2019
October 11-13
Asahikawa,JAPANHonzou-zufu（1828）; The first botanical picture book in JapanASACON 2019
The International Conference on Industrial Hemp
-Friendly to Environment and HealthOrganized by Hokkaido Industrial Hemp Association（HIHA）
Cooperated by Hemp Today（HT）, Asahikawa Industrial Hemp Association（AHA）
Supported by Asahikawa city, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Assembly Hemp Study Group
Asahikawa Newspapers
Secretariat: ASACON Secretariat

Greetings“Let’s make Hemp be the staple crop of Hokkaido! The goal is 20,000ha in the whole of Hokkaido”
Hokkaido Industrial Hemp Association
Representative Director/Doctor of Agriculture: Dr. Harumi Kikuchi
Hokkaido Industrial Hemp Association (HIHA) has carried out various activities such as raisingpublic awareness, educating the public, lobbying national and local governments, assisting with obtaining cultivation
licenses, introducing overseas varieties, and other activities, in order to make Hokkaido a stronghold of Hemp (Marijuanaand Hemp) industry in Japan. At the same time, as the only associate member of EIHA (European Industrial Hemp
Association) in Japan, HIHA also has worked on international exchanges with the nations advanced in Hemp industry,
with Western countries, China, and other countries.
This time, we will hold a full-scale international business conference on industrial Hemp in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, theagricultural center of Japan, with the cooperation from people inside and outside Japan with whom we have exchanged
until now. Now that the Hemp industry is developing rapidly in the world, we hope that ASACON 2019 will be an
opportunity for the development of the Hemp industry in our country and that many of you will be able to join us.

The Hemp History of Japan and Hokkaido
Hemp in Japan has been cultivated throughout the country
for more than 10,000 years ago as a crop that helps people’slives. In Hokkaido, the government encouraged hemp and flax
cultivation during the Meiji period, and there were more than 80
hemp-spinning factories all over the country. However, in 1948
after World War II, the Cannabis Control Act was enacted, andhemp cultivation was restricted. Moreover, because of thespread of chemical fibers, the demand for hemp decreased
sharply, and now the cultivation area is only 10-odd hectares fora Shinto ritual or traditional hemp fabric. We are aiming at therevival of Hemp that used to be cultivated on a large scale in
Hokkaido and the material of the modern hemp spinningindustry.

ASACON 2019 is the First International Business Conference aiming at“The Campaign to Re-Open Japan for Hemp”
Last year, Canada legalized recreational marijuana, and it had a big impact to the world. In this way, since thederegulation of hemp has been moving forward overseas, the number of countries and regions that have legalized medical
or recreational use have been increasing, and the hemp industry has also been developing rapidly. On the other hand,
Japan has been left behind by the world-wide trend due to the Cannabis Control Act that substantially prohibits
cultivation for medical use and even safe harmless industrial use. Just like the Edo period, when international exchanges
except with the Netherland and China were strictly prohibited, Japan is even now sealed off to the outside world on hemp.
We have decided to begin “The Campaign to Re-Open Japan for Hemp” in order to overthrow the present situation ofclosed Japan. Japan, a country where the population is aging, is a promising market for hemp products that are necessary
for health and comfortable life. We need a strong campaign to increase the domestic distribution of hemp products bypromoting hemp products'qualities to Japanese people and by importing hemp.
ASACON 2019 is the first step of this campaign and is Japan’s first international conference on hemp business on afull scale. By inviting worldwide hemp companies and prominent hemp researchers, and by having them introduce hemp
products to Japan, it is one of the main purposes of this conference to have overseas companies become discover theadvantages and potential of the Japanese market.
We endorse “The Campaign to Re-Open Japan for Hemp” and welcome Japanese companies that hope to cooperatewith foreign companies expanding the hemp industry/business globally. Please join ASACON 2019, and let’s aim to expand
the Japanese hemp market together!

Program & Agenda
1st DAY
Public Lecture
Friday,11th October
12:00 - 5:30pm

2nd DAY
Expert Comitee
Saturday,12th October
9:00am - 5:30pm

a.m. Arrival, Registration and Networking
p.m. Open Seminar
Dr. Zhao Litao (Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, China)
Mr. Ben Dronkers(Founder of the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum,Netherlands)
Mr. Christophe Fevrier (Hemp breeding, FNPC, France)
Dr. Patrick Collins（Professor Emeritus, Azabu University, Japan/England）
Mr. Rohit Sharrma (President of the Indian Industrial Hemp Association, India)
Mr. Hisashi Isogai（CANNABIRD Pty Ltd, CEO, Australia）
Mr.Tony Robinson（Hikurangi Cannabis Company, New Zealand）
Welcome reception
Dr. Harumi Kikuchi (Hokkaido Industrial Hemp Association, Japan)
Ms. Alicia Fall（Humanitarian activists and artists, USA）
Mr. Sun Yufeng (Daqing Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, China)
Mr. Makoto Matsumaru（Hemp Foods Japan, Elixinol Japan, Japan）
Dr. Philip Blair (Pro Health Advisor, USA)
Dr. Minoru Aragaki(Japanese Clinical Association of Cannabinoids, Japan)
Mr. Preet Marwaha, Blue Sky Biologicals, Canada

3rd DAY Excursion Research in laboratories, farms and tourist facilities around Asahikawa City
Sunday,13th OctoberOn the 1st Day, there will be consecutive interpretation (Japanese-English). The common language
for the 2nd and 3rd Day is English.

Entry fee
Entry fee
Remarks
General participants$300
Reservations are required for the third day excursion.
<Non-speaker>
Please contact ASACON secretariat. (info@hiha.jp)
Admission to all plenary lectures, Admission to the Welcome Reception (11st Oct. 2019), lunches andafternoon teas for each day of the Conference.
Entry fee does not include accommodation, breakfast expenses and 3rd-Day Excursion. Please makeyour own arrangements for hotel accommodations.
The round-trip transportation fee from the Asahikawa airport to International ConferenceHall(Taisetsu Crystal Hall) is not included.

Looking for sponsors
Premium sponsor$25,000 Number to be accepted： 1
Gold sponsor$10,000 Number to be accepted： 2
Silver sponsor$3000 Number to be accepted： 3Sponsor$1000 Number to be accepted：10
You are only permitted to exhibit Hemp products that can be imported to Japan.

Hemp Products Exhibition and Sale & Business matching
We are planning to exhibit and sell hemp products of the companies giving a lecture at the special venueof Taisetsu Crystal Hall during 2-day conference. If you would like to display your products at exhibitionand sale, please contact ASACON secretariat.

Access to the Venue

Hokkaido

Asahikawa

Asahikawa Taisetsu Crystal Hall, International Conference Hall
From Haneda Airport (HND):
1．Haneda Airport（HND） → Asahikawa Airport（AKJ） (about 1 hour 35 minutes ※ Flight time by plane)
2．Asahikawa Airport（AKJ） → JR Asahikawa Station (about 35 minutes ※ Travel time by airport bus)
3．JR Asahikawa Station → Venue (about 2-3 minutes ※ Travel time by taxi)
From Narita Airport (NRT):
1. Narita Airport(NRT) → Haneda Airport(HND) (approximately 1 hour 20 minutes ※ Travel time by train)
2. Haneda Airport(HND) → Asahikawa Airport(AKJ) (about 1 hour 35 minutes ※ Flight transfer)
3. Asahikawa Airport（AKJ） → JR Asahikawa Station (about 35 minutes ※ Travel time by airport bus)
4. JR Asahikawa Station →Venue (about 2-3 minutes ※ Travel time by taxi)

Please refer to the following site for detailed access and sightseeing.
Asahikawa Taisetsu Crystal Hall is in the same location as Asahikawa City Museum on the map (4).
https://www.atca.jp/asahikawaguidemap_en2019/html5.html#page=1

Excursion
Asahikawa museum

Asahiyama Zoo

Hot springs

Attention!!
In Japan, brining in cannabis and possession is prohibited by law.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Registration
You can apply to participate from the ASACON official website.
Please contact ASACON secretariat. (info@hiha.jp)
for recruitment of sponsors and participation in exhibitions and sales.

Registration Site