March 2024

JPFP Meeting: ICPD30
On 4 March, the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) held ameeting on the occasion of the visit to Japan of Dr. Natalia Kanem, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral and Executive Director of UNFPA. Hon. Aisawa Ichiro, Acting Chair of JPFP,
gave a welcome address and Hon. Kikawada Hitoshi, Secretary General of JPFP,
facilitated the meeting.
In her speech, Dr. Kanem expressed her appreciation for the longstanding cooperation
between UNFPA and Japan, especially the contributions of parliamentarians throughAPDA/JPFP activities. She then congratulated JPFP on its 50th anniversary this year.
Given that this year also marks the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD, or Cairo Conference), she stressed the need torecognize once again what is happening now in the population field. Population is anaggregate of “individuals”; it is imperative to protect their rights and dignity and provide
support for them so that no one is left behind. Dr. Kanem explained that each country
needs to consider sustainable policies that respond to diverse demographic changes.
During the Q&A session, Hon. Odawara Kiyoshi mentioned that young people aremoving to cities in search of jobs, causing an imbalance in birth rates between
prefectures. He asked how we could address the difficult trilemma of ensuring freedomof migration, autonomous local government policies, and stable wages.
Then Hon. Makihara Hideki said that accepting migrant workers would be a solution to
the labor shortage and asked Dr. Kanem to comment on the cultural, linguistic, and otherchallenges faced by migrant workers in the society to which they migrate.
In response, Dr. Kanem mentioned that the immigration issue is indeed multidimensional
and that there are always unintended effects and consequences, which we must
anticipate and work together to address. She also emphasized that when it comes tolack of the working population, there is a big role for the innovation, robotics andtechnologies in meeting certain social needs. On the other hand, she added that it isimportant to understanding that human touch is irreplaceable and asked Japan to take aleading part in thinking about these issues based on its experience and knowledge.

Toward JPFP’s 50th Anniversary #10
JPFP's policy recommendations and concrete actions on global issues
JPFP, together with APDA, has made policy recommendations on various globalissues. In 2023, JPFP, APDA and AFPPD co-hosted the Global Conference ofParliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima
Summit (GCPPD2023), and a declaration that was adopted as a conference outcome
was directly submitted to Prime Minister H. E. Kishida Fumio who served as Chair ofthe G7 Summit,.
Also, at the Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and DevelopmentToward the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit (GCPPD2016), a declaration was directly
submitted to the then Prime Minister H.E. Abe Shinzo, and the recommendations onhealth including measures for infectious diseases and on women, as stated therein,
were reflected in the Summit Leaders’ Declaration.
At the G8 International Parliamentarians’ Conference on Population and Sustainable
Development, which was held prior to the 2008 G8 Toyako Summit, the participating
parliamentarians adopted a statement that put forth a strong message that reproductive
health is particularly important for improving maternal and child health and directlysubmitted to the then Prime Minister H.E. Fukuda Yasuo. Part of the statement wasreflected in the Leaders’ Declaration.
Furthermore, JPFP regularly hold study meetings that lead to policy recommendations
and international cooperation.
In 2021, JPFP organized a study meeting on humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Basedon the meeting, they drew up concrete recommendations for effective assistance titled“Five Recommendations on the Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan and Japan’s Role”
and submitted the recommendations to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry ofForeign Affairs.
With regard to humanitarian assistance in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and support for
victims of natural disasters such as Turkey–Syria earthquakes, JPFP also examines
the local situations, people’s needs, and what priorities Japan can play a role, linking tomid- to long-term reconstruction and development and leading to concreate action.

JPFP
Established in 1974, JPFP has the longest history in theworld as a supra-partisan parliamentary group on

APDApopulation and development. JPFP, in concert withAPDA, has created a network of parliamentarians onpopulation and development, through which a diverse
range of knowledge and experience has been shared toaccomplish concrete results.

APDA since its establishment in 1982 has served as thesecretariat of JPFP.

Read more
Supported by the International Planned Parenthood
Federation (IPPF)

Read more

Secretariat of Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP)
Asian Population and Development Association (APDA)
2-19-5-8F, Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 105-0003 Japan
TEL: +81-3-5405-8844

FAX: +81-3-5405-8845

E-mail: apda@apda.jp Website: https://www.apda.jp/en/【Editorial responsibility: APDA】

Designed with BEE