■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

JESC NEWSNo.12
May 2010

Foreword
Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am Hideto

Japan has contributed in the development ofYoshida, executive managing director of Japan

potable water systems in many developing

Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC).

countries as par t of an ODA project. After

It is my great honor to have an oppor tunity

securing potable water, many people expect

to bring word to those who par ticipated into have a flushable toilet as the advance ofJICA and JESC training courses. A year and 8civilization. In a flush toilet, a septic tank ismonths ago, I retired from the Ministry of theinstalled and night soil is discharged into theEnvironment, Japan. For 34 years, I had beenenvironment after diluted with water more thanengaged in the reformation of various systems

ten times of the night soil. In many cases, thisconcer ning mainly waste management andwater reaches groundwater without appropriate

recycling, soil contamination measures, water

treatment, and causes contamination withand so on. Par ticularly in the field of waste

bacteria. It is not a problem for adults as theymanagement, repeated amendment of waste

can get bottled water for drinking; however, it

management law, enactment and amendment

is not the same for children. They drink waterof recycling laws for container and packaging,directly from a tap and suffer from diarrhea,

food, home appliance, construction material

and in serious cases, it can result in death.

and end-of-life vehicles were made. Also, a 100%Along with economic growth, reduction ofincineration system for burnable waste andsuch a misfortune is a major goal in developing

99% reduction of dioxins emission, and disposal

countries. I have been dealing with thissystem for PCB waste were established. For theproblem in Japan. I recognize that the way topast few years, I have been actively working on

tackle this problem varies from one countr ysharing the experience of Japan, making use of(community) to another, depending on themy experience, with other countries especiallydegree of development. I assume myself

focusing on economically developing Asian

to be helpful in this field as well. In Japancountries. As for environmental issues, waste

Environmental Sanitation Center, there is Mr.

management is an imminent problem, and weMiyagawa, a liaison of ficer for international

are also facing the international challenge ofrelations, and also there are Mr. Hayami andestablishing low-carbon society. Together withMs. Nakamura. Please feel free to consult withyou, I hope to contribute in making progress tothem for assistance. Your requests will be surely

create a better environment, better world, andconveyed to me. Moreover, in the field of night

better earth for future generations.

soil disposal, we have Mr. Nakano, an expert in■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ②

the field. We are all in the same boat. Let’s work

In Japan, the season for cheer y blossoms hasaltogether.

come.

(Hideto YOSHIDA)

JESC Held “the 2nd 3R Conference for Asian
Local Governments”
cities repor ted their activities to promote
3Rs and r educe disposable plastic bags.
Subsequently, the par ticipants including 2
commentators, Professor Yasushi MATSUFUJIand Ms. Yuiko TAIRA frankly talked about
disposable plastic bags. Through the franktalking, diverse situations and policies regarding
disposable plastic bags have become clear.

By the talks exchanged, every participant strongly
recognized that disposal plastic bag minimization
The Japan Environmental Sanitation Center,should raise awareness for preservation of natural

JESC, held “The 1st 3R Conference for Asian

resources as well as the reduction of wastethOct. 2008 at

generation and contribute to proper management

Omiya Sonic City in Saitama. Following the 1stof final disposal sites and reduction of greenhousethConference, the 2nd conference was held on 25

gas emitted by waste treatment. Also, the localOct. 2009 at ACROS FUKUOKA in Fukuoka City,governments which gathered at the place inand 13 Asian local governments participated.

Fukuoka reached an agreement to work furtherLocal Gover nments” on 28

on disposable bag minimization. The fruitful
The conference was successfully expanded
and 6 Japanese local governments including 2prefectures, Fukuoka and Saitama and 4 cities,
Fukuoka, Kawasaki, Kitakyushu and Sapporo,and 7 Asian cities including Phnom Penh/
Cambodia, Shenyang/China, Vientiane/Laos,
Seberang Perai/Malaysia, Calbayog/Philippines,
Ulsan/South Korea, and Hanoi/Vietnam.

In keynote speeches the representatives ofFukuoka prefecture, Japanese cities and Asian■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ③

results of the conference were summarized as thelook forward to your participation in “the 3rd 3R

FUKUOKA declaration.

Conference for Asian local governments”.

We, Japan Environmental Sanitation Center(Shoichi HAYAMI)

Training Program of JESC
“Comprehensive Solid Waste Management
Course will be Renewed”
The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management
Course, which JESC has conducted as a JICA
training program for more than forty years, willbe renewed in the next fiscal year. This renewed
Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Course
will star t on June, 2010, changing its name to“Comprehensive Solid Waste Management and 3R”.

From the fiscal year 2010, par ticipants will
be from the same organization in respective
countries for three years, senior of ficials in
the first year and mid-career of ficials in thefollowing next two years.
Consequently, we expect that senior officials
will find directions and strategies for improving
their institution utilizing the knowledge obtainedin the course, and mid-officials translate a plan
into action based on the strategies.

This renewed course aims that the outcomeof a training course will be materialized byparticipants in respective countries. AnotherIn the fiscal year 2009, we conducted JICA

renewal point is the additional subject of nighttraining courses including “Comprehensivesoil disposal. In many developing countries,

Solid Waste Management”: “Waste Managementnight soil disposal is an area of high priority forTechnologies and 3Rs for Central and South

improvement and systematic measure has notAmerican Countries,” “Hazar dous Waste

been presently implemented.

Management and Appropriate Disposal for Asia,”

■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ④and countr y focused solid waste management

Night Soil Disposal System in Asian Region”

courses for China, Turkey and Iran.

contracted by the Ministry of the Environment.

Other than JICA training courses, we also

We hope that participants who completed the training

conducted a training course for Vietnam called “To

program will take an active part in their organization

Build Research Capacity for Improvement of Waste

after returning to their respective countries.

Management System” and “Workshop on Capacity
Building of the Responsible Authority for Better(Takashi MIYAGAWA)

New perspectives for the Prevention and SolidWaste Management in the Dominican Republic
The city of Santiago, the second most important

done at Dom. Rep. in relation to international

city in the Dominican Republic, with aenvironmental agreements primarily including

population of almost 800,000 habitants (8% ofthe Marco Convention of the United Nations

country approximately) could be doing activities

for Climatic Change (CMNUCC. de 1992) theand actions that we are not mostly aware of,“Kyoto Protocol” of 1997.

however it is wor th mentioning one activityFor the purposes of a reference, the six identified(among several) most related to the strategic

gases under the Kyoto Protocol which are thecity agenda, and international commitments

object of reduction targets for emitted volumes

such as the Kyoto Protocol.

or nominally assessed in the year 1990 all around

I’m talking about the Final disposal of solid

the world for the period 2008-2012 are: nitrous

waste of Santiago City “Eco-Parque Rafey”

oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane

now transformed in a Sanitary Landfill similar to(CH4). Just like HFCs (hydro fluorocarbons),

the Fukuoka Methods, a project committed toPFCs (per f luorocarbons) and SF 6 (sulf ur

perform technical and urban transformation inhexafluoride), being methane and carbon dioxide.

the final disposal of solid waste.

This method applied in Santiago also has been

The transformation of SWM begins with anused in Japan with proved effectiveness. Rather“open dumping site, to a sanitar y landfill of athan economic considerations, the effectivenesssemi-aerobic type”. The initiative was enjoyed theresides in its positive environmental impact, itstechnical and economic support of the Japanese

links as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM),

International Corporation Agency (JICA).

and as a local action link to the Kyoto Protocol, ofThe FUKUOKA METHOD sanitar y landfill

which the Dominican Republic is a signatory.

type is a method of confining solid waste andAs an international reference, the Dominicanis instituted as a CDM (Clean Development

Republic represents a little less than 0.09% ofMechanism) alternative of residue deposits

the global territor y (48,000 ㎢ / 510,000,000

which indicates, in a correct way, what is being㎢ ), and there is not real concept (not even■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ⑤estimated) of its emissions. However as a mattercities and local government are waiting for helpof fact, we are not even in the high emission

and technical support to improve solid waste

range on a global basis.

management.

The introduction of a Japanese method

Santiago is doing something, something more(Fukuoka Method) for the final deposition ofthan what maybe it’s doing in the rest of thesolid waste in Santiago opens a new perspective

country. At present it is independent, we are inon the prevention and management of thethe beginning of a road with many challenges

solid waste in the Dominican Republic. In theand problems, a long road to walk; but morecountry, there are more than 150 municipalities,

promising in favor of the present and future

but just Santiago r epr esents 10% of thegenerations of the Dominican Republic.

population of the Dominican Republic. Others(Edward MORETA)

Establishment of Material-Cycle Society in Hanoi
through 3R Initiative — Hanoi 3R Movement —【3R-HN Project】

3R-HN aims to minimize waste through theAiming to build a Material-Cycle Society throughintroduction of waste separation at source andthe introduction of 3R based on source separation,

composting of organic waste by taking twoHanoi City and JICA has been jointly implementing

approaches; i.e., capacity building of officials/

the “Hanoi 3R Project (3R-HN)” since November

government organizations in charge of waste

2006. Project period is three years.

management, and promotion of the proactive

The population of Hanoi City was about 3 million

participation of citizens in the source separation.

in 2003 and is expected to increase to 4.5 million【PR Activities and 3R Volunteers】

by 2020 due to economic growth. This growing

To familiarize “3R” to the Hanoi citizens, 3R-HN

population has led to a rapid increase in thehas been actively conducting PR activities.

amount of generated waste, which is becoming aFirstly, the project team held a large-scale event

serious issue in Hanoi City. The only landfill site

in front of Hanoi Opera House at the launchingin the city is expected to be filled up by 2014,of the project, and then carried out a series

and therefore, waste minimization is an urgentof PR strategies including TV commercials,

task in Hanoi. Under these circumstances,

newspaper adver tisements etc. In the TV

■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ⑥

commericials, “dancing collection workers”

and create a “Hanoi 3R Movement”, the 3R-HN

and a “3R song” by a famous rock singer were

Project under took ef for ts to organize “3R

adopted, which gave citizens a sensationalPartners” involving many citizens (individuals,impression and contributed to spreading “3R”

enterprises, NGOs, etc) who suppor t 3R

throughout the community. In response to theseactivities. On October 2008 and March 2009,

PR activities, various media in Vietnam featured

the “Mottainai Fair” was planned and held as a

the 3R-HN Project, and consequently the Project“3R Partners Project” at the initiative of the “3R

succeeded in breaking the dirty and negative

Par tners” members. The main activity of theimage of “waste” by replacing the word “3R”

event was a flea market for used clothes andthat evokes the image of fashionable and fresh.

thousands of used clothes have been provided
by Hanoi citizens. The event attracted about 4,000

It was the young generation in Hanoi Cityvisitors and widely reported in the mass media.

who responded promptly to the Project’s 3Rpromotion. After discovering the project through【3R Stars Conference and Hanoi 3R Council】

the media, many university students and highIn tandem with the proactive promotion ofschool students began to gather to join the project

citizens’ participation, 3R-HN is facilitating theactivities. They established a “3R Volunteers Club”“3R Stars Conference” for the purpose of building

and now more than 200 students are registereda partnership among the 3R-related stakeholders.

as volunteers. Now about one year has passed

The 3R Stars consists of about 80 members

since the establishment, and the club star ted

from government, communities, businesses andplanning and conducting their own program of 3R

academic institutions, and has been discussing

environmental educations (e.g., games, picture

strategic plans and action plans for 3R promotion

shows) for children at schools and on a street, in

as well as amendment of Hanoi City regulations

addition to joining the activities planned by 3R-HN.

on waste management. In March 2008, theconference adopted a “3R Stars Declaration”【Activities of 3R Partners and Mottainai Fair】

made up of 10 items to share the responsibility

To extend such proactive citizens’ participation

for the 3R promotion among the stakeholders.

■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ⑦

R e c e n t l y, “ H a n o i 3 R C o u n c i l ” c o m p o s e dgovernment decree (Decree No. 59.2007) whichof decision makers of related gover nment

stipulates “waste segregation and recycling”.

departments in Hanoi has been established andHowever, there are only a few cases of success.

future direction of 3R in Hanoi is being discussed.

Therefore, waste management officials highly
expect the “Hanoi-model source separation”

Reflecting such a growing movement among

introduced under the 3R-HN to be expanded

citizens, the government is becoming morethroughout the countr y. 3R-HN implemented

aggressive about 3R promotion as well as theby JICA has been receiving numerous inquiries

introduction of source separation.

from other cities in Vietnam.

【Future Development of 3R-HN】

Hisashi YAMAUCHIIn Vietnam, many local governments are trying

Team Leader of 3R-HN Project,

to introduce source separation in line with a

Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd.

Setting up Japan Sanitation Consortium (JSC)
2nd Secretariat Of ficeThe 2nd Secretariat Office of the Japan Sanitation

The first steering committee was held on

Consortium (JSC) was established in the Japan

October 16 th, 2009 and the Japan Sanitation

Environmental Sanitation Center on December

Consor tium was of ficially launched as the11th, 2009. The Japan Sanitation Consortium isknowledge hub on sanitation. The 1st Secretariat“the knowledge hub on sanitation” which is aOf fice was set up in the Sewerage Business

diffusion base of sanitation related knowledge

Management Centre on the day mentioned

and information in the Asia-Pacific region andabove and the 2nd Secretariat Office was set up

jointly managed by sanitar y organizations inin the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center onJapan.

December 11th, 2009.

The setting up of the knowledge hub on

The Japan Sanitation Consor tium is devoted

sanitation was approved at “the knowledge hubto: (1) the spread of basic sanitation thought,meeting” at the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and(2) the promotion of technical development ofthe Japan Sanitation Consortium was established

Jokasou and night soil disposal, (3) assistanceby four organizations: the Sewerage Businessconcer ning constr ucting sewerage and on-

Management Centre, the Japan Environmentalsite disposal facilities, and (4) policy planning,

Sanitation Center, the Japan Sewage Works

capacity building and facilitation of investment

Association and the Japan Education Center ofrelated to sanitation in the countries of the Asia-Environmental Sanitation.

Pacific region.

■ Japan Environmental Sanitation Center

No.12 May 2010 ⑧

The 2 nd Secretariat Of fice, in collaboration
stwith the 1 Secretariat Of fice, aims to build

seminars and car r y out sur veys for better
sanitation in the regional countries.

an information network for the dif fusion ofknowledge and information related to sanitationin the Asia-Pacific region, hold international(Hideaki FUJIYOSHI)

Editor’s Comment
Although my career in international cooperationand describe how it differs from that of otheris limited, let me mention about some of thecountries. Japanese believe that work isways to have successful transactions withnecessary for them to gain social acceptance inforeigners.

the Japanese society. That is why most Japanesework so hard to maintain their membershipFirst, language is ver y impor tant. Todayin their company. Most Japanese have seen

English is the international language of ourwork as the most important thing in life. Thatfield. Therefore knowing technical terminology

is, they have tried to find the meaning of life

in English is helpful in actual communication.

through their jobs. Today however, the younger

Second, straightfor wardness is impor tant.

generation thinks quite dif ferently. They are

Indirect communication is often considered as

not job-centered as the older generation used todishonest and tactical. Third, understanding

be, and a sense of dedication to jobs seems toother cultures is also important. We should not

be disappearing rapidly. These days, Japanese

impose our values upon other people, but giveviews on work are changing dramatically.

due respect to cultural differences. Concerning
the third point, I would like introduce anAnyway, we can have successful communicationexample showing how difficult it is to performthrough this newsletter.

cultural understanding.

Please give me a letter or e-mail describing yournews.

It is said that Japanese are workaholics. So,
let me refer to the work ethic of Japanese(Hideaki FUJIYOSHI)

JESC NEWS No.12
May 2010■ Publisher : Akio OKUMURA■ Editor : Hideaki FUJIYOSHI■ Staff : M. Furusawa, T. Miyagawa,
S. Hayami, K. Nakamura■ Published by :Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC)■ Address : 10-6 Yotsuyakami-cho,Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-city,
210-0828 JAPAN■ TEL : +81-44-288-4937■ FAX : +81-44-288-5217■ E-mail : miyagawa@jesc.or.jp