2022. 8. 3

Japan Society of Civil Engineers
International Activities Center

IAC News No.118
Interview in the August issue of JSCE Magazine

Transforming JSCE into an Outward-Looking,Open Organization Where Diversity Is Valued<At the Forefront of Research and Education from Hokkaido University to Shenzhen University>
Congratulations on becoming President of JSCE.
Born in Tokyo, you (President Ueda) have been teaching at Hokkaido
University for many years.
Back when I enrolled at the University of Tokyo, Prime Minister Kakuei
Tanaka’s Theory of Remodeling the Japanese Islands sparked great
debate in society, and interest in civil engineering was very high.
Inspired by the completion of the Kurobe Dam, which was said to be“the biggest construction project of the 20th century,” I aimed for a
career in civil engineering.
I was taught by Professor Hajime Okamura at the Concrete Laboratory,
spent two years studying at a university in the United States, and after
spending three years as a faculty member at the Asian Institute of

110th President of JSCE
Tamon Ueda

Technology in Thailand with the assistance of Professor Fumio
Nishino, I took up a position at Hokkaido University. As I grew up in
Tokyo, Hokkaido was somewhere I always wanted to go. I could havegot a job at a research institute of a private company in Tokyo, but I think I made the right choice.
What have you done in your time at JSCE?
As I majored in concrete structures and hybrid structures, I have been a permanent member of the JSCE
Concrete Committee since the 1990s, and served as the first chairperson of the Hybrid Structure Committee,
which was newly established in 2005.
You are known for being particularly “internationally-minded” at JSCE, and have also filled the big shoes ofSenior Director of the International Activities Center for seven years since its establishment in 2012.
While I’m flattered to be labeled “internationally-minded”, I’m not consciously so at all. However, in being
made President of JSCE, I would like to take this opportunity to focus my efforts on my unfinished work from1

my time at the International Activities Center. The biggest challenge is how we shift the inward-looking natureof Japanese civil engineering to focus outward instead. Details of newly established committees and so on will
be explained in the Message from the President section in the subsequent issues of the JSCE Magazine.
After leaving Hokkaido University, Shenzhen University in China offered me a position to work as a professor.
Currently living in Shenzhen has made me realize in various situations the current stagnation in civilengineering in Japan. Especially in terms of infrastructure, when I studied abroad 40 years ago, the UnitedStates, which has excellent international airports all over the country, was number one in the world, but now
China, with its remarkable economic growth, is a rising star. Meanwhile, looking at Japan, the infrastructurethat has been developed with great investment after the war now has a lot of problems. Even if you take theexpressways and the Shinkansen as examples of such infrastructure, is it really world-class in terms of its
functionality? I feel that now is the time in which we need to take a good look at our infrastructure andthoroughly verify it.

<Creating Opportunities for Young People, Women, and International Members to Be Better Heard>
Are there any differences between Japan and China in terms of research and education?
Given that Japan and China have overwhelmingly
different populations, of course, there are differences,
but China is a competitive society when it comes toresearchers, too. The number of papers submitted, thesize of grants, etc., they all become personal
achievements and help to support one’s career. Youngpeople are extremely motivated, and the efforts andachievements of these young individuals are raising
the bar for civil engineering research throughout thecountry. As scholarships for doctoral students are

In Ishikari-gun, Hokkaido on Wednesday, May 18, 2022

also substantial and the students’ costs of living arecovered, China attracts excellent human resources. I
would really like Japan to also learn from this.
If you just compare China and Japan like this, it may seem that there is nothing good about Japan, but I am an
optimist! There are without doubt very talented young researchers and engineers in Japan. Creating
opportunities so they are heard more is one of the things that I want to do.
I also expect big things from our female members in particular. There are many female researchers andengineers who flourish in China and other countries. I often think that it will be women who overturn this senseof stagnation in the world. As the overall number of female members is small in Japan, I would like to listen
carefully to what they have to say so that they are properly heard.
What do you think about international members from the perspective of diversity?
Unfortunately, until now, we have not been able to provide opportunities to actively listen to and discuss thethoughts of our international members. It’s time to change this as well. We will create opportunities where
young people, female members, and international members can easily say what they think, and work on solving

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issues from the perspectives of everyone. The accumulation of each of these opportunities will lead to creating
opportunities in which they can make decisions. I think that creating this series of stages is absolutely vital forthe future of civil engineering.
Please let our readers know what they can expect from the JSCE Magazine in the future.
In November 2021, JSCE and the Architectural Institute of Japan signed a memorandum of understanding. As
I mentioned in the July issue in my inaugural address, these two organizations will work together to address
global issues. As part of this, I would like to propose to the editorial committee members a joint project between
the two academic societies, which will be featured regularly in our respective academic journals.
Secondly, I would like us to further advance the digitization of the JSCE Magazine, a process that is in progress
as we speak. Recently, the automatic machine translation function has also been enhanced, so even theinternational members I just mentioned who are not so good at Japanese should be able to access informationin real-time by using the translation function. I can also enjoy the latest information in the JSCE Magazine at
the same time as everyone while I am in Shenzhen. The JSCE Magazine is also a good way to sort information,
so I hope to receive prompt feedback on my efforts as president as well.
Thank you for your time today.

【Interviewer: Ichiro Iwaki, Chair of the Editorial Committee on JSCE Magazine】【Written by Yuko Sato, Photos by Rumiko Ito】

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Japanese Civil Engineers the Global Leaders Symposium Series: Symposium No. 20“Construction of Submersible Bridges in Myanmar”
On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, the Japanese Civil
Engineers the Global Leaders Symposium Series No.
20 “Construction of Submersible Bridges in Myanmar”
was held by the JSCE International Activities Center
both online and in person. In Myanmar, unlike ordinary
bridge construction projects, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs’ grant aid was used to construct submersible
bridges that can be constructed at low cost, taking into
account the needs of local residents and the specificcircumstances of the area. Against this backdrop, this
symposium discussed Japanese engineers directly
instructing local engineers and local residents not only
about the design and construction of the bridges but
also about their maintenance after completion. The
constructionofsubmersible

bridgeshas

beenfacilitated by Japan Infrastructure Partners (JIP) since2016. The bridges have been highly praised by local
residents,

thenational

government,

and

local

governments in Myanmar, with 12 bridges completed
so far. This initiative was awarded the Mino Best Project Award at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Road
Engineering Association of Asia & Australasia (REAAA). The theme of this symposium was the constructionof submersible bridges. During the symposium, it was explained that the scale of each submersible bridge
construction project is small, unlike projects that Japan has traditionally supported the infrastructuredevelopment of in developing countries. Even so, this project is evidence of the experience and achievementsof Japanese civil engineers, who were highly praised not only by the Myanmar government but also by local
residents, being held in great awe overseas.
At the beginning of the symposium, Tamon Ueda, President of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, gave an
opening speech. During his remarks, he emphasized the significance of the fact that efforts were being
undertaken with local residents leading maintenance after the construction of the submersible bridges, with the
project accurately responding to the needs of the region.
The words of President Ueda were followed by Mr. Tadahiko Nakao, President of Japan Infrastructure Partners,
who introduced an overview of the project, and Mr. Hajime Asakura, Vice President of Japan InfrastructurePartners, who gave a detailed explanation of the technical efforts involved in implementing the project. Next up
was Mr. Toshio Matsuda, Director of the Non-Governmental Organizations Cooperation Division of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who introduced Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects and showed a4

willingness to consider working together on a similar submersible bridge project in the future. Lastly, Ms.
Chinatsu Hyodo, who was involved in the field surveys in Myanmar, talked about the expectations andassessments of the local residents, and also used footage of a ceremony to mark the opening of a bridge to also
highlight how the local residents are delighted with the construction of the submersible bridges.
The construction of the submersible bridges in Myanmar, which was covered throughout this symposium, is anextremely beneficial project for the rural areas of Myanmar. There are also requests from other regions in the
country to build more submersible bridges. It is expected that the development of submersible bridges willcontinue to be led by Japan Infrastructure Partners with the cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
leading to greater living standards for the local residents in Myanmar.
*Overview of REAAA Held in Manila, Philippines
https://jip.or.jp/202109-mino-best-project-award-ceremony/＜Program＞• Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2022
• Venues: JSCE Hall, Zoom webinar (online)
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Overview of the Submersible Bridge Project(Includes an Introduction of Japan Infrastructure Partners’ activities and the winning of the REAAA MinoBest Project Award)
Mr. Tadahiko Nakao, President of JIP

2Implementation of the Submersible Bridge Project
Mr. Hajime Asakura, Vice President of JIP

3Introduction of Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects and comments about the Submersible
Bridge Project
Mr. Toshio Matsuda, Director, Non-Governmental Organizations Cooperation Division,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

4

Actual conditions of rural areas in Myanmar and the effects of the submersible bridges
Ms. Chinatsu Hyodo, Burmese-Japanese interpreter

5

The joy of the local people (Movie)

6

Q&A Session【Reported by Hidenori Yoshikane, Project Group, IAC】

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International Activities Center’s Recent Project1.

President Ueda ProjectTwo months have passed since the President Ueda Project has properly gotten up and running. As preparations
started last year, however, discussions, event planning, and the posting of information on the narrowed-downthemes are in full swing. For example, on Friday, August 5, the Symposium* on the Succession andDevelopment of Long Bridge Technology and Human Resources in Overseas Projects (hosted by the Civil
Engineers Global Implementation Subcommittee) will take place both online and in person. The symposium
will welcome civil engineers involved in the construction of long bridges in Japan and overseas to talk about
the development of marine bridge projects in Japan, a world leader in this respect, as well as technologicaldevelopment and the training of human resources.
The Global Vision Examination Subcommittee for Academic Research Activities in Civil Engineering and the
Subcommittee for Examining the Forming of Projects to Be Rolled Out Internationally are holding discussions
to pave the way to enhance the international competitiveness of academia and research in Japan and form
projects that can be rolled out overseas. Going forward, we can surely expect activities such as workshops,
seminars, and surveys to increase. These activities will be introduced in the President Project 2022 section of
the JSCE Magazine. Be sure to check them out.
* Symposium HP: https://committees.jsce.or.jp/2022_Presidential_Project02/node/13

2.

2022 JSCE Annual Meeting

This year’s JSCE Annual Meeting will be held from Wednesday, September 14 to Friday, September 16 at Kyoto
University and the Kyoto International Conference Center. As the International Program, the 24th International
Summer Symposium & International Workshop for Young Civil Engineers will be held as a session at both theInternational Special Conference on the morning of September 14 and the JSCE Annual Conference on
September 15 and 16. The International Special Conference is entitled Crossroads@Junctions, Paths, and Futurein Civil Engineering, and veterans and upcoming engineers from Japan and overseas will gather to learn what
each other has taken from experiences at crossroads in the past and to consider how to use these insights toovercome future crossroads and how to choose one’s path going forward. We expect to welcome people fromthe American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Chinese Civil Engineering Society (CCES), JICA,
universities, general contractors, and more. Meanwhile, the workshop consists of two parts: (1) researchpresentations by upcoming engineers and researchers and (2) group discussions on various issues. On the themeof utilizing AI and DX technologies in civil engineering, this workshop will see participants consider
possibilities for taking advantage of said technologies in fields such as structural engineering, hydraulicengineering, geotechnical engineering, and disaster prevention, and consider their effectiveness and issues, aswell as solutions to said issues. You cannot help but find yourself rooting for upcoming engineers from Japanand overseas when watching them working together to come up with an answer while contemplating this andthat. Whether you are attending the JSCE Annual Meeting or not, please stop by and take a look.
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/node/286

63.

International Civil Engineers GroupThe International Civil Engineers Group of the International Activities Center started as a working group during
the coronavirus pandemic and to date has carried out most of its activities online. For example, last year, theInternational Civil Engineers Group held the Salon for International Students and Engineers in Japan, withinternational students and engineers as well as Japanese companies sharing their thoughts about the current
situation and issues surrounding internships in Japan and their expectations for the future. I encourage you tovisit this webpage to see what happened on the day (https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/node/220).
Since the start of this year, under the leadership of Yoshinori Izawa (Hazama Ando Corporation), Director of
the International Activities Center, the International Civil Engineers Group was promoted from working groupto group status. Taking advantage of the relaxation of regulations regarding COVID-19 countermeasures, theInternational Civil Engineers Group is slowly but surely holding meetings in both in person and online. The
themes for this year’s activities were narrowed down to (1) support for international students, (2) support forinternational civil engineers, and (3) networking and posting of information. Three teams were then formed.
The members are motivated to try to produce satisfactory results in a fun way while making an effort to share
information between teams. By all means get involved!

The International Civil Engineers Group, IAC

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Updates◆JSCE-ASCE Infrastructure Resilience Research Grouphttps://www.infraresil.jp/◆2022 JSCE Annual Meeting International Program (Japanese)
https://committees.jsce. or.jp/kokusai/node/286◆JSCE Feedback Web Form「多門に多聞&多問」
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/chair/node/59◆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/◆IAC “News Pick Up!!” on the JSCE Japanese website
https://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/iac_dayori_2022◆Summary of featured articles in JSCE Magazine Vol. 107, No.8 August 2022
http://www.jsce-int.org/pub/magazine◆Journal of JSCE
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/journalofjsce◆The 9th Civil Engineering Conference in the Asian Region (CECAR9)
https://cecar9.com/◆The 1st International Conference on Food Waste to Food Sustainability 2022
https://www.polyu.edu.hk/pfs/index.php/392861?lang=en◆The 4th Asian Concrete Federation (ACF) Symposium on Emerging Technologies for Structural Longevity(ACF2022_ETSL): https://acf2022.aconf.org/index.html◆The 9th International Conference on Flood Management (ICFM9)
https://www.icfm9.jp/index.html◆74th ECCE GENERAL MEETING PRESS RELEASE
https://www.dropbox.com/s/316vqqho6by850r/ECCE_Press%20Release_20220720.pdf?dl=0§ 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
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