K I Z U NA
Linking Japan and the WorldNew Kishida Administration /Nutrition for Growth Summit

Winter2021

KIZUNA

KANAZAWA SHOKO
Calligraphy Artist
Born in Tokyo in 1985, she started learning
calligraphy from her mother when she wasfive years old. One of the notable young
calligraphers of today, her solo exhibitions
have been held throughout the world,in cities such as New York, Singapore,and Prague. She was selected as one of theofficial poster artists for Tokyo 2020.

Welcome to KIZUNA, the official
magazine of the Government of Japan.
This bold work of calligraphy is
絆(kizuna) written in Japanese. Kizuna
means the enduring bonds between
people—close relationships forgedthrough mutual trust and support.
Originally describing the rope used
to tether domestic animals such as
horses and dogs, the meaning of
kizuna has evolved over the years. A
passage in The Tale of the Heike,compiled in the 13th century, uses theterm to refer to the bonds of love
between a father and his children.
More recently, kizuna has gone
beyond bonds tying together family
and close acquaintances; it is now
used in a broader sense of human ties
and connections. Of particular note is
the kizuna born among people during
natural calamities, which fosters
feelings of solidarity and serves as theunderlying strength to overcome
hardships.
Similarly, the kizuna cultivatedamong the countries of the world has
the power to deepen cooperation for abetter future. By reporting on a wide
variety of topics concerning Japan, we
hope that this magazine will provide
opportunities for Japan and the rest of
the world to connect and build
strong kizuna.

CONTENTS
NEW KISHIDA ADMINISTRATION

04

The First Policy Speech by Prime Minister
KISHIDA Fumio

06

Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio’s Personal Timeline

08

Prime Minister’s First Overseas Trip:
COP26 World Leaders Summit Statement

10

Toward a New Form of Capitalism:
Outline of the Emergency Proposal from the Councilof New Form of Capitalism Realization
PORTRAITS OF JAPAN

12

Tranquility and Serenity: A Peaceful Japanese Winter
NUTRITION FOR GROWTH SUMMIT

14The Journey Toward a World Without Malnutrition

16

School Lunches: The Key to Children’s Healthand Prosperity

18

Recovering Farmland Devoured by Locusts in Pakistan

20

Meals to Solve the Global Food Imbalance
HEALTH & WELFARE

22

Bringing the COVID-19 Vaccine to All Cornersof the WorldPORTRAITS OF JAPAN24

Beyond Tokyo 2020: Leading the Way Toward an
Inclusive Society
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

26

Tech Innovations at Tokyo 2020
LIFE & CULTURE

28

Behind the Scenes of a First Paralympic Appearanceat Tokyo 2020
HEALTH & WELFARE

30

Technology Brings the Joy of Going Out to People
with Disabilities
PORTRAITS OF JAPAN32

Discovering the Unknown Japan with Isabella Bird
LIFE & CULTURE

34

Linking the Cultures of Kanazawa and Ghent

Winter 2021

COVER
In Japan, nutritionally balanced school
lunches are provided in almost allelementary schools, supporting thehealthy growth of children. Japan also
supports community-based
school-lunch programs in developing
countries, such as Madagascar,increasing students’ motivation to study(photos were taken in Tokyo andMadagascar). MADAGASCAR PHOTOS BY JICA

03

NEW KISHIDA ADMINISTRATION

THE FIRST POLICY SPEECHBY PRIME MINISTER KISHIDA FUMIO
AN EXCERPTOCTOBER 8, 2021
Full Text: https://japan.kantei.go.jp/100_kishida/statement/202110/_00005.html

Introduction
I am resolved to invest all my heart, mind, and strength
to overcome this national crisis, the battle against
COVID-19, together with the Japanese people, carve out
a new era, and hand down to the next generation a Japanthat is spiritually rich.
What is required of us now is to engage in politics
worthy of trust and sympathy that reacts to citizens’ voiceswith sincerity and gives those voices concrete shape. I willplace importance on having thorough discussions with thecitizens. I myself and indeed all the members of my Cabinet
will repeatedly sit down in a circle with various kinds ofpeople to have discussions. Beyond that, I will instructthem to do comprehensive checks on whether or not we areadvancing policies well-tailored to the people’s needs.
It will be upon the trust and sympathy earned throughthis process that I aim to foster a society that respects
diversity. My mission is to arouse the power of the bonds
Japan enjoys.
Measures to counter COVID-19
The essential element of crisis response is assuming
the worst possible situation at all times. Now that the
number of new infections is holding at a low, steady level,
this is the time for us to anticipate various situations andtake comprehensive steps to ensure peace of mind. We
will reliably secure hospital bed capacity and medical
personnel and thoroughly set measures in place to assist
patients recuperating at home.
We will forge ahead with administering a second
vaccine dose to all those wishing to receive one while also
making careful preparations to enable the administrationof a third round of vaccinations. We will also aim to haveorally administered pharmaceutical treatments enter into
practical application within the calendar year. Alongside
this, we will work to make active use of digital vaccination
certificates and expand free-of-charge testing for which04

advance reservations are not required.
To support business owners who have sufferedsignificant impacts, we will provide subsidies inproportion to the size of the business, in a form that does
not impose limits on the location or type of business. We
will also implement support in the form of subsidies andother assistance to protect those in need, including nonregular employees and families with small children.
Bringing a new form of capitalism into realization
What I aim to do is to bring a new form of capitalism
into realization. The concept is this: a virtuous cycle ofgrowth and distribution, and developing a new postCOVID-19 society. I will establish a Council of New
Form of Capitalism Realization and shape that vision
into something concrete. Aiming for growth is absolutely
critical, and we will make every possible effort towards
actualizing it. However, without distribution, there will
be no subsequent growth; this point too, I thoroughly
endorse. We will extricate ourselves from the barren
argument of “growth or distribution” and conduct a
general mobilization of all possible policies to bringabout “growth and distribution.”
Our growth strategy and our distribution strategy are
two sides of the same coin by which we bring about a newform of capitalism.
The first pillar of my growth strategy is realizing ascience and technology nation. We will boldly fundresearch and development in advanced science andtechnology, including in the areas of digital, green,
artificial intelligence, quantum, bio, and space.
The second pillar is revitalizing regions and a Vision
for a Digital Garden City Nation, which will link to therest of the world. We will advance the implementation ofdigital transformation beginning with our local regions
and give rise to a wave of new reforms.
The third pillar is economic security. Under a newlyestablished ministerial remit, we will advance our efforts
to secure strategic goods and materials and prevent
outflows of technology, while will materialize an
autonomous economic structure.
The fourth pillar is putting to rest people’s anxiety
about the era of hundred-year lifespans. We will makesocial security and the tax system neutral with regard toways of working and endeavor to make universal workers’
insurance a reality. Looking ahead, we will work to build
a social security system oriented to all generations inwhich all people, from children and those raising a family
to the elderly, can feel assured.
Next is our distribution strategy.
The first pillar is strengthening the function for
distributions to working people. We will fundamentallystrengthen our support within the tax code for companies
that raise wages in an effort to increase the percentage ofdistributions allocated to labor.
The second pillar is enlarging the middle class andaddressing the declining birth rate. We will reinforce our
support for educational expenses and living expenses toprovide support for families with small children.
The third pillar is increasing the incomes of thoseworking at facilities providing medical nursing, elderly
care, childcare services and the like. We will examine
public prices and fundamentally review the state of
public prices.
My fourth pillar is correcting the harmful effects
resulting from deciding public finances on a single fiscal
year basis, which determines public distribution.
In addition to these, we will actively invest in building
up basic infrastructure as a step towards regional
revitalization. Without reconstruction from the Great
East Japan Earthquake, there will be no revival of Japan.
In keeping with my strong feelings on this, we will work
exhaustively to realize assistance for disaster victims,
the rebuilding of industries and livelihoods, and thereconstruction and revival of Fukushima.
Diplomacy and security that fully protect the Japanese people
On the basis of trust we enjoy from the international
community, I will pursue resolute diplomacy in threeareas in which I hold strong determination.
The first of these is my determination to fully defend
the universal values of freedom, democracy, humanrights, and the rule of law. I will vigorously promote a free

and open Indo-Pacific.
Second is my determination to fully safeguard thepeace and stability of Japan. We will undertake revisions
to our National Security Strategy, National Defense
Program Guidelines, and Mid-Term Defense Program.
The cornerstone of Japan’s diplomatic and security
policies is the Japan-U.S. Alliance, which I will raise toan even greater height. The abductions issue is one of thehighest priority issues of the Kishida administration. I
will do everything in my power to realize the return of all
the abductees to Japan at the earliest possible date.
Third is my determination to lead the international
community by confronting global-level issues andcontributing to humankind. As a prime minister hailingfrom Hiroshima, the site of an atomic bombing, I will
do my very utmost to bring about a world free of nuclear
weapons.
New economic countermeasures
I instructed my Cabinet to take all possible measures to
respond to COVID-19 and to formulate new economic
policies in order to trigger a new form of capitalism. We
will swiftly compile comprehensive and bold economic
policies.
Conclusion“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far,go together.”
We must overcome the divisions arising from economic
disparities, regional disparities, and the like and carve out
a new era. To make that possible, we will forge one team
aimed at all of us moving forward
together. Every night eventuallyturns into dawn. Holding
hands together with you, thecitizens, we will takea step towards
tomorrow.

NEW KISHIDA ADMINISTRATIONPRIMEMINISTERKISHIDAFUMIO’SPERSONAL
TIMELINE

On October 4, Kishidaconducted his first press
conference as prime minister.

July 29, 1957
Born in Tokyo
Kishida was born in Tokyo in the early years of Japan’s economic boom—when the country was getting back on
its feet after the war—as the son of KISHIDA Fumitake, a government official at the Ministry of International Tradeand Industry (currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry). His grandfather, KISHIDA Masaki, was a
successful department store proprietor who also served as a member of the House of Representatives.

1963
Moves to New YorkWhen his father was assigned to work in the United States, the family
moved to New York. Kishida attended a local public elementary schoolfrom the first to third grades, where he was impressed by the liberal
ambience of the U.S. and learned to respect diversity.

1973
Student Days

Kishida (top row, second from right) withclassmates in Queens, New York.

After returning to Japan, Kishida attended public elementary and middle
schools before going on to Kaisei Senior High School, a prestigious
private academy. He was an enthusiastic member of the baseball team, an
experience that taught him the importance of working together as a team.
In 1978, he entered the School of Law at Waseda University. When his
father ran for the House of Representatives for the first time the following
year, Kishida helped him to campaign.

1982
Gains Work Experience at a Bank

Kishida (center) played second base for hishigh school team.

After graduating, Kishida joined the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan (currently Shinsei Bank). He worked inforeign exchange in Tokyo and was subsequently transferred to the city of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture where
his clients included maritime shipping firms. He gained firsthand knowledge of the unfavorable economic reality
there by watching small and medium-sized enterprises sometimes founder and fail due to cash-flow problems.

06

1993
Joins the Political World
Helping his father’s campaign and working for a bank awakened in
Kishida an urge to serve the people directly by protecting their lives
and improving society as a whole. That set him on his way to politics.
In 1993, after his father’s death, he ran for his father’s seat in a districtin Hiroshima and won his first political battle. He valued politicalstumping as a way to speak directly to voters—an approach thatbroadened his appeal and led to his winning the seat 10 times.

Kishida receives his
parliamentary badge
after being elected to
the House ofRepresentatives forthe first time.

2007
Receives First Cabinet Posting
Kishida joined the Cabinet for the first time as a Minister of Statefor Special Missions, a position in which he took on assignments invarious fields including Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs,
Quality-of-Life Policy, and Science and Technology Policy. He
became Minister for Consumer Affairs in 2008, a position from which
he worked for the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Agency.

Kishida favors a hands-on approach and has visitedmany places throughout the country.

2012
Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs
In 2015, Kishida strove for the bilateralagreement between Japan and the Republicof Korea regarding the issue of comfort
women which was “resolved finally andirreversibly.” In 2016, he helped to actualize
a visit to Hiroshima by President Barack
Obama, the first ever such visit by a sitting
U.S. president. Kishida served as Minister of
Foreign Affairs consecutively for four years
and seven months, making him the longestserving foreign minister in postwar Japan.

October 4, 2021
Becomes Prime Minister
Upon winning the election for Liberal
Democratic Party president, Kishida was
appointed Prime Minister of Japan by an
extraordinary session of the Diet. He vowed
to lend a sincere ear to the voices of theJapanese people and to conduct politics in
an attentive and broad-minded manner.

Top: Kishida visited New York in 2016 to attend a
G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as the chair.
Left:Kishida explains the symbolism of the Atomic
Bomb Dome to U.S. President Obama.

Kishida filled nearly 30 notebooks in 10
years with comments and appeals from thepeople of Japan.

His favorite food is Hiroshima-styleokonomiyaki ( Japanese savory pancake).
He ate the dish on the day that he waselected to head the Liberal Democratic
Party. “I’ll never forget how wonderful
it tasted,” he says.

07

NEW KISHIDA ADMINISTRATIONPRIME MINISTER’SFIRST OVERSEAS TRIP
COP26 WORLD LEADERS SUMMIT STATEMENTNOVEMBER 2, 2021
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/100_kishida/statement/202111/_00002.html

On November 2, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio visited Glasgow, the United Kingdom on his first overseas trip
to attend the World Leaders Summit of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) and other events.
On that occasion, the prime minister held bilateral summit meetings with the leaders of the United States, the United
Kingdom, Australia, and Viet Nam, and with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He also exchanged words withmany other heads of state.
In his speech at the World Leaders Summit, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his own determination that Japan would
work in full force to take on climate change, a common challenge of humankind. The following is the full text of his speech.

Prime Minister Kishidaattended the World
Leaders Summit of the
COP26 in the U.K. There,
he pledged to provide up
to an additional 10 billion
USD in the coming five
years to support the
decarbonization of Asiaand beyond.

At the outset, let me start by commending my friend,
Boris, for his leadership in hosting the COP 26.
I have come all the way to Glasgow to convey myown determination that Japan will be working in fullforce to take on climate change, a common challengeof humankind.
Six years have passed since the adoption of theParis Agreement. At that time, under the leadership08of then President Laurent Fabius, we had renewed
our resolve. We must not forget that very moment.
“Fumio, I really want to give this to you.” To this day,I have been keeping and cherishing the gavel that myfriend Laurent presented to me as a testament to myown resolution to confront the climate issue seriously.
To achieve our goal, this coming decade will be
critical. Together, with high ambitions, let us do allwe can going forward!
“Net-zero by 2050”; Japan will realize this goal
under our newly adopted Long-term Strategy.
I assure that Japan aims to reduce its greenhousegas emissions by 46% in the fiscal year 2030 from its
fiscal year 2013 levels, and that Japan will continue
strenuous efforts in its challenge to meet the lofty
goal of cutting its emissions by 50%.
Mr. President,
To bring about a decarbonized society, Japan will
introduce renewable energy as much as possible, andlead the way in the clean energy transition, with aparticular focus on Asia.
Since solar power plays a major role in thetransition to renewables in Asia, to help stabilize
electrical frequency in the region, converting existing
thermal power generations into zero-emission power
generation is a necessary path. To this end, Japan,
through the Asia Energy Transition Initiative, willdevelop leading projects worth 100 million USD
to transform fossil-fuel-fired thermal power into
zero-emission thermal power such as ammonia andhydrogen. Developed countries are collectively
committed to the 100 billion USD per year goal ofclimate finance. However, we have not yet achieved
this target. In order to lead the initiative in fulfilling
this financial gap, today, I am pleased to announce ouradditional contribution. Japan announced last June
our contribution to provide support worth 60 billion
USD, both in public and private finance, in the next
five years. On top of that, Japan will provide up to 10
billion USD in the coming five years, which would
include our contribution to the launch of Innovative
Financial Facility for Climate as we partner with the
Asian Development Bank and others to support the
decarbonization of Asia and beyond.
Together with Boris, Japan will call on otherdeveloped countries to join us in our collective
efforts.
Capitalizing on these initiatives, Japan will press
onward to undertake efforts toward net-zero emissionsin Asia, the engine of global economic growth.
With an aim to realizing a future where vehicles,
the world’s essentials, will become zero emission,
Japan will take advantage of all the available optionsof technologies.

Top: At a high-level event on
infrastructure and climatechange, Prime Minister Kishidasaid that he would lead theinternational community’scommitment to achieving abetter recovery fromCOVID-19.
Right: In between the meetings,
the prime minister actively
engaged in summit diplomacy
including talks with President
Joe Biden of the United States.

By utilizing our own 2 trillion yen Green Innovation
Fund, Japan will develop next-generation batteries
and motors, hydrogen, and synthetic fuels, which all
hold the key to the spread of electric vehicles.
While spreading the fruits of these innovations
across Asia, Japan will spearhead global efforts.
Furthermore, Japan will be participating in the
Global Methane Pledge. As we are moving forwardin the transition to decarbonization, the ongoingissue of rising energy prices also calls for our joint
discussions among leaders to meet the challenge.
For adaptation to climate change, Japan will
double our assistance to approximately 14.8 billion
USD such as in the area of disaster risk reduction.
Concerning global forestry conservation, I hereby
announce that Japan will provide financial assistanceworth approximately 240 million USD, utilizing
advanced technologies and working in collaboration
with the international organizations.
No one must be left behind as we confront the issueof climate change. Japan will dedicate all its strength
to undertake actions and contribute to the future ofhumankind.
Thank you.

09

NEW KISHIDA ADMINISTRATIONTOWARD A NEW
FORM OF CAPITALISM:OUTLINE OF THE EMERGENCY PROPOSAL FROM THE
COUNCIL OF NEW FORM OF CAPITALISM REALIZATIONNOVEMBER 8, 2021
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/ongoingtopics/_00001.html

At his inaugural press conference in October 2021, Japan’s new prime minister KISHIDA Fumio announced
his aim to realize a new form of capitalism.
There is a growing trend around the world to search out a capitalist economy for the new era in which
corporations and governments make bold investments, while protecting the middle class—which forms the coreof a healthy democracy—and preparing for global-scale crises such as climate change. The new initiative of theKishida administration aims to take the lead of that global trend, focusing on sustainability and human capital.
The core concepts of the new initiative are “a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution” and “developing a
new post-COVID-19 society.” Growth strategy and distribution strategy will work in tandem to realize them.
On November 8, the emergency proposal was formulated by the Council of New Form of Capitalism
Realization, which was established to shape a vision toward the realization of a new form of capitalism andtranslate it into concrete measures. It emphasizes that growth must be realized first—positioning the growthstrategy as the trigger for the virtuous circle of growth and distribution—while also stating that the distribution
strategy serves as an essential foundation for sustainable growth. The proposal urges Japan to mobilize all
possible policies toward the realization of the virtuous cycle of growth and distribution.
Outline of the basic ideas of the emergency proposal
Since the 1980s, a growing emphasis has beenplaced on short-term shareholder value, resulting
in a sluggish growth of the middle class, widening
disparities, an increasing burden on subcontractors,
and adverse effects on the natural environmentand others. Thus, the government, private sector,

Prime Minister Kishida established a Council of the New Form of
Capitalism Realization to discuss concrete measures to realize a new form ofcapitalism.

10

universities, local communities, and citizens andconsumers should all play their respective roles tosolve pending issues. Private companies are requested
to enhance their mid- to long-term earning power bystrengthening their investments in the future in areas
such as human capital, and to achieve sustainablegrowth by circulating their profits through wage
increases and other distributions, as well as throughfurther investment in the future. We are committed tobuilding a sustainable capitalism focused on various
stakeholders. While our basic principle is to realize
economic growth by utilizing market functions, it isalso important for the public and private sectors towork together to create an economy for a new era,with the government providing a supplementary
response in areas that are not sufficiently addressed.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s
mindset about their work style and lifestyle haschanged, with digital transformation—which

The emergency proposal
was formulated at themeeting held on
November 8.

until now had not proceeded very far—suddenly
beginning to make rapid progress. Now is the time
to reform conventional socioeconomic practices
and restrictions as well as institutions to build a newsociety premised on coexisting with COVID-19.
As a trigger for a virtuous cycle of growth anddistribution, it is necessary to realize growth in thefirst place. We need to promote efforts to realize
a science and technology nation, including thosefor digital transformation (DX) and growth of thegreen sector toward a solution to the climate change,
thereby drastically strengthening our capacity forinnovation. We also need to provide comprehensive
support for startups as the driver of innovation thatwill carve out the future of Japan. It is also important
to use innovation to solve social issues in a bid tocreate a highly convenient society and to promote
the improvement of productivity in a wide range ofindustries and enterprises, thereby helping to createof a prosperous middle class.
Our distribution strategy serves as an important
foundation for growth. Consumption is expected
to increase through distribution to employees in
the form of wages, which then stimulates demand,
leading to improvement in corporate earnings andsustainable growth. In order to realize growth anddistribution at the same time, it is necessary tostrengthen investment in people through efforts
ranging from those in childcare and early education,
to those within companies. We must also respect
diversity and inclusivity to create a society where all
citizens can participate and play an active role andestablish an environment where each individual cancreate added value.
From such perspectives, Japan should mobilize all
possible policies toward the realization of a virtuous
cycle of growth and distribution that will thenachieve subsequent growth. To this end, it is essential
to increase productivity through our growth strategy
and to distribute the fruits of that growth in theform of wages to working people, thereby raising theincome level of a broad range of citizens.

Issues to be addressed as an utmost priority
The emergency proposal outlines the multiple
measures that should now be given utmost priority
by the Kishida administration.
Under the growth strategy, the top priority
is promoting the realization of a science andtechnology nation, to which end, a university
fund will be established at a scale of 10 trillion yen
during the current fiscal year. The second priority is
promoting the revival of the dynamism of Japanesecompanies and providing comprehensive support
for startups as the driver of innovation while
simultaneously strengthening tax support for large
companies assisting startups. The third priority
is launching a Vision for a Digital Garden City
Nation by implementing digital technology such as
telework, drone delivery and autonomous driving,
beginning with local regions. The fourth and finalpriority is promoting economic security. A fundwill be established, with innovative technologies
to be developed in crucial areas such as artificial
intelligence and quantum technology.
Under the distribution strategy, the first course ofaction will be to provide support to the private sector
to strengthen the distribution of wealth. Support will
be drastically strengthened within the tax code forcompanies that raise wages to increase the percentageof the distribution allocated to labor. The second
course of action will be to strengthen the distributionfunction in the public sector. Public prices will berevised to increase the incomes of those working at
facilities providing medical nursing, elderly care,childcare services, and the like.
In response to this emergency proposal, thegovernment will make a concerted effort to
immediately address the matters outlined. The
Council of a New Form of Capitalism Realization
will continue to conduct brisk discussions to compile,by next spring, a grand design and an outline of theapproaches to substantialize it, and will keep theworld informed of its progress.

11

PORTRAITS OF JAPANTRANQUILITY
AND SERENITY:A PEACEFUL JAPANESE WINTER

Surrounded by seas, the Japanese archipelago is surprisingly cold in winter, with plenty of snow. Its climate has given
birth to fantastical scenery, fostering local, technical solutions.

12

SEA FOG
The Seto Inland Sea is rimmed Honshu
and the Island of Shikoku. On cold, bright
winter mornings, this long, thin body ofwater produces a layer of fog when air ladenwith moisture becomes chilled. Superb viewsof the phenomenon can be enjoyed fromthe observatory in Mihara City, Hiroshima
Prefecture, looking out over more than 700
islands and islets dotting the fog in a tapestry
that never repeats itself, creating a magicalfantasy world.

Kanazawa
MiharaSNOWY GARDEN
Owing to the winds blowing infrom the sea, the area facing the
Sea of Japan has heavy, moist
winter snows. At Kenroku-en
Garden (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa
Prefecture)—one of Japan’s finest
with over 300 years of history—
numerous pine trees are trussedwith rope during the winter, giving
extra support to branches ladenwith the heavy snow. The beautiful
conical shapes, produced throughtraditional wisdom and skill, aretopographical poems symbolizing
the Japanese winter.
H_YASUI/GETTY IMAGESNEW YEAR’S
DELICACIESPIXTAThe Japanese New Year comes with special delicacies. The
custom of placing lucky foods in tiered boxes and eatingthem at seasonal milestone originated as a way of expressing
the concept “stacked with luck.” Each of the foods is madewith long-lasting ingredients, enabling the entire family to
eat leisurely during the New Year holiday period. In that way,
Japanese people celebrate the beginning of the year in peace.

13

NUTRITION FOR GROWTH SUMMITTHE JOURNEY TOWARD A WORLD WITHOUTMALNUTRITIONThe Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021 will convene in December
as part of global efforts to end malnutrition. It will offer a crucial opportunity
to accelerate multi-sectoral efforts to tackle a problem that calls for increasingly
complex solutions.
The Olympic and Paralympic
Games present an invaluable
opportunity to draw people’s
attention away from day-to-day
matters to the wider world, by
way of sports. Taking advantageof the momentum that the Games
create, the Nutrition for Growth
Summit is held in conjunction
with them, in their host city,
offering the opportunity to thinkglobally about nutrition andinstigate action.
With the first summit having
been held in London in 2013,
following the London Olympicsof the previous year, the third—

the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth
Summit 2021—will convene
on December 7 and 8. Leadersof governments, internationalorganizations, businesses, civilgroups, and academia, and otherrelevant
stakeholders
fromaround the world will gather
to discuss five themes: health(making nutrition integral to
Universal Health Coverage);food (building food systems that
promote safe, healthy diets andnutrition); resilience (addressing
malnutrition effectively in fragile
and conflict-affected contexts);
accountability (promoting data-

driven accountability); andfinancing (securing new investments
to tackle malnutrition). The overall
goal is to indicate the future
direction of global efforts totackle malnutrition through thefollowing actions: adopting
stronger, evidence-based nutrition
policies at global, regional, andcountry levels; pledging toincrease financing for provennutrition-specific and nutritionsensitive interventions; andmaking commitments to alignA broad spectrum of leaders
will come together at theTokyo Nutrition for Growth
Summit 2021 to work
toward a world where
everyone is adequately
nourished. They will makenew financing available fornutrition, announce newnutrition commitments, andwork to make thosecommitments achievable.
ALIVE & THRIVE

14

and harmonize actions acrosssectors and stakeholders.
Japan, host of this year’s summit,
has reserves of knowledge andpractical expertise regarding
nutrition that were gained throughyears of experience. After WorldWar II, the country was quick torekindle the training of nutritional
specialists and establish a cadre ofqualified professionals, as well as tomonitor the nutritional well-beingof its citizens. Not only does Japan
provide school lunch programs
and nutritional counseling, both ofhigh quality, but it also participatesin a wide array of international
efforts to improve nutrition. “I
think Japan has a lot to share,” says
Gerda Verburg, United Nations
Assistant Secretary-General andCoordinator of the Scaling Up
Nutrition (SUN) Movement.
SUN was established by the UN
to tackle the world’s nutritional
problems and will play a vitalrole in the upcoming summit
by addressing the ways in which
participants can commit to thesolution to these problems. “In the
1950s and 1960s, Japan learned
a lot about the importance of notjust food security, but also theLeft: Japan is committed to international cooperation in improving nutrition. For example, a cooking lesson wasprovided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) to teach practical recipes using common ingredientsin Madagascar in 2018. SHINICHI KUNO/JICA
Right: Japan deploys specialists to provide nutritional guidance at schools, childcare centers, hospitals, and other places
where nutrition is key. Photo shows a day-care center for infants and children. JAPAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION

quality of food and what foodnutrition can do for physicalhealth, cognitive development,
and mental well-being.”
Nutrition has become anincreasingly complex problem
in recent years, with many
countries facing what is called the“double burden of malnutrition,”where undernutrition, whichstunts growth, coexists withovernutrition, which causes
lifestyle-related illnesses andother problems. One in every 10
people in the world suffers fromhunger, and one in every threesuffers from obesity. “If someone
has been stunted as a child, it willaffect their metabolism, and thenthey may be more vulnerable tobecoming overweight or obese
later in life. In the same families,
you can see stunted children andobese adults,” Verburg explains.

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, launched in 2010, works globally to bring together people andorganizations in government, business, and civil society—as well as across the United Nations system—toimprove nutrition. Gerda Verburg (right), formerly Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the
Netherlands, was appointed United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator of SUN in 2016 by
the UN Secretary-General.

Nutritional problems are also
deeply linked to serious global
issues such as flaws in the foodsystem and climate change.
“Our food system is one of theroot causes of malnutrition.
Our current, imbalanced way of
feeding ourselves is bankrupting
our health systems and exhausting
our planet,” declares Verburg.
A cross-sector approach—involving health, agriculture, thefood industry, and education—isessential if we are to deal with sucha complex issue. Government–led
efforts are not enough; innovation
and awareness-raising within thebusiness community and the civil
sector are also needed. At thesummit, governments, internationalorganizations, businesses, civilgroups, and all other stakeholders
areexpectedtomakecommitments that are both
specific and achievable. A
successful outcome is greatly
desired if we are to accomplish
not only the SDG (Sustainable
Development Goal) of achieving
food security and improved
nutrition for the world by the year
2030, but all SDGs, as nutrition
drives healthy economies andprosperity. Verburg emphaticallysays, “I want countries to be
extremely ambitious in order not
to fail to meet the goals. We needa doubling down on ambition.”15

Lunch at school is a fun time for children. Before they
start eating, they express their gratitude for the foodand for those who made it.

SCHOOLLUNCHES:

After World War II,
Japan instituted
school lunches toimprove children’s
nutrition. This photo
was taken in Tokyoin 1947.

THE KEY TO CHILDREN’SHEALTH AND PROSPERITY

The healthy growth of children in Japan owes much to the provision ofnutritionally balanced school-lunch menus and a long standing commitment
to nutrition education. Japan also offers school-lunch support internationally,leading to improved nutrition and higher quality learning.
When the morning lessons end,
several students quickly change
into white clothes and race down
the hall as it is their turn to serve
meals to their classmates at school
lunch, a much-awaited time of theDiet and nutrition
teacher NAKADA
Tomoko finds joy
in watching
children eat
happily.

16

day. Although everyone must eat
without engaging in conversation
due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
there are plenty of smiles aroundas the children take big bites ofnutritious food prepared withseasonal ingredients.
Nutrition is essential to any
child’s healthy growth. Whileundernutrition is a deep-seatedproblem for those living inpoverty, in recent years, many
countries, regardless of theirwealth, have faced complex issues,
including overnutrition.

To make progress toward
solving that global problem, Japan
will hold the Tokyo Nutrition
for Growth Summit 2021 inDecember. Today, more thana century since the foundingof the National Institute of
Nutrition in Tokyo in 1920,
Japan expects to leverage its
experience in nutritional policy
to build international momentum
surrounding better nutrition.
The three important pillars
of Japan’s nutritional policy are
diet, specialists, and evidence. The
policy recommends that meals
consist of a balanced combinationof staple dishes—such as rice or
bread—that provide the bodywith energy, along with main
dishes—such as meat, fish, orsoybeans—that supply protein,and side dishes that deliver

NUTRITION FOR GROWTH SUMMIT
Fish andMeat dish(Meat, fish,
egg, andsoybean)

Milk

Vegetable
dishGrain dish(Rice, bread,
noodles, andpasta)
Children harvesting rice. Growing and harvesting one’s own food is an
important part of food and nutrition education.

vitamins and minerals. After
World War II, Japan promptly
eliminated nutritional deficiency
with support from internationalorganizations. The country’s
nutrition policy, developed in
response to the malnutrition of its
citizens, became the foundation
for an expanding economy.
Japan’s policy also focused on
training of nutritional specialists
including nutritional educationand food-service management.
Diet and nutrition teachers anddietitians play a key role in settings
where school lunches are served.
Most elementary schools in the
country provide well-balanced
school lunch menus devised bynutrition teachers and school
nutritionists. These are based onnational standards for nutritional
intake in the implementationof school lunches, which are set
according to the stage of a child’s
growth. Menus are also creatively
devised to consider children’sfavorite foods.
NAKADA Tomoko, a memberof the board of the Japan Dietetic
Association, is a diet and nutrition
teacher in Tochigi Prefecture. She
says, “I take care to transform
school-meal menus into learningmaterials. For example, if children
learn in their home economics
classes that traditional local cuisine
is made by using ingredients in a

non-wasteful manner, they will beaware of the need to reduce foodwaste and will be more likely tofinish their meals.” Nakada makes
it a point to impart children withappropriate knowledge throughfood and nutrition education. “Ameal can have consequences for
an individual’s entire life span,starting with the time spent in thewomb. Nothing gives me greater
joy than to see children learn
about nutrition through school
lunches and grow into healthy
adults.”Japan also helps introduce
lunches at schools in othercountries. For the children
receiving those meals, theassistance not only improves theirnutrition but also enhances theoverall quality of their education.
For example, the Japan
International
Cooperation
Agency ( JICA) has been aiding
local communities in Madagascar

This school lunch contains chestnut as a seasonal
ingredient.

since 2017, helping them serve
community-based school lunches
to children. The assistanceis part of the School for All
project, which seeks to improvea learning environment in which
parents and guardians take turns
preparing school lunches. By
2019, the program had expanded
to 146 schools. While nutritional
deficiency is still a pressing issue
for children in Madagascar, manycan now get the meals they needfrom their school lunches, which
boosts their motivation to learn.
A fourth-grade teacher says, “Thechildren can concentrate in classon days when we serve lunch.
Community-school
lunches
clearly encourage them to attend
school and participate in thevarious activities there.”
The children unfailingly smilewhen they eat the school lunches
that help them to grow and create
happy memories.

JICA assistance helps local residents provide school meals in Madagascar. JICA

17

NUTRITION FOR GROWTH SUMMITRECOVERINGFARMLANDDEVOURED BY LOCUSTS IN PAKISTANIn Pakistan, agriculture—a majorpart of the country’s economy—
has experienced grave destruction
due to swarms of desert locusts.
Japan has taken action to assist the
beleaguered farmers.

Countless locusts form swarms
and take to the air, totally blocking
out the sky. Not satisfied with justeating the vegetation in forestsand savannahs, they migratefrom farm to farm, devouring
produce wherever they go. The
formation of the locust swarms
every few decades is related to an

Swarms of locusts caused severe damage to
agricultural land in Pakistan. XINHUA/AFLO

18

imbalance in the delicate naturalenvironment caused by extreme
weather events—droughts, heavy
rains, and the like.
Swarms of desert locusts thatformed in eastern Africa and the tipof the Arabian Peninsula from 2018
to 2019 arrived in Pakistan in both2019 and 2020. They damaged atotal of 17.8 million hectares offarmland in the country, making
it the largest and most destructive
locust disaster ever.
The
Japan
International
Cooperation Agency ( JICA),
which has long been implementing
agricultural cooperation activities
in Pakistan, started to provide

Left: JICA distributed wheat seeds and fertilizer to 3,000 Pakistani small farmers, who also received instruction on fertilizer use. JICA
Right: The signing ceremony for a partnership between JICA and the FAO. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, meetings before the ceremony were held
online. Hagiwara is shown standing second from right in the back row. JICA

emergency support in 2020—
primarily aid to small farmers
who had suffered heavy damage
from the locusts. HAGIWARA
Ritsuko of JICA’s Pakistan
Office says, “At first, agriculture
extension officers wanted us tosend pesticides to control the
locusts. However, consideringthevariouscircumstancesbrought about by the COVID-19
pandemic such as the inability toprovide proper guidance on how
to use pesticides, we decided to
distribute wheat seeds in time forthe fall 2020 planting season to
help restore farmers’ livelihoodsin the affected areas.” Therefore,
instead of pesticides, JICA sent
seeds and fertilizer to 3,000 small
farmers. Harvesting the crops
from these seeds should provide
enough income to offset thelocust damage.
To implement the support,
JICA leveraged the network thatit had built up in the country
over the years. It has enlisted help
from Pakistan’s local government
officials and technical experts
to decide which farmers should
receive the aid and how to

fairly select, store, inspect, anddistribute the supplies. The
transport of seeds between
provinces—otherwise limited on
account of the COVID-19
pandemic and Pakistan’s foodpolicies—was thus smooth.
JICA has also partneredwith the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), which possesses
specialized
knowledge
oncontrolling locusts. As part ofa one-year plan that began in
March 2021, they have enhanced
the monitoring and control
capabilities
ofgovernment
officials in Pakistan to help themquickly identify new locust groups
and share information about themnationwide, which will lead tomore effective countermeasures,such as the timely distributionof pesticides. An information
network has been set up acrossPakistan to measure locust densityand predict swarms by collecting

photos with GPS metadata taken
and sent in by local observers.
AZEGAMI Tomohiro from the
JICA Economic Development
Department says, “We need tokeep up a steady pace of training toprepare for future locust swarms. I
hope to use this experience going
forward so that we can support
even more countries when thenext locust swarm strikes.”
Although the next outbreak oflocusts may be decades away, Japan
will continue to offer support toPakistan and elsewhere to help
people avoid similar difficulties
whenever they may occur.

Top: Local government officials conductedlocust-control operations with the supplies
provided by the FAO. A training program gave
instruction on how to find locust eggs andlarvae, and so forth. FAO
Left: Trial application of the latest technologies,
such as using drones to monitor locusts andspray pesticides, is also in progress. FAO

19

NUTRITION FOR GROWTH SUMMIT

Left: KOGURE Masahisa of
TFT is on the left. Although
he has been unable to visit aid
recipients during the pandemic,
he has kept in close contact
with NPO partners on the
ground to keep abreast of thelatest issues. TABLE FOR TWO
Top: Kogure says, “Foodassistance increases
educational opportunities.
Our ultimate goal is to cut the
chains of poverty.”
TABLE FOR TWOMEALS TO SOLVETHE GLOBAL FOOD
IMBALANCE
Some people in the world today have difficulty getting enoughfood to eat, while others struggle with obesity as a result of eating
too much. One Japanese NPO seeks to resolve that food
imbalance, helping individuals on both ends of the spectrum.

How wonderful would it be if two people—
one living in a developed country and another in adeveloping country—were able to share their foodequally? TABLE FOR TWO (TFT), a Japanese

20

NPO established in 2007, has created a system todo just that. For each nutritionally balanced TFT
meal selected by a diner at an employee cafeteria ora restaurant, a donation of 20 yen is generated. TFT

For every meal a diner eats from the TFT menu, a donation is made to adeveloping country. The photo shows a TFT meal at a Toyota Motor Corp.
employee cafeteria. TOYOTA MOTOR CORP.

works with partner organizations to turn that 20-yen
donation into a school meal in a developing country.
Many people in developing countries still cannot
get enough food to obtain the nutrition they needto live. According to reports by UNICEF and otherinternational organizations, since 2020, soaring
food prices and distribution network disruptions
caused by the rampant spread of COVID-19 haveexacerbated the situation. As a result, about 10% of
the world’s population is now underfed. To achieve
the SDG of zero hunger by 2030, much remains to
be done. Meanwhile, the percentage of obese people
in developed countries continues to rise owing tohigher calorie meals and a lack of exercise due to theprevalence of desk work.
Resolving that global food imbalance is TFT’sgoal. According to its executive director, KOGURE
Masahisa, “Many people can’t make big donations on
a continual basis. That’s why TFT created a systemthat lets them contribute a little bit every day.” Theamount of each donation is small and manageable andcan therefore be included within the price of a single
meal, making it possible for individuals to contribute
while enjoying a delicious and healthy dish—theseadvantages to the system eliminate the psychologicaland economic obstacles blocking donations. As of
April 2021, around 650 companies and organizations
are involved with TFT. In addition, TFT has offices
not only in Japan, but also in the U.S. and Germany,
where it is recruiting more sponsors.
TFT helps serve school meals mainly in Uganda,

Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and the Philippines. With
the donations collected in 2020, the organizationdelivered about 5.5 million school meals. More thanjust offering children better nutrition, those meals
also provide the motivation both to attend school
and to study while there. According to one of thestudents, “Thanks to the school meals, I can reallyfocus on my studies.”
In addition to assistance with school meals,
TFT helps plant vegetable gardens for schools andcommunities to create a sustainable food supply system.
Kogure says, “We often hear from recipients that theywant to be able to produce their own food rather thanjust relying on aid. But they lack the technology andfunds. So, we started to help plant vegetable gardens
with the idea of assisting them in producing food.”
Along with improving food self-sufficiency andeconomic independence, such organically cultivatedvegetable gardens provide places for teaching children
about nutrition and food safety.
Kogure enthusiastically says, “We want to recruit
partners beyond our own current field of activities
so that we can provide even more assistance todeveloping countries.” As the waves of TFT’s
influence spread, we will come much closer to a world
without hunger or obesity.
Right: TFT helps local
schools plant vegetablegardens to teach children
how to make their own
food. TABLE FOR TWO
Bottom: Dietaryeducation programs in
the U.S. teach children
lessons such as how to
prepare nutritionallybalanced Japanese food.
TABLE FOR TWO

21

HEALTH & WELFARE

BRINGING THE
COVID-19
VACCINE
TO ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLDAs the world continues to face shortages of COVID-19 vaccines, the Japanese government is actively working todeliver vaccines and contribute to “Last One Mile Support” by building cold chain systems in developing countries
and establishing equitable vaccine access in every corner of the world.
Vaccination on a global scale isessential for the early containmentof COVID-19. Recognizing theurgency of this need, the Japanese
government is conducting various
support measures to accelerate
fair and equitable vaccine accessfor people in all countries andregions.
Key among these measures isthe distribution of vaccines todeveloping countries. Japan has
disbursed 200 million dollars to
the COVID-19 Vaccines Global
Access (COVAX) Facility, aninternational framework for thejoint purchase and rapid andequitable distribution of vaccines
to people in all countries. At
the COVAX AMC Summit,
co-hosted by the Japanese
government in June this year,
Japan announced an additional
sum that would bring its
total contribution to 1 billion
dollars. Furthermore, Japan has
distributed vaccines to countries
and regions in need through suchchannels as COVAX. So far, a
total of 25 million doses havebeen delivered, with plans toprovide up to approximately 60
million doses in total.

22

Japan has been supporting thedevelopment of the cold chain
system, an effort known as “Last
One Mile Support,” to ensure
the safe delivery of vaccines todeveloping countries. Those
countries often lack suitableinfrastructure for transportingand storing COVID-19 vaccines,
which must be kept at low
temperatures.
In addition to supplying
materials, equipment, and soforth to 57 countries in Asia,
the Pacific, Latin America, andAfrica through UNICEF, Japan

also supplies six countries and one
region with grant aid through theJapan International Cooperation
Agency ( JICA).
Bilateral grant aid through
JICA normally takes more thana year to be finalized due to thetime required to work out thedetails of the aid specification. In
this particular case, however, theMinistry of Foreign Affairs and
JICA have been able to accelerate
the process, reducing the time tojust four months. KUBOKURA
Ken, director of the Officefor COVID-19 Response at

Japan has delivered vaccines to developing countries through the COVAX facility. The photo shows
vaccines manufactured in Japan arriving in Sri Lanka.

Vaccine transport boxes developed by Twinbird
Corporation are among the equipment provided by
Japan. Since the boxes can draw power from a car’s
cigarette-lighter socket and are resistant to shaking,they are already being used in Timor-Leste to store
and transport vaccines in areas where the power
supply is unstable. JICA

JICA, says, “I believe that ourlongstanding relationship of trustwith the health and medical sectors
in the partner countries enabled
us to obtain the necessary details
from them within a short timeframe. That is why we were able tostart the cooperation promptly.”
JICA’scooperation
goes
beyond providing materials andequipment, extending to technicalcooperation and human resource
development. For example, awebinar in which a Japanese expert
offered a variety of information on
COVID-19 vaccines was attended
by 494 people from 68 countries.
Also, this past June, JICA supplied
15 high-quality vaccine transport
boxes to the Democratic Republicof Timor-Leste and held training
sessions on the operation andhandling of the equipment. “Weload the boxes onto vehicles
provided by the Government ofJapan. The temperature of theboxes is properly controlled, andthey can be powered from thevehicles, which is beneficial when
we deliver vaccines to remoteareas where there is no electricity,”
a local official commented. “Onbehalf of the people of TimorLeste, we really want to thankJapan for supporting us in thevery difficult time of COVID-19.
Going forward, we will work
closely with Japan to improvehealth care for our people.”

In its fight against COVID-19,
Japan will continue to actively
address the challenges ofdeveloping countries and provide
comprehensive support for thedelivery of vaccines to every
corner of the world.

Toyota Tsusho Corporation has obtained
WHO’s medical equipment Performance,
Quality and Safety (PQS) prequalification
for its refrigerated vehicle for vaccines basedon Toyota Motor’s Land Cruiser—a first of
its kind. The top photo shows a vehicle inuse in Ethiopia.

23

PORTRAITS OF JAPANSome 11,000 athletes from 205 countries and regions and the Refugee Olympic
Team participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, giving inspiring
performances and setting numerous records. (Photo: Closing ceremony of the
Olympic Games, August 8) AFLO SPORTS

BEYONDTOKYO 2020:

LEADING THE WAY TOWARD AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
The Tokyo 2020 Games, which reached a safe conclusion even under the difficult circumstances presented by the
COVID-19 pandemic, made a significant step toward the realization of an inclusive society—one in which everyone
respects one another regardless of gender, age, or ability.
It was precisely because the world had been facing
great difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic
that Japan determined to fulfill its responsibility as
host country to hold the Tokyo 2020 Games, even
without spectators, and to provide the world witha sense of solidarity and to offer hopes and dreams,
especially to children, who hold the future in theirhands. Firmly intent on making this happen, many24

people throughout Japan worked in unison, striving to
implement measures for safety and security to ensurethat Japan bring the Games to a safe conclusion.
The Tokyo 2020 Games not only moved andinspired many people through sports, but also
advanced the Games’ core concept of “Unity inDiversity,” serving to promote the further growthof this movement. The percentage of femaleathletes participating in the Olympic Games was arecord 48.8. Moreover, the number of athletes who
identified themselves as LGBTQ+ was reportedly
over 180—more than triple that of the Rio 2016
Games—and they won more than 55 medals among
them. In order to promote gender equality, thenumber of mixed-gender events was doubled to 18.
Seeing men and women teaming up to compete
for their country was like a breath of fresh air. The
Paralympic Games, which was held in Tokyo for thesecond time, served as an opportunity to convey tothe world and cultivate the “barrier-free mindset”
that is at the foundation of an inclusive society, inwhich everyone, with or without impairments, canlead a vibrant life.
Supporting the success of the Games from behindthe scenes were more than 70,000 Games volunteers,
who ranged in age from 19 to 91. These volunteers,
regardless of age, gender, or disability, played the vital

Top: MIURA Hisashi (left), who has a hearing impairment, participated in
the Games as a volunteer. Through the assistance of the Nippon Foundation
Volunteer Support Center, which provides support to volunteers with
impairments, he worked on a team together with an individual (right) who
was able to offer sign-language interpretation at the venue to support theathletes. THE NIPPON FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER SUPPORT CENTER
Bottom: With the help of volunteers, Slovenian sprinter Anita Horvat exits
the venue after the competition. Volunteers offered their assistance toathletes and Games personnel not just at the competition venues, but also atvarious locations around the country. XINHUA/AFLO

Left: Tom Daley (foreground), an
openly gay athlete who won thegold medal for Great Britain in
the men’s synchronized 10-meter
platform, told the press, “I’m
incredibly proud to say that I’m a
gay man and also an Olympic
champion.”
PICTURE ALLIANCE/AFLO

Top: The Japanese duo of
MIZUTANI Jun and ITO Mimawon the gold in a new event,mixed doubles table tennis.
REUTERS/AFLO

role of actuating the concept of “Unity in Diversity”
by providing hospitality and supporting athletes andstaff from around the world. MIURA Hisashi, who
has a hearing impairment, was one of these volunteers.
Wanting to contribute in some way to this historic
event, he performed reception and maintenanceduties, among others, at the residential buildings
and fitness center at the Olympic and Paralympic
Village. “As I actively offered my own opinions
and shared sign-language skills, my teammates also
naturally started to communicate more openly,
showing their care for one another using both spoken
words and sign language. Ultimately, I felt that we
made an excellent team, and were able to fulfill ourrole. It was also unforgettable to have the chance tocommunicate with players and staff visiting from allaround the world using gestures and body language.
I’m glad that I was able to support them, even if only
in a small way”, says Miura.
Respecting and supporting one another regardlessof differences is crucial to the realization of an
inclusive society. At this year’s Games, this notion
was reiterated to many people throughout the world.
Miura says, “The Tokyo 2020 Games offered an
opportunity to make great progress in terms of ‘Unity
in Diversity.’ I am thankful that I was able to make mypersonal contribution as a volunteer at the Games,
and I believe it is important to continue building
up such experiences, not just at the Olympics andParalympics.”
Each of us embracing diversity will create a vitalitythat will lead to the realization of a world where
everyone can live comfortably. The Tokyo 2020 Games
were a sure, significant step in that direction.

25

Top left: Sports spectatorship is evolving with the use of high-speed, high-capacity 5G technology. Spectators at swimming competitions gain access to real-time data. TOKYO 2020
Top right: Spectators at a golf competition can simultaneously view multiple players scattered along the course on a hand-held device. TOKYO 2020
Bottom left: The autonomous FSR has a built-in sensor that can detect obstacles. It selects the optimal route to a chosen object and retrieves it in the minimum amount of time. TOKYO 2020
Bottom center: Human Support Robots (HSRs) were also equipped with cameras to take commemorative photos at various locations, and were popular among competitors andvolunteer staff. TOKYO 2020
Bottom right: The HSR, equipped with a foldable arm, was developed to assist physically impaired and elderly persons. At Tokyo 2020, HSRs distributed water bottles and collectedgarbage. TOKYO SHIMBUNTECHINNOVATIONSAT TOKYO 2020

At this year’s Tokyo 2020 Games, 5G technology enhanced the viewing experience,
while robots assisted operations at various events, entertaining all those involved.
Such cutting-edge technologies point to the exciting future that awaits us.

26

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYThe Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
set out to be the most innovative Games ever andbring a positive legacy to future generations. 5Gtechnology and robotics, finely tuned to meet theneeds of the Games, expertly demonstrated what the
future has in store by providing behind-the-scenes
support for the massive event and enhancing theviewing experience.
The increased bandwidth and higher capacity
made possible by 5G networks paved the way for a
new type of experience for viewers. At a swimmingcompetition venue, for example, 5G’s low latency andAR (augmented reality) technology sent real-timedata about contestants and their relative positions
to viewers wearing goggle-type devices. The data
informed the spectators instantaneously about whichswimmers were leading at any moment, letting themcheer on the athletes all the more enthusiastically.
At a golf competition, a “multi-live broadcasting
system” allowed spectators with hand-held tablets towatch, in real time, the participating golfers scatteredacross various holes along the golf course. Although
the decision to hold Tokyo 2020 without spectators
limited those experiences to a small number ofofficials, the few who were there could glimpse thefuture of sports viewing.
Robots also played a remarkable role at Tokyo
2020. HIRUKAWA Hirohisa, a robotics specialistof the National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST) and leader of theTokyo 2020 Robot Project, says, “We hoped that thisyear’s Games would be more than just a showcase fortechnology. Our aim was to show how useful robots

Power Assist Suits reduced back stress and helped officials pick up shots at shot-put
venues, while also aiding personnel in the exchange of weight plates during
powerlifting competitions. TOKYO 2020

Tokyo 2020 Robot
Project leader
HIRUKAWA Hirohisa
reflects, “The harmonious
coexistence of humanbeings and robots
depends on whether
humans utilize robots
wisely. In that respect,
I think Tokyo 2020
represented an excellent
example of useful robots
in action.”can be.” Robotic support in conducting various
events garnered special attention. For instance, Field
Support Robots (FSRs) retrieved and transported
projectiles at events such as the javelin throw andshot put. The robots could move autonomously,
avoiding obstacles and choosing optimal routes,
thus saving time and reducing the workload forsupport personnel. Similarly, the Power Assist Suit,
which can relieve wearers of up to 10 kg of a physicalburden, played an important part in powerliftingcompetitions at the Paralympic Games. Support
personnel, who wore the suit like a backpack, wereable to change the powerlifting plates on barbells
with speed and ease. “The staff were incredulous at
first, but the suit gained a reputation for being easy to
use and reducing fatigue,” recalls ARAI Koji, seniordirector of the Innovation Promotion Office of theTokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic andParalympic Games.
Because the Games took place during the COVID-19
pandemic, being “safe and secure” was an important
theme. Considering its potential concerning avoiding
unnecessary human contact, robotic technology
thus found itself useful to an unprecedented degree.
Hirukawa reflects, “We realized that robots could takeover a great many tasks in security, cleaning, and in
guiding visitors. From now on, we will be able to reduceneedless contact between people by using robots.”
Tokyo 2020 illustrated a fast-approaching futurecharacterized by advanced technologies such as
5G and robotics. Japanese technology continues
to evolve and will support efforts toward a moreproductive lifestyle.

27

LIFE & CULTURE

BEHIND THE SCENES OF

A FIRSTPARALYMPICAPPEARANCEAT TOKYO 2020

BHUTANMALDIVESThe Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games highlighted
intense athletic competition among 162 participating
delegations, six of which made their first Paralympic
appearance with support from a Japanese University.
When Rodrigo Hermosa saw his time on theelectronic scoreboard—29.72 seconds—he unleasheda roar and pumped his fist. As Paraguay’s first everRodrigo Hermosa became Paraguay’s first
Paralympian. Swimming helped him grow mentally.
Recently, he has been spreading his message amongpeople with disabilities in his country.

28

SAINT VINCENT
AND THE GRENADINESGRENADAGUYANAPARAGUAY

Paralympian, he had just broken the 30-second barrier
for the first time, setting a personal best on the big
stage, while participating in a heat of the men’s 50 m
freestyle S9 (physical impairment class) at the Tokyo
2020 Paralympic Games on August 29.
There were several Japanese people among thosecheering Hermosa on: faculty and researchers from
Nippon Sport Science University. As an institutionthat began undertaking projects for the JapanSports Agency in 2017, the university helped paraathletes from all around the world reach this year’s

Paralympics. Hermosa is one such person.
ITO Masamitsu, a professor at Nippon Sport
Science University who runs the support program,met Hermosa in Paraguay in 2018. At the time,
Hermosa was only 14 years old. Born without his
right arm below the elbow, he was an inexperienced
swimmer and wasn’t ready to be an athlete. However,after joining a camp organized by the university andappearing in an international competition, he began
receiving domestic media coverage. That planted theseed of Hermosa’s identity as an athlete.
Many countries, like Hermosa’s, face difficulties
in sending delegations to the Paralympics due
to small numbers of athletes, and in somecases, weak committee-management capabilities—aNational Paralympic Committee is a requirement
for participation in the Paralympics. Therefore,
the university assigns staff to various regions andTop: Nippon Sport Science University provided wide-ranging assistance,from athlete scouting and instruction to coaching-staff development, as wellas nutritional and psychological support for athletes.
Bottom:The university’s support of other countries includes National
Paralympic Committee administration and classes on coaching and othersubjects. Second from right is Professor ITO Masamitsu, researchingcoaching studies at Nippon Sport Science University.

With aid from Nippon Sport Science University, Bhutan made its first Paralympic
appearance and sent a delegation wearing ethnic costumes to the Opening Ceremony. The
country’s three para-athletes competed in the shot put and archery athletics events.
THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS

provides a wide range of assistance tailored to eachcountry’s situation. Its support has reached a totalof 43 countries, six of which made their first-everParalympic appearances this year: Paraguay, Bhutan,
the Maldives, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, and Guyana.
The goal of Nippon Sport Science University isfor those athletic endeavors to continue after theirsupport concludes. To that end, it is essential tochange attitudes on the local level. As Professor
Ito says, “If they’re happy with just making anappearance at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, thenthere’s no point. To connect with what comes
next, we’ve engaged in numerous discussions
with athletes, coaches, and National Paralympic
Committee members about the purpose of sending
someone to the Paralympics. Thus, we shared thebigger goal of ‘building a society where people withdisabilities can live comfortably’ with them. I do
believe that they will make further progress towardmaking that happen.”
Hermosa said, “For many people in Paraguay,these Paralympics were the first ones that they had
ever watched. After I returned home, I heard people
say things like, ‘I was impressed to see athletes withall sorts of disabilities playing sports so intensively.’
Looking ahead I want to achieve even better results ininternational competitions.” His future performance
will no doubt embolden people with disabilities. The
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were a precious step
forward, influencing attitudes toward the creation of
an inclusive society.

29

TECHNOLOGY BRINGSTHE JOY OFGOING OUT
TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIESLeft: ODA Yuriko is a wheelchairuser herself. She has been expanding
her activities by cooperating with thecentral and local government’s
barrier-free initiatives based on theinformation gathered by WheeLog!.
Right: CHINO Wataru wasinvolved in the development of theelectronic control of electric vehicles(EVs) and automatic driving systems
at Honda. Following an accident
that involved a close relative, hebegan developing a tool to assist thevisually impaired to walk.

Barrier-free accessibility is crucial to realizing an inclusive society. In attempting to achieve that goal, innovative
products and services are being launched one after another. How do their developers envision a barrier-free future?
One of the principles of the
Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) is to “Leave No One
Behind.” In Japan, where various
efforts have been made to realizethat principle, many products andservices are being developed tohelp people with disabilities movearound the city freely.
One of those is Ashirase,a navigation system for thevisually impaired. Attached tothe user’s shoes and linked toa smartphone application, thesmall device instructs the user

30

where to go via vibrations. A
former engineer at Honda MotorCo., Ltd., CHINO Wataru
founded Ashirase Inc.—the first
venture company to emerge
from Honda—to develop thesystem. He has also participatedin demonstration tests using the
Quasi-Zenith Satellite System(QZSS), an original Japanesesatellite positioning system.
Through numerous interviews
with the visually impaired, Chino
learned that they live their lives
by making full use of all theirsenses other than sight. The aimof Ashirase is thus to support
visually-impaired people as theywalk by providing navigation fromtheir feet, without interferingwith the use of their senses.
By ensuring an environment
where individuals can pay close
attention to their surroundings,
even visually-impaired people will
be able to walk outside safely on
their own.
Chino says, “Walking is thebasis of mobility. I hope tosupport the independence of theHEALTH & WELFARE

visually impaired by providingthem with the freedom and safetyof walking using technology.”
He is developing the productrapidly for commercial launch in2022, with an eye to eventuallydeploying it overseas.
In the same vein, WheeLog!
is an application based on theexperience of its developer, ODA
Yuriko, who was diagnosed with
the intractable disease of “distal
myopathy” in her early 20s. It is
the world’s first app that uses maps
to record and share the routes
that users have taken with theirwheelchairs, allowing other users
to see wheelchair-accessible routes
at a glance, even in cities they havenever been to before. In addition,
various types of barrier-freerelated information, such as thelocation of wheelchair-accessible

restrooms, elevators, and ramps,
is collected through user posts to
support wheelchair users in theiractive outings.
At the beginning of her
wheelchair life, Oda thought itwould no longer be possible togo out like she used to. However,when she later learned that there
was a barrier-free beach near to herhome, she realized the importanceof sharing information broadly
with everyone, which gave her theidea for the map app. “The barrierfree environment is rapidly
improving in Japan, making it
more important for everyone
to gather information and use it
together.”Oda has come to realize thateven people with disabilities
can help others by sharing
information and having others

Top left: Ashirase is scheduled to bereleased at the end of 2022. The basic
functions have been made simple tokeep the price low, but there are plans
to develop an array of optional
functions, too.
Top right & Left: Ashirase uses location
information from smartphones todetermine users’ routes. The device,with a built-in motion sensor andelectronic compass, vibrates to guide theuser to the destination.

Top: The WheeLog! workshop gets all participants to experience
the city in a wheelchair. Not only does it provide an opportunity
to survey the barrier-free situation, but it also helps able-bodied
people understand what information wheelchair users need byshowing them the latter’s perspective.
Bottom: WheeLog!, which also has many able-bodied users, has
become a tool for sharing barrier-free information with everyone,
regardless of whether they have disabilities or not. The app isavailable in 10 different languages and can be used outside ofJapan as well.

use it through WheeLog!. She
continues to take on the challengeof solving social issues using thepower of information toward
the realization of Goal 11 of theSDGs, Sustainable Cities andCommunities.
One element of an inclusive
society is an environment in whichpeople with visual impairments
and those in wheelchairs can goout on their own without having
to give anything up. Aiming
to realize such a society, thebarrier-free movement is gaining
momentum, driven by passion
and innovative ideas.

31

PORTRAITS OF JAPANDISCOVERING THE UNKNOWN JAPAN WITH

ISABELLA
BIRD

The female English traveler Isabella Bird traveled Japanin the second half of the 19th century, penning a
travelogue on the country’s hitherto unknown culture andnatural features. What was the real Japan she observed
and why does it enthrall the reader still to this day?

When she first visited Japan in 1878, Bird had
Travel remains difficult as thealready been celebrated for her travelogue of the
COVID-19 pandemic continues,
Hawaiian Islands. By applying all her priorexperience and her keen sense of duty, she
but the world of exploration andsuccessfully completed the arduous journey at a timeadventure can still be experienced
when movement around Japan by foreign visitors
was heavily restricted (Photo taken in 1881).
via the pages of a travelogue. A
KANASAKA KIYONORI
high-quality travelogue offers thereader information about a land’s
and is filled with invaluable stories
allure that is not available throughfrom her traveling experiences.
daily news sources or regular
Bird recorded extensive accounts
guidebooks. Isabella Bird was aof the indigenous Ainu settlements
pioneer of such travelogues aboutat Biratori in Hokkaido, one ofJapan, having first visited fromthe major Ainu centers, detailingher home country of England ineverything from daily life to1878.
MAP OF
familial relationships and religious
ISABELLA
At the time of this visit, Japan
BIRD’S
beliefs. Meanwhile, at Ise Shrine
had already been exposed to the
TRAVELSand at Nishi-Hongwanji Temple
outside world for more thanin Kyoto, she wrote in detailtwo decades (having ended its
about the buildings’ interiors,
more than two-century policy ofwhich were known to very few
isolation in 1854), and Western
people, even among the Japanese.
culture was rapidly entering and“These special experiences weretransforming the country. In thepossible thanks to Parkes enlisting“interior,” however, the culture
the support of the Japanese
had remained largely unchanged.
government and making thoroughIn response to a request by the
preparations,” says KANASAKA
British consul-general in Japan,
Kiyonori, professor emeritus atHarry Parkes, who wanted to
BASED ON A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF A MAP PRODUCED
Kyoto University, who in 2020
show the world the real Japan,
BY KANASAKA KIYONORI AND MIZUTANI KAZUHIKO (2020).
Bird embarked upon a roughly At the time, a special permit was required for foreigners published the highly acclaimed
reprint Unbeaten Tracks inseven-month journey covering to travel in the “interior,” the area beyond the 40 kmof the two open cities and the five open ports
Japan:
Revisiting
Isabellamore than 4,500 km, traveling radius(the four shown on the map plus Nagasaki).
Bird. Due to Bird’s visuallynorth from her base in Tokyo to
Hokkaido, then west through the Kansai region to illustrative portrayals formed from her keen powers
Ise Shrine. Her two-volume, 800-page travelogue, of observation and her unparalleled meticulous
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan: An Account of Travels in the accounts—often based on the research available at
Interior Including Visits to the Aborigines of Yezo and the time—her work still serves as a valuable resource
the Shrines of Nikkō and Isé, was published in 1880, for understanding what Japan was like in the late32

19th century.
Bird vividly described customs and cultural
practices that she experienced through encounterson her travels. With the cooperation of locals, she
had the rare opportunity to attend a wedding anda funeral and to have children show her traditional
games. In her lively depictions of the various people
she interacted with, Bird clearly presented Japanesevalues such as omotenashi (the spirit of hospitality)
and Japanese politeness. In an account of her stay
The long-fire lights up as
magnificent a set ofvenerable heads as painteror sculptor would desire tosee……I hope I shall neverforget the music of their low,
sweet voices, the soft lightof their mild, brown eyes,
and the wonderful
sweetness of their smile.

KANASAKA KIYONORI, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ISABELLA BIRD: ADVENTURES IN TWIN TIME TRAVELKANASAKA KIYONORI, ISABELLA BIRD
AND JAPAN: A REASSESSMENT

From this court another flight of steps
ascends to the Yomei gate, whose splendour
I contemplated day after day with increasing
astonishment. The white columns which
support it have capitals formed of great
red-throated heads of the mythical Kirin.

Usu is a dream of beauty and peace…… In theexquisite inlet where I spent the night, trees andtrailers drooped into the water and were mirroredin it, their green, heavy shadows lying sharp against
the sunset gold and pink of the rest of the bay.

in Tenoko, Yamagata Prefecture, she wrote: “Whenthe women of the house saw that I felt the heat theygracefully produced fans and fanned me for a wholehour. On asking the charge, they refused to make any,
and would not receive anything... I told them truly
that I should remember them as long as I remember
Japan, and went on, much touched by their kindness.”
The appeal of Japan that Bird repeatedly describedthroughout her writings can be felt as strongly now
as it could then, whether it be at the stately Nikko
Toshogu Shrine or Hokkaido’s Usu Bay with its
beautiful scenery. Professor Kanasaka says, “Fromnature to people, society, and culture, Bird richly
depicted the distinctive and inherent qualities she
perceived in her observations. That is the most
captivating thing about her travelogue.” What betterway to experience Japan from afar than to delve into
Bird’s travel writings?
KANASAKA KIYONORI, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
ISABELLA BIRD: ADVENTURES IN TWIN TIME TRAVEL

33

LIFE & CULTURE

LINKING THE
CULTURES
OF KANAZAWA AND GHENT
Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture has a sister-city
relationship with Ghent, Belgium. Rani Verellen,a Coordinator for International Relations, dreams ofbringing together the cultures of Japan and Belgium.

Riding along one of the rivers
that flows beside the city ofKanazawa, the woman on thebicycle is reminded of a cityin her faraway homeland. The
downtown area demarcated byrivers on both sides, the rainy
weather, the copious art andculture, and so forth... Given that
Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefectureand Ghent in Belgium—bothancient cities with centuries ofhistory—have much in common,
the two have formed a sister-city
relationship.
Rani Verellen has beenworking as a Coordinator forInternational Relations (CIR)
for the JET Programme at the
Kanazawa City Office since

RANI VERELLEN
Born in Antwerp, Belgium. Majored in
the Japanese language at university out of
an interest in Japan born from anime.
After studying for one year in Fukuoka,
she applied to the JET Programme, whichassigned her to Kanazawa in 2019. She
continues to work as a CIR there today.

34

the summer of 2019. Born andraised in Belgium, a country withthree official languages, she first
took an interest in the Japanese
language—which is completely
different from the Germanic
Before joining JET, Rani Verellen
was already familiar with many
elements of Japanese culture. Here,she performs the tea ceremony.
“I’ve come to realize that the tea
ceremony, Japanese archery, andcalligraphy are all based on thespirit of Zen.”and Romance languages—after
watching anime. Verellen thendecided to enroll in Japaneseclasses at university and spent a
year studying in Fukuoka, locatedin western Japan. Propelled by theTop: The Saigawa River in Kanazawa. On her days off,
Verellen enjoys walking and cycling along its banks.
Right:The Higashi Chaya District, founded in the Edo
period. The street, which consists of lined-up houses with
distinctive latticed windows, is a popular sightseeing spot.
KANAZAWA CITY

idea of building a career throughher language skills, she was drawn
to the JET Programme and theopportunity that it offered to
network with JET alumni who
now work in many different fields
around the world.
As a CIR, Verellen’s primary
duties include fostering cultural
exchange and the sister-city
relationship between Kanazawa
and Ghent, along with making
Kanazawa “linguistically barrierfree” for tourists visiting the cityfrom elsewhere in Japan andabroad. Walking around famoussightseeing spots and cultural
facilities in the city, she uses
her international perspective tosuggest ways to make touring
Kanazawa more enjoyable forforeign visitors, such as installing
signs with text in foreign
languages
andpictograms.
Verellen said, “It’s sad we couldn’t
welcome visitors during excitingtimes like Kanazawa Jazz Street
and the Kanazawa Marathon
because of COVID-19. I’ll behappy once the pandemic isunder control and the tourists
come back.” In the meantime,

ABOUT THE JAPANEXCHANGE AND TEACHING(JET) PROGRAMME

she helps the many international
students at the city’s universities
bytranslating
importantgovernment documents on city
life into other languages andproviding convenient access with
QR codes, thereby offering thempeace of mind during their stay inthe city.
In Kanazawa, the sea andthe mountains are only a shortdistance away from the city, while
historical cityscapes can be foundalong the narrow streets thatbranch off from the main avenues.
Close to Kenrokuen Garden,
where visitors can take in thebeauty of a traditional Japanesegarden, is the 21st Century
Museum of Contemporary Art,
Kanazawa, one of Japan’s leading
modern art museums. Verellensaid, “One of Kanazawa’s charms
is that it brings together the cityand nature, past and present.”
While studying in Fukuoka,
Verellen engaged in Japanesearchery and the tea ceremony.
Then, after being assigned toKanazawa, she started learning
calligraphy and seal engraving.
She has also come to takean interest in the traditional
Kanazawa crafts of Kutani ware,
Kanazawa lacquerware, andKaga Yuzen silk dyeing. Whileeagerly studying various aspectsof Japanese culture, Verellen has
also come to better appreciate themusic, cuisine, and festival cultureof her home country of Belgium.
“I think a fusion of Japaneseand Belgium cultures would be
fascinating. I hope my work canhelp connect our two cultures.”Left:Kaga vegetables have been cultivated in Kanazawa sincelong ago. Verellen said, “I was surprised to learn that every partof Japan has its own local specialties and cuisine, just like themeals you can only make with Kaga vegetables.”Right: The D.T. Suzuki Museum, designed by architect
TANIGUCHI Yoshio, whose work includes the redesign of theMuseum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Here, theglass and concrete materials express the Zen perspective. It is oneof Verellen’s favorite spots.

The JET Programme began in 1987 with the goal of promoting grassroots
international exchange between Japan and other nations, and is now one of the world’s
largest international exchange programs. In 2019, the JET Programme welcomed
5,761 participants, and there are currently more than 70,000 alumni from 75
countries living in all parts of the world.

The JET Programme official website >> http://jetprogramme.org/en/

35Winter 2021

Published by

Edited by

Public Relations Office, Cabinet Office
andOffice of Global Communications, Cabinet Secretariat
1−6−1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100−8914, Japan

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