Report
Administrative Management Training Program (January 2008, Tokyo )<Day 1> Monday, January 28○ “Initial Orientation”
The three-day training program opened with a speech by the chief of protocol andguidance by the program organizer.

These were followed by an interaction among

participants in which self-introductions and quizzes enabled the participants from Bangkok,Taipei and Tokyo to break the ice and get to know each other.

The harmonious

atmosphere and satisfying start prompted one participant to exclaim that “Having talked toeveryone, I feel I am in the right place.”○ Lecture: “The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Personnel
Management System”
This lecture featured an overview and explanation of issues facing the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government’s personnel management system, after which participants
introduced the systems in their own cities, all the while deepening their mutual
understanding of, and learning the differences between, their respective systems.
A subsequent question-and-answer session and exchanges of opinions uncovered
issues confronting not only Tokyo but Bangkok and Taipei as well – one of these being anincreasing number of employees avoiding management positions – and participants wereable through these discussions to get tips on resolving these issues.

○ Lecture: “The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Administrative
Management Plan – Tokyo’s Big Change: the 10-Year Plan”
This lecture began with an explanation of the methods used by the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government in formulating administrative plans and the schemes for implementing them,taking as an example “Tokyo’s Big Change: The 10-Year Plan”, the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government’s comprehensive administrative plan announced in 2007.

This was followedby presentations on the administrative plans of the other cities.
The trainees asked numerous questions, including “How did you survey the wishes oflocal residents?” and were exposed through the lively Q&A session to numerous ideas fordesigning future administrative plans.
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○ Visit to Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Center
During this tour, the participants visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention
Center, the nucleus of Tokyo’s crisis management system.

The trainees gained a deeper

understanding of Tokyo’s disaster prevention efforts: communicating with disasterprevention organizations in Tokyo and elsewhere, analyzing information, scrutinizing
disaster measures, making decisions, and issuing instructions in order to protect the lives
and property of Tokyo residents in the event of earthquakes, wind/water damage, etc., andto maintain city functions.

○ Social gathering
On the evening of the first day, social gathering was held to welcome the trainees fromoverseas.

The trainees and staff members from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

deepened their interaction while enjoying dinner and conversation.

<Day 2> Tuesday, January 29○ Seminar: “Demographic Change and the Asian Economy – Long-term
Forecasts for the Global Economy and Population 2006-2050” (openseminar)(Lecturer: Dr. Takao Komine, Senior Economist, Japan Center for Economic Research, andProfessor, Graduate School of Policy Sciences, Hosei University.）This seminar, presented by a renowned economist, utilized a wealth of data and graphs
to explain the results of research on long-term (to 2050) global economic forecasts.
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The key points made by the speaker were as follows: Asia’s economic growth rate has
been so remarkable that the present era has been termed the Age of Asia.

The results ofmy research indicate, however, that this Age of Asia could very likely draw to a close in thenear future.

This is because Asia’s current high growth rate is supported by its highpopulation growth rate, and a future decline in the birthrate stemming from economic
growth will mean that the countries of Asia without exception will see their populations age
at a rapid rate unparalleled in the rest of the world.

If governments refuse to act,

populations will thus fall and economic growth rates shrink.

A model change is necessaryto avoid stunted economic growth; this might entail raising the labor participation rate ofwomen and the elderly and encouraging the introduction of capital from overseas.

Theprospects for the Asian economy in the first half of the 21st century will depend on thesuccess or failure of these efforts.
After the lecture, the participants asked a flurry of questions of the lecturer, among
them includes “Assuming that a population decline is unavoidable, what measures shouldmajor cities take?”
The speaker’s responses offered valuable suggestions: “To minimize the negative
impact of a population decline, measures must be implemented early on to encourageparticipation of women in the workforce and to address the declining birthrate, such as by
reducing the costs of childrearing.

The key to that end is improving per-hour laborproductivity.” “Raising the per-capita income of countries is even more important than
GDP and other measures of the scale of a nation’s economy.”○ “Important Issues in Each City (Presentations by Participants)”(1) “An Important Issue for Bangkok: Global Warming”
Ms. Jiraporn Pungprawat, Foreign Relations Officer, International
Affairs Division, Bangkok Metropolitan Government(Key topics) Global warming countermeasures being taken by the Bangkok Metropolitan
Government (energy conservation and eco-friendly transport)(Principal views presented)
・The top priority is the development of biodiesel fuel.

・Bangkok is exchanging and sharing experiences/knowledge with Copenhagen andBudapest on encouraging the use of bicycles.

3(2) “Investment Opportunities in Waterfront Urban Development in Taipei”
Mr. Hsing Shih-tan, Research Officer, Research, Development andEvaluation Commission, City of Taipei(Key topics) Taipei City is creating an attractive and hospitable environment in line with its
vision for a “sustainable environmental city” by improving the water quality in freshwater
rivers, extending the network of bicycle paths to 500 kilometers, pursuing greening efforts,etc.
(Principal views presented)
・Views of local residents (they are in agreement; no opposition voiced)

・

Measures to promote investment (cooperation in city planning, tax incentives, land use
accommodations, etc.)(3) “Addressing the Issues of a Super-aging Society in Tokyo”
Mr. Tetsuya Hirayama, Director for Human Resource Policy Promotion,
General Affairs Division, Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health,Tokyo Metropolitan Government(Key topics) Measures to address Tokyo’s super-aging society might include establishing
infrastructure for community support of the elderly, conducting R&D on the prevention andtreatment of senile dementia, securing careworkers, developing technology and providing
medical care to support the elderly, and formulating urban models for a super-aging society
supported by communities and technology.
(Principal views presented) Accurate research on needs pertaining to technology
development and medical care for supporting the elderly in future is being pursued throughjoint studies with the University of Tokyo.

4(4) “Tokyo’s Cultural Policies – Creation and Dissemination of TokyoCulture”
Ms. Hiroko Matsushita, Director for Cultural Facilities Examination,Culture Promotion Division, Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sports, Tokyo
Metropolitan Government(Key topics) The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s cultural policies are aimed atestablishing Tokyo’s presence and furthering exchange with other cities in Asia and aroundthe world over the next decade.

In the next three years Tokyo will be implementing

cultural programs looking ahead to the Olympics and renovating Tokyo Metropolitan Art
Museum to serve as a hub for cultural dissemination by 2012.
(Principal views presented)
・Galleries and museums are necessary (in the context of tourism) to enable visitors tosee the country’s bright side.

・Culture is to be found not only in artistic performances but also in one’s own lifestyle,and spreading culture is one issue to be addressed by city governments.

(5) Wrap-up
Discussions ensued on the role of government, and the following roles were suggested:
1.

Pointing out problems and indicating desirable directions (global warming
countermeasures, policies toward the elderly)2.

Promoting the city to the world (cultural policies)

3.

Creating systems and establishing infrastructure (urban development)

Participants exchanged views based on their respective experiences and thereby gained amore profound understanding of the issues.

One example of the opinions expressed was:“The role of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government could well be seen as that of a referee
who determines what is important and what is correct for administrative officials to address
with regard to the environment, culture, etc.
an important role.”

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Creation is critical, but coordination is also<Day 3> Wednesday, January 30○ Lecture: “Tokyo’s Urban Development”
This lecture touched on past and present circumstances in offering a comprehensive
picture of urban development in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is currently giving high priority to tackling
global warming countermeasures and implementing other environmental measures, seeking
to achieve a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions.

In response to one trainee’s question –“What measures are being implemented by the Bureau of Urban Development?” – thespeaker noted: “We are developing a system to encourage the incorporation of creativemeans of achieving a certain percentage reduction in CO2 emissions when erecting newbuildings.”○ Tour: “Tokyo Urban Developments for the Next 10 Years”
1.

The participants visited “Tokyo Midtown,” the latest example of urban renewal inTokyo, and received a briefing on eco-friendly urban renewal.

2.

The trainees were given a presentation on the development of the new Tokyo
waterfront subcenter, with a brief discussion of Umi-no-Mori (“Green Island”), one of
the key projects in Tokyo’s comprehensive plan, and on efforts to attract the Olympics.

6○ Closing ceremony (granting of completion certificates)
Once the entire curriculum had been completed, the trainees were each given a
message and a certificate of completion by Mr. Taga, the chief of protocol.
The participants looked back fondly on the three days they had spent together, onesummarizing his impressions in this fashion: “Discussing and studying with administrative
personnel from other cities in Asia during these past three days in Tokyo have been avaluable experience difficult to obtain any other way.

I would like to take what I havelearned here and put it to use in my professional duties back home.”

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