. A 2-minute walk from Chiba Chuo
Station and a 10-minute walk from Chiba Station, it is perfect for business andsightseeing. There is a large public bath in the basement that will soothe thefatigue of your trip. All rooms are equipped with carefully selected Simmonsbeds to ensure a good night's sleep.
75 rooms (55 single rooms, 20 double rooms)230 rooms (28 single rooms, 90
double rooms, 112 twin rooms)

Upcoming Events
International Meetings & Conventions

Other Announcements
JAPAN TRAVELThe 9th International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems (9IDMRCS)
Date: August 12 to August 18, 2023
Venue: Makuhari Messe

Please visit the Official Guide forTraveling Japan by the Japan National
Tourism Organization for more
information and travel updates.

Inter-Noise 2023
August 20 to August 23, 2023
Venue: Makuhari Messe
IVRJ 2023
Date: September 16 to September 18, 2023
Venue: Chiba University

Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center
14F Makuhari Techno Garden Building D
1-3 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture 261-8501 Japan
Tel: +81-43-297-2752 Fax: +81-43-297-2753
Homepage: http://www.ccb.or.jp/mice/e/ Email: chibainfo@ccb.or.jp
Mihama-en Japanese Garden