119 TH YEAR NO. 41,739

ISSN 0289-1956 ©THE JAPAN TIMES, LTD., 2015

WECC2015
Monday, November 30, 2015

the role of engineeringand its impact on society
Junichi Sato
Chair, WECC2015 Organizing COmmittEE

Clockwise from top: engineering is creating something contributing to society using science and technology; the Lake Biwa
Canal, which enabled water to be transported from Lake Biwa to Kyoto, was built in the Meiji era when Japanese engineering wasvery advanced; turning high technology into something to enrich human life is the role of engineering; Former Slovenia president
danilo turk (front row, second from right) listens during a conference at the World engineering Forum 2012, held in Ljubljana,
Slovenia, in September 2012. iStOCk, tEruhikO yOda, kazumaSa itO

The fifth World Engineering Conference and Convention (WECC2015) isnow being held at the Kyoto International Conference Center from Nov.
29th through Dec. 2nd. About 2,000
people are attending this conference
to discuss a variety of engineering
issues relating to society.
How does engineering compare toscience and technology? Engineeringis the act of using science and technology to meet the needs of society
and humanity through ingenuity, withconsideration for the requirements
and boundaries presented by society.
Accordingly, scientific discovery andtechnological advancement lead to
new innovation in engineering andenable engineering to propose to society how change and advancement
should be realized.
Furthermore, engineering is often
called upon in order to realize new
innovations to solve the problems ofsociety and humanity and build a better society. As new innovations implemented for society have a direct effecton humanity, those involved in engineering must consider numerous conditions and engage in the open
exchange of opinions with society inorder to achieve mutual understanding and trust.
The world is faced with numerous
problems today. These include problems of population, poverty, energy
and the environment. Global warming
is closely related to these problems
and steadily having more effect on theplanet. The emission of greenhousegasses such as carbon dioxide isaccelerating global warming.
Climate change causes effects suchas drought, heavy rains, as well as
extreme temperatures throughout theworld. This affects the survival ofplants and animals and has a major
impact on food production. Engineering must intensely apply its proficiency to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions in numerous fields, including in the development of diversified
energy sources, as well as power generation, energy usage and energy conservation technologies.
We must make proactive efforts toaddress these issues through innovations in engineering. This is a must if
we wish to ensure that all people canenjoy safe and comfortable lives. The
primary theme of WECC2015 is “Engineering: Innovation and Society.” This
includes discussions on “Innovationfor Sustainable Growth and Socioeco-

Junichi Satonomic Development,” “Engineering
Research and Development for Innovation” and “Engineering for Society
and Engineering in Society.” The conference features seven Conference
Plenary Lectures, technical programs
covering every engineering domain
and summary lectures for each of thetechnical programs.
The Conference Plenary Lecture
series consists of seven lectures.
These include a lecture on engineering and society by professor Shahbaz
Khan of UNESCO, a lecture on the
global water problem by U.N. Secretary-General Special Envoy professor
Han Seung-soo, and a lecture on
global energy issues by professor
Nobuo Tanaka, former executive
director of the International Energy
Agency. There is also a lecture on
automotive technologies and environmental issues by Takeshi Uchiyamada,chairman of the board of Toyota
Motor Corp., a lecture by the Ministerof Land, Infrastructure, Transport andTourism Keiichi Ishii on national
resilience technology and its global
impact and a lecture by the Ministerof Economy, Trade and Industry
Motoo Hayashi on engineering innovation and its global contributions.
Finally, there is a lecture on LED lighting and environmental issues by professor Hiroshi Amano of Nagoya
University, recipient of the 2014 Nobel
Prize in Physics.
In the technical programs, major

topics of discussion are devoted to:“Resilient Infrastructure for Society,”“Energy for a Sustainable Society,
Natural Resources for a Sustainable
Society,” “Urban Development andInfrastructure, Mobility and Communication Technology,” “Industry forSociety,” “Life Innovation, Engineering for Society and Engineering in
Society,” and “Engineering Educationand Women in Engineering.”
These topics were chosen by examining the current state of different
fields of engineering in light of the
problems faced by the Earth andhumanity. Consideration was also
given to future, coming innovations
and their relationship with society.
Each topic was then divided into six
sessions covering different fields ofengineering.
Approximately 200 leading experts
in each of the fields of engineering
playing an important role in the sustained development of society will
give in-depth presentations on thecurrent state of their respective fields
and their directions for the next ten
years and beyond, while participatingin panel discussions to promote communication with attendees.
To further promote these discussions, about 400 posters submitted by
the public will also be presented. The
discussions will foster a deeper
understanding of the present andfuture conditions of each field, andthis understanding will enable discussions on the unification of those fields
and on engineering, science and technological directions.
On the afternoon of Dec. 2nd, thefinal day of WECC2015, a concluding
lecture and discussion will be given
regarding the technical programs. The
results of the discussions will be compiled to produce the Kyoto Declaration, a final outcome document thatwill set forth a vision for the ideal
future of engineering.
A key factor for progress in engineering is the culture that fosters it. In
WECC2015 in Kyoto, we are planningto hold not only technical programs,
but also cultural programs to enhance
participants’ understanding of industries in Kyoto that have roots in thecommunity and culture.
There are many creative companies
in Kyoto and their advancement is
profoundly affected by the culture of
the city. It is my sincere hope that allof the engineers will, through the
WECC2015 conference, gain a freshand more profound appreciation of
the relationship between engineering,industry, culture and society.

Studying problems facing engineers today
About 2,000 engineers and others
involved in engineering are expected toparticipate in the World Engineering
Conference and Convention 2015
(WECC2015), which is to be held in Kyoto
from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.
WECC2015, under the theme of “Engineering: Innovation and Society,” covers a
range of topics with more than 50 conferences and seven plenary lectures on engineering taking place at the Kyoto
International Conference Center. Additionally, participating companies will
showcase their engineering technologies
at the same venue.
“Fruitful discussions should be carriedout over issues such as the current level ofengineering or problems facing modern
engineering,” said Junichi Sato, the president of The Japan Federation of Engineering Society and the chair of WECC2015
Organizing Committee, during a roundtable discussion with engineers and academics in June. “I’d like people to think
about and discuss those issues in addition to broader issues such as how engineering develops in the future, or whatengineering should look like.”
The plenary lecturers include Shahbaz
Khan, deputy director and senior science
program specialist of UNESCO, whosebackground is in water and the environment; Han Seung-soo, the U.N. secretarygeneral’s special envoy on disaster risk
reduction and water; and Hiroshi Amano,
who won a Novel Prize for his research onblue LEDs.
Khan plans to discuss the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development, a plan ofaction for people, the planet and prosperity, promoted by the U.N., and the role ofengineering in it. The agenda is to address
major issues such as poverty eradication,

peace and security, safe and sufficient
food, sustainable energy, pollution prevention and control, water and environmental resource management, disease
control, mobility, natural and maninduced disasters, population growth,urbanization and sustainable cities.
Amano’s presentation is titled, “Widebandgap Semiconductors as Tools for
Realizing a Sustainable Society.” Thedevelopment of wide-bandgap semiconductors (WBGs) is essential for realizing asustainable society as they enable manufacturing low-loss, high-power and highfrequency devices. GaN (gallium nitride)
and related alloys are among the mostimportant materials used in building
WBGs.
The conferences cover many issues
such as engineering education, the role ofwomen in engineering, patents, robotics,
energy management, next generation
broadcasting systems, smart communities, railway technology and many othersubjects.
The exhibitions cover construction andinfrastructure for society, energy, theenvironment, machinery, medicine andlife sciences, chemistry, electronics andother areas.
The conference is just the second to beheld in Asia and the first to be hosted by
Japan. Additionally, this year’s event is thefirst to be called WECC, as the previous
ones were known as World Engineering
Conventions (WEC). The difference stems
from a preference of the organizing committee of the WECC2015, according to thecommittee.
The first WEC, held under the theme“Humankind, Nature and Development,”in Hannover, Germany, in June 2000,
drew 3,500 participants. The second WEC

theme was “Engineers Shape the Sustainable Future,” and was attended by 3,000
people in Shanghai in November 2004.
The third WEC was in Brasilia, Brazil, in
December 2008, under the theme “Engineering: Innovation with Social Responsibility,” and around 5,000 people
participated. The fourth WEC, held under
the theme “Engineers Power the World —Facing the Global Energy Challenge” inGeneva, Switzerland, in September 2011,
drew about 2,000 people. The sixth will be
in Melbourne in 2019.
The fact that the WECC2015 is held inJapan is significant to the world because
Japan is advanced in many aspects ofengineering. Japan has focused on how
engineering contributes to society, especially in terms of disaster risk reduction,
as the country has experienced so many
disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunami,
typhoons, floods and more. Because ofthis, Japan has managed to build infrastructure resistant to those disasters, andother countries can learn from this experience.
WECC2015 participants are very
diverse because the event is co-organizedby the World Federation of Engineering
Organizations, which brings together
national engineering organizations fromover 90 nations and represents some 20
million engineers. Thus, the participants
represent diverse social needs that
require different types of engineering,depending on the stage of the countries’
development.
In the early stages of development,social needs are life-related infrastructure, such as water supply systems,
schools and hospitals. In later stages,
they can be more diverse. For example,
Continued on page 2222

Kenichi Suganuma, then ambassador of the permanent Mission of Japan to the international organizations in geneva delivers aspeech at the closing ceremony of the World engineers’ Convention 2011 in geneva in September 2011. kazumaSa itO

PAGE: 1

B2

THE JAPAN TIMES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015

WECC2015

Celebration of technology
Keiji Yamada
KYOTO GOVERNOR

I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the World Engineering
Conference and Convention 2015
(WECC2015), which is holding its fifth
conference with great flair and is being
attended by H.I.H. Crown Prince
Naruhito. I sincerely welcome our guests
from Japan and the rest of the world on
behalf of the residents of Kyoto.
Also, I would like to express my deep
respect for the enthusiasm and great
efforts of Junichi Sato, chair of the
WECC2015 Organizing Committee, andthose who have contributed to organizing this conference.
I understand that the origin of the
WECC is the World Engineering Congress, which was held in Tokyo in 1929
by the Japan Federation of Engineering
Societies enlisting the maximum support of industry, government and academia. In 1968, the World Federation ofEngineering Organizations (WFEO) was
founded with the aim of promoting engi-

neering and international exchanges toachieve world peace and bring about the
progress of the economy and society.
With the WFEO as a core organization,
the WECC’s first meeting was held inGermany in 2000, and this year marks
the fifth in the series of conferences.
The WECC is being held in Japan for
the first time, and it is a great honor andprivilege for Kyoto to host this conference. We believe this conference will
help demonstrate that Japan is a land of
science, technology and innovation thatwill achieve sustainable development in
the 21st century. We also believe thisconference will serve as a valuable venue
for Japan to showcase to the world its
engineering and technological prowess
and human resources. These have beenutilized for national reconstruction in
the aftermath of a great number ofnational crises and are carrying us
toward sustainable development
through learning from those experiences.
As a leading academic center that wascultivated by a long history and culture

Engineering needed
for sustainable society

and as an industrial center where tradition and enterprising spirits blend,
Kyoto, among many Japanese cities, ishome to a sophisticated manufacturingindustry. The industry, academia andgovernment of Kyoto have been united
in their efforts to foster the growth ofstart-up firms and small and mediumsized companies. While Kyoto has cherished its tradition as an old capital with a
1,000-year history, it has also produced
numerous world-renowned companies
at the forefront of industry. I hope that
visitors will take a close look at Kyoto,
which is an exquisite combination of theold and the new.
I am convinced that the conference inKyoto will bring together wisdom fromaround the world, foster the exchange of
opinions for the future of the earth,achieve significant results more thanever and further enhance the importance of WECC2015.
In conclusion, I would like to offer mybest wishes for the WECC2015’s successas well as good health and happiness for
all participants.

Daisaku Kadokawa
KYOTO MAYOR

Playing a key role in reducing disaster risk
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

environmental issues do not arise until acountry reaches a certain level of development with factories emitting pollutants.
But even when Japan was in the earlystages, it possessed a high level of engineering prowess.
For example, the Lake Biwa Canal wasa huge project in the Meiji Era (1868 to1912) that used advanced technology tosupply water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto.
Now that Japan is in the later stage, its
social need, more than anything, is reduction of disaster risks, said Hideo Nakamura, president emeritus of Tokyo City
University, in the same round-table discussion, adding that WECC2015 is theperfect place for Japan to showcase its
superiority in engineering for disaster risk
reduction.
“Japan is notorious for having many
natural disasters. It has many more disasters than other developed countries,” hesaid. “We can’t rely on other countries tocome up with solutions to reduce disasterrisk. Nobody will do it unless Japan does.”
Therefore, Japan must play a leadingrole in predicting disasters, reducing risk

and recovering from disasters, he opined.
Ironically, the great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995 and the Great East
Japan Earthquake in March 2011 have put
Japan at great advantage in engineering
for disaster risk reduction. For example,
Japanese high-speed train systems utilize
some of the highest technologies in quake
resistance.
Although it is not widely known, Tokyo
successfully hosted the World Engineering Congress in October, 1929, just fivedays after Oct. 24, 1929, known as BlackThursday when the U.S. stock market
crashed that triggered the Great Depression. The era also saw the emergence of
Fascism and the build up to World War II.
The 1929 WEC was the very first international conference of engineers andabout 4,500 participants came fromaround the world, said Yumio Ishii, thechair of the Steering Committee of
WECC2015 in a newsletter.
It was Dr. Elmer A. Sperry of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers who
proposed holding the 1929 conference inJapan. The patron of the first engineering
event in the world was then-Prince Chi-

The opening ceremony of the World Engineering Congress, was held in Tokyo in
October 1929. WECC2015 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

chibu, with then-Prime Minister Osachi
Hamaguchi as honorary president andBaron Koi Furuichi, the president of Japan
Federation of Engineering Societies, as
the president.
Also during the round-table discussion,
Sato tried to answer the basic question of“what is engineering?”
Engineering is distinguished from science and technology in a way that it turns
science and technology into something

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tangible and useful to society, he said.
Manufacturing equipment, cars, houses,
factories and infrastructure involve engineering that uses science and technology.
“Engineering is an act of planning anddesigning something that contributes tosociety by using and arranging scienceand technology,” Sato said. “This does notmean science equals engineering. Engineering is creating something based on
the needs of society.”

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I am very grateful that the World Engineering Conference and Convention
2015 (WECC2015) is taking take place inKyoto for the first time. It is a greathonor that Kyoto was selected to hostthe WECC2015 where more than 2,000
engineers and researchers and otherrelated people from all over the world
will discuss energy, the environment,
industry, urban planning and otherimportant fields.
I also would like to pay my great
respects to the World Federation ofEngineering Organizations, which isengaged in various activities based on
the noble motto of using engineering forworld peace and development in economy and society, as well as the Japan
Federation of Engineering Societies, the
Science Council of Japan and UNESCO.
Kyoto is a city that has developed by
way of a number of ongoing innovationsin its 1,000-plus-year history.
For example, traditional ceramics
have led to modern cutting-edge
ceramics, sake brewing has led to biotechnology and Buddhist altar manufacturing has helped precisionequipment development.
In the Meiji Era, Sakuro Tanabe, a
graduate of an engineering universitythat later became the Engineering
Department of the University of Tokyoand with a close connection with theJapan Federation of Engineering Societies, played a leading role in creating theLake Biwa Canal, the first large-scale
modern civil engineering project undertaken by only Japanese. The canal supplied water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto,
enabling commercial hydroelectric
power generation in Kyoto, which later
became the first city in Japan to run anelectric train, thanks to the water carriedalong the canal.
I strongly feel it is very significant that
Kyoto, with such a history, will host discussions among many engineers andpeople related to engineering from allover the world, under the theme of“Innovation and Society.” I hope theparticipants will share their intelligenceand share many excellent achievements.

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Additionally, I heard some of the conference programs, such as the “Engineering Cafe,” which will introduce
Kyoto’s industries and culture, will
accept participation by the general public. Kyoto is currently working on the
promotion of MICE (Meeting, Incentive
tour, Conference or Convention andExhibition) events participated in byresidents. I am grateful the WECC2015 isplanning programs along the same lines
the city is taking.
Engineering is indispensable to achieving a sustainable society. I hope the participants and others related to WECC2015
will be even more successful in what they
do after the conference and contribute tobuilding a sustainable society.
I have the firm belief that Kyoto’s
strengths, which are its many traditionaland cutting-edge industries, numerous
universities and its accumulation ofunique knowledge, will open the path toa better future. I will do my best to support activities in various fields toachieve this future.

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The Japan Times Monday, noveMber 30, 2015 B3

WECC2015
More seeking disaster-risk reduction tech

WeCC2015 program and schedule
The World engineering Conference andConvention 2015 (WeCC2015) is being
held at Kyoto International ConferenceCenter in Kyoto through dec. 2.

Conference plenary lectures• Date and time: nov. 30, 10:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m.
• Venue: Main Hall
part 1: “Science and Technology for
Water in a Carbon-ConstrainedWorld” by Han Seung-soo, the U.n.
secretary-general’s special envoy on
disaster risk reduction and water; former prime minister of the republic of
Korea
part 2: “engineering-Society Interface for delivering new agenda 2030”
by professor Shahbaz Khan, director
and representative, regional Sciencebureau for asia and the Pacific,
UneSCo office, Jakarta
part 3: “energy Security and Sustainable nuclear Technology” by nobuo
Tanaka, former executive director,
International energy agency, visiting
professor, the University of Tokyo;
director, Chiyoda Corp.

• Date and time: nov. 30, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Venue: Main Hall

part 4: lecture by Minister of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Keiichi Ishii
part 5: lecture by Parliamentary
vice-Minister of economy, Trade andIndustry Tsuneo Kitamura
part 6: “building a Hydrogen Society:Toyota’ s Strategy for environmental
Technology” by Takeshi Uchiyamada,chairman of the board, Toyota Motor
Corp.; vice chair of Keidanren (Japanbusiness Federation)

Oral and poster sessions

The overall theme of the conference“engineering: Innovation and Society”
will be discussed at 50 oral sessions
categorized according to subjects asfollows:
resilient Infrastructure or Society;energy for a Sustainable Society; natural resources for a Sustainable Society;
Urban development and Infrastructure; Mobility and Communication
Technology; Industry and Society; Life
Innovation; engineering for Society

Nobel Prize laureate lecture open to public
Conference Plenary Lecture Part 7 is open to the public, as well as WeCC2015
participants.
• Date and time: Dec. 1, 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.
• Venue: kyoto international Conference Center, Main Hall
“Wide-bandgap semiconductors as tools for realizing a sustainable society”
by 2014 Nobel Prize laureate professor Hiroshi amano, director, Center for integrated Research of Future electronics, institute of Materials and systems forsustainability, Nagoya university.
simultaneous interpretation is available. admission is free.
online preregistration is required athttps://convention-net.jp/p/cg/wecc/new1.php

The exhibition will include cutting-edge
technologies. kazuMasa itoand engineering in Society; engineering education and Women in engineering; and Groundwork for Future. also,
there will be various poster sessions in
Sakura Hall.

Exhibition

WeCC2015 exhibition will include cutting-edge technologies developed byresearch institutes and enterprises inindustrial fields encompassing electrical and electronic goods, ICT, machinery, chemicals, materials, resources,
energy, environmental technology,transportation systems, construction
medical treatment, life sciences, andservices.
• Date and time: nov. 30 and dec. 1,
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; dec. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Venue: event Hall and annex Hall,
Kyoto International Conference Center
Information derived from the official
website of the World Engineering
Conference and Convention 2015.
For more information, visit
www.wecc2015.info/index.html.

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Kozo Keikaku engineering (KKe) Inc.’sdisaster-risk reduction technology isneeded globally,
especially in thoseasian countries
prone to earthquakes.
after the 8-magnitude earthquake
hit nepal in april,
KKe, which has
consulted on the
structural designs Mio Mochizuki
of various wellknown buildings, including the Guam Palace Hotel, Shanghai World Financial Center and Istanbul’s Swissotel The
bosphorus, has received a number ofinquiries on its technology and services.
businesses and governments in countries
that do not have Japan’s level of quakeresistant technology are asking KKe toevaluate their key structures.
In addition to others, this year KKe hasreceived inquiries on school buildings in
nepal and fire stations in bangladesh. To
meet growing demand and pursue thepossibility of providing its engineering
technology in asia, the company established a subsidiary in Singapore this year.
KKe employs a variety of technologies
to reduce risks of earthquakes, tsunami
and other disasters. It designs structures,
evaluates and retrofits existing structuresand provides new structures with solutions with respect to seismic isolation.
Quake-resistance evaluations for existing structures and subsequent structure
reinforcements are among KKe’s areas ofexpertise.
The company has inspected about
1,700 buildings so far. The types of structures evaluated range from hotels, residential complexes and hospitals tohistoric structures, one of which is theFaculty of Law bldg. 3, University of Tokyo,
built in 1927 and registered as a Tangible
Cultural Property of Japan in 1998.
Since the disaster in March 2011,
demand rose in and outside of Japan for
quake-resistance evaluation due to a general increase in awareness of disaster risk
reduction.
KKe has received an increasing numberof such requests, especially from schools
and hospitals that typically become shelters in case of emergency.
Mio Mochizuki, a young architect with
KKe, has been working with the company’s core technology and currently works

on evaluating the quake resistance ofstructures and providing advice to solve
customer problems.
Mochizuki says that most structuresthat were built before the amendment ofbuilding Standard act in 1981 do not meetthe current standard or could be more
vulnerable in a major seismic event. old
buildings that underwent remodeling or
expansion could also have a low seismic
performance, thus seismic evaluation isconsidered significant nowadays, especially with facilities such as hospitals,
hotels and schools where many people
gather.
based on requests from customers suchas factories, hospitals and residentialbuilding operators, KKe conducts evaluations and retrofits in a way that allows
them to continue regular operations, byusing its seismic-isolation equipment.
With such constraints and limits KKe
adopts the best approach to address the
structural deficiencies by consideringcontinuity of building operations, functionality, cost and constructional workability.
For example, in a project on the Tajima
Joint Government building in Fukushima
Prefecture, the retrofit construction was
carried out with most of the furniture andbuilding contents unmoved, allowing
office work not to be disturbed by the retrofit work.
“There are some cases when a clientwith cultural value structures, such as
brick buildings erected more than a hundred year ago, wishes to maintain the
structure’s exterior appearance. In suchcases, we make proposals after discussing
how the client plans to use the structures.
For instance, we have proposed reinforcement construction that involves installing
support devices or building support walls
inside,” she said.
evaluating and retrofitting cultural heritage sites contributes to the preservationof landmark structures and the revitalization of remote areas. It is not easy to findthe best solutions for cultural heritage
structures, which have no guidelines onquake resistance, by using analytical technology.
but KKe makes it possible with its
expertise to combine professionals in not
only structural design, but also groundsolidity evaluation and structural analysis.
“There are many cultural structures thathave never been inspected. I would like to
be more involved in those kinds of jobs inthe future,” Mochizuki said.
before her work on evaluation retrofit-

ting for existing buildings, Mochizuki wasin a department dealing with KKe’s seismic isolation systems for new buildings,
giving her valuable experience for her current job.
Seismic isolation systems function as acushion between the earth and a structure, reducing the shaking of the structure
dramatically during a major earthquake.
In 2009, KKe installed a 3-d seismic
isolation system, which reduces both horizontal and vertical shaking using “Hyper
air Suspension” technology, under a residential building in Tokyo’s Suginami
Ward. That was the first instance in theworld in which a residential building had
a 3-d seismic isolation system installed.
The company had begun the project of
3-d seismic isolation systems after a hugequake hit niigata Prefecture in 2004, whena designated national treasure, Jomon
pottery, fell and broke from a seismicallyisolated table designed to mitigate horizontal vibration. In Japan, there are many
active fault lines that could possibly experience inland quakes, which could cause
heavy damage due to vertical vibration.
because of this, prompt and effective
countermeasures were needed.
KKe has close connections with universities, including one with a professor who
has been working on a 3-d seismic isolation project.
When it was thought the 3-d seismic
isolation system became technically viable, KKe raised its hand to test it and built
a building that implemented the 3-d seismic isolator.
“In one of our engineering teams, morethan half of its members are non-Japanese. as the world requires earthquakeresistant technologies more than ever, we
are increasingly interested in expanding
business overseas,” said Mochizuki, who isplanning to obtain further architectural
certifications to broaden the scope of her
career.

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The Japan Times, Ltd.
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B4

The Japan Times Monday, noveMber 30, 2015

WECC2015

Savoring Kyoto’s culture
Throughout its 1,000-year history as theformer capital of Japan, Kyoto has nurtured a rich array of culture. Today thecity is like a theme park of Japanese culture and history complete with temples,shrines, UneSCo World Heritage sites,
traditional Japanese buildings and modern Western architecture.
There are many interesting things to
see on the grounds of the many temples:
buddhist statues, soaring pagodas,
ornate halls and more. among them is
the Japanese-style garden, which symbolizes the philosophy of Japanese culture and recreates seasonal beauty or
religious beliefs in a limited space. visitors can enjoy walking in some of thegardens and while looking at teahouses,
but many other gardens are only to beappreciated visually.
among the myriad temples andshrines in Kyoto, the following are someof the most popular destinations.
Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
is a Zen temple covered in gold leaf. The
image of the temple richly adorned ingold leaf reflects beautifully in the waterof the adjoining Kyokochi (mirror pond).
It is perhaps the most widely recognizedimage of Kyoto and a truly breathtaking

Strolling along the narrow streets in
Gion will lead tourists to discover theworld of geisha is still alive. Kyoto media
Support centersight. The is surrounded by a beautiful
garden that houses a graceful teahouse.
Ryoanji Temple is the site of Japan’s
most famous mysterious rock gardens.
The garden attracts hundreds of visitors
every day and shows the stunning simplicity and harmony of the principles ofZen meditation. enclosed by an earthen
wall, fifteen carefully placed rocks seemto drift in a sea of raked white gravel.
after sitting and pondering the garden’s“sermon in stone,” visitors can stretch

their legs by touring the extensive
grounds of ryoanji Temple, which
includes larger gardens with moss-covered trees and the Kyoyo-chi pond,
which is particularly striking in autumn.
after a stroll, guests can return to therock garden for another moment of contemplation.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is perhaps
the most popular of the temples in Kyoto
and a fixture in the minds of the Japanese people. built on the side of a mountain, the temple’s balcony is supported
by 13-meter wooden columns. The main
hall with its distinctive hip-shaped roofof cypress bark sits to the rear of the balcony and houses a priceless statue of
Kannon bodhisattva, the goddess ofmercy. From the west-facing balcony,
visitors can appreciate panoramic views
over the city. The balcony is a popularplace to watch sunsets, something that
may contribute to the romance associated with the temple.
Shrines have distinct architectural
styles and one representative structure is
the torii shrine gate. a torii symbolicallymarks the transition from the everyday
world of people to the sacred realm of
deities.

Tofukuji Temple is a popular destination for viewing autumn foliage.

The magical, seemingly unending
trail of over 5,000 vibrant orange torii
gates that wind through the hills behind
Fushimi inari Taisha shrine make it
one of the most popular shrines inJapan. The walk around the upper precincts is a pleasant hike during the day.

Lake Biwa Canal: A home-grown marvel of engineering

Suirokaku (Elevated Aqueduct) in the precincts ofNanzenji Temple raKucHu pHotograpHerS Society

Biwako Sosui (Lake Biwa canal) is a waterway constructed in the meiji era to draw water from Lake
Biwa in Shiga prefecture to Kyoto.
following the meiji restoration and the subsequent transfer of the capital to tokyo, Kyoto suffered a decrease in population and industrial
activity. as a solution
to this problem, Kunimichi Kitagaki, thethird governor of
Kyoto, took the initiative to construct theLake Biwa canal, which
was devised to facilitate water and passenger transportation andbe used in industry andelectricity generation.
it was unprecedented in scale to build acanal connecting Kyoto
with Lake Biwa. at first,
in view of the then techLake Biwa Canal in
nological level ofautumn raKucHu
japan, many people
pHotogapHerS Society

Exhibitors
Energy, Environment, and Green Innovation
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
JAPAN INDUSTRIAL FURNACE MANUFACTURESASSOCIATIONNICHICON CORPORATION
Noritake Co., Limited
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
NEW JEC Inc.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
The Jiangsu Institution of Engineers
Construction and Infrastructure for Society
KOKUSAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD.
Water Resources Environment Center, Japan
Construction Research Institute (CRI:KENSETSU BUKKACHOSAKAI)
East Nippon Expressway Company Limited
Central Nippon Expressway Company LimitedWest Nippon Expressway Company Limited
Hanshin Expressway
Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Co., Ltd.
Nuctech Company Limited
PACIFIC CONSULTANTS CO., LTD.
PASCO CORPORATION
Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited/Shutoko
Engineering Company Limited
CTI Engineering Co., Ltd.
SHIMIZU CORPORATION
Oriental Consultants Co., Ltd./Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd.
TOA CORPORATIONNIPPON KOEI CO., LTD.
OBAYASHI CORPORATION
Japan Commission on Large Dams
Japan Construction Information Center
Kajima Corporation
OYO Group
Tohoku Regional Development Association

Sponsors
BroadBand Tower, Inc.
CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS GROUP
S.A.L. (OFFSHORE) (CCC)
Tohoku Regional Development Association
River Center Of Hokkaido
NEC Corporation
Hitachi, Ltd.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Toshiba Corporationconsidered it an ill-advised plan. the project was
designed and supervised by young engineer Sakuro tanabe.
the canal has two routes: the 19,968-meter canalno. 1, which is mainly used for hydroelectric power
generation and the 7,423-meter canal no. 2, which
is used for drinking water.
in 1891, the newly completed Keage power Station started to transmit electricity. this was the firsthydroelectric power generation project in japan andfrom 1895 it provided electricity for Kyoto’s trams.
the Keage purification plant was completed in1912 and began supplying water the following year,
as the first plant in japan to use the rapid sand filtration method.
due to the 36-meter difference in elevation between the upstream dam and its terminus, an inclined plane was built, which allowed boats to travel
on land via the use of a flat car.
traveling along the canal from the Keage Boatdock, eventually leads to the Suirokaku aqueduct in
the precincts of nanzenji temple. although thisbrick structure is said to have been built so as not toimpinge on the historic scenery of nanzenji temple,
it is a completely foreign style of architecture, so

Eight-Japan Engineering Consultants Inc.
Foundation of River & Basin Integrated Communications (FRICS), JAPANCHUO KAIHATSU CORPORATION
PanaHome Corporation
TAISEI CORPORATION
Toyo Construction Co., Ltd.
The River Foundation
TOKEN C.E.E Consultants Co., Ltd.
CHUO FUKKEN CONSULTANTS CO., LTD.
Construction industry Engineers center/Japan River Association
Machinery
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
ISHIDA CO., LTD.
NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATIONTokyo Metropolitan Rail Network
Tokyo Metropolitan Rail Network/Japan’s High-Speed Rail Network
Japan’s High-Speed Rail Network
ISUZU MOTORS LIMITEDIHI Corporation
SUNCALL CORPORATIONDENSO CORPORATION
Nippon Signal Company, Limited"Edokko No.1" Project; Tokyo Higashi Shinkin BankLife Innovation
Panasonic Production Engineering Co., Ltd.
IDEA Consultants, Inc./Fujikura Ltd.
Hamamatsu Agency for Innovation
RIKEN
Chemistry, Materials, Resources, andIndustrial Competitiveness
SAMCO Inc.
Electrical, Electronic, and ICT Fields
NEC Corporation
KIYOKAWA Plating Industry Co., Ltd
FUJITSU LIMITED
EverySense, Inc./BroadBand Tower, Inc.

Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd.
MEIDENSHA CORPORATION
FUJITSU LIMITED
Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
Shimadzu Corporation
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Komatsu Ltd.
IHI Corporation
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Chiyoda Corporation
MAEDA CORPORATION

tofuKuji

It also makes for a wonderfully eerie
stroll in the late afternoon and early
evening, when the various graveyards
and miniature shrines along the pathtake on a mysterious air. This shrine,
dedicated to the god of rice and sake inthe eighth century, also features dozens

The Lake Biwa
Canal Museum of
Kyoto shows how
the canal played arole in Kyoto’s
modernization.

one can imagine how amazed people must havebeen looking up at it in the early days. However,today, partly covered by moss, it presents a very
dignified face.
in an age when many of japan’s important construction projects relied on foreign engineers, theLake Biwa canal was the first large-scale project undertaken japanese only. despite historical transitions,the canal is still used for many purposes, including asa water supply for 1.47 million residents and hydroelectric power generation.
in 1996 the canal was designated a Historic Site.
For more information, visit the website of Kyoto
Okazaki Concierge at www.kyoto-okazaki.jp/en/

Universities and Colleges
Toyohashi University of Technology
Eight-University Engineering Association
Academic Society Liaison Association
Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University
Kansai University
Kyoto Institute of Technology
National Research Institutions
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency（JAXA）
The Institution of Professional Engineers, Japan (lPEJ)
DEDE Thailand
Japan Science and Technology Agency
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organization (NEDO)
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology (AIST)
National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
Public Works Research Institute (PWRI), JapanThe Japan Society of Seismic Isolation
Japan Atomic Energy Agency Sector of Nuclear Science
Research Quantum Beam Science Directorate
The Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award Zone
HARDLOCK Industry Co., LTD.
GIKEN LTD.
NAKAMURA BRACE CO., LTD.
KAIWA CO., LTD.
OOIRI CO., Ltd
Nitto Construction Inc.
DENSO CORPORATIONMITAKA KOHKI CO., LTD.
O.N.Industries Ltd
ZEROONE PRODUCTS, LTD
KTX Corporation
ASANUMA GIKEN CO., LTD.
FUJIKIHAN CO., LTD.
Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel Corporation
Yamashita Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
Kunimoto Industry Co., LTD

Hokuriku Regional Management Service Association
The Japan Civil Engineering Consultants Association
Shikoku Create Association
Kanto Regional Management Service Association
Kyusyu Regional Management Service Association
Development Association of Central Japan
Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers
Chugoku Kensetsu Kosaikai
Construction Services in Kinki Region
Okinawa Shimatate Association
The Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers
Japan Commission on Large Dams

Rocket Software Japan Ltd.
Top Runners of Japan Local Construction
SURVEY RESEARCH CENTER CO.,LTD.
The Jiangsu Institution of Engineers

Grant Organizations
The Tokyo Club
Kyoto City
The Murata Science Foundation

PAGE: 4fox statues. The animal is seen as themessenger of the god of grains, Inari,
and the stone foxes are often known by
the same name. The keys often depictedin the fox mouths represent keys to granaries. This shrine is the central location for some 40,000 Inari shrines
across Japan.

Fall foliage

Kyoto is located in a valley surroundedon three sides — north, east and west —by mountains. due to this geographic
feature, the city experiences extremely
hot, humid summers and harsh, severe
winters. of the four seasons, autumn is
one of the best, along with spring, tovisit the city.
People from all over Japan and theworld are mesmerized by the changing
colors of autumn leaves. The best time
to view the fall foliage is from the middle
to the end of november, but some spots,
including Tofukuji Temple, still boast
brightly colored leaves through early
december. Many temples are open in
the evenings during the autumn andmany illuminate the leaves during theseason.
Information derived from the official
website of Kyoto City Tourism
Association and Kyoto City Official Travel
Guide. For more information, see
www.kyokanko.or.jp
or http://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp.