Women Today“Violence against Women is not a private
matter: it’s a public crisis that demands apublic response”

Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
and Executive Director of UN Women

Ms. Michelle BACHELETThe year 2011 was a landmark year for women withof the solution. Greater progress comes when men andthe creation of UN Women to advance women’s

women and young people join together and take a firm

empowerment and equality, and the award of the Nobel

stand that violence against women is not an acceptable

Peace Prize to three outstanding women leaders ofpractice.

One of our priorities at UN

Protection is also vitally important. Impunity of

Women is putting an end to the global pandemic ofperpetrators must be brought to an end throughviolence against women and girls, which persists as

tougher enforcement of laws and improvements in

one of the most common and pervasive human rights

women’s access to meaningful justice. And much moreviolations.

needs to be done, including in industrialized countries,

peace and democracy.

Our analysis of surveys across regions shows thatto provide, and ensure universal access to, essential

as many as 6 in 10 women experience physical and/or

services. Every woman and girl subjected to violence,

sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly from men they

regardless of where she lives or who she is, deserves

know. The consequences and costs are devastating –emergency and immediate support to guarantee her

not only for the fundamental rights, well-being andsafety, health, human and legal rights.

health of the women affected, but for their families andIn the end, the most effective way to make progresschildren, and the social and economic prosperity ofon ending violence against women is by ensuringcommunities and nations. The costs of violence against

simultaneous and mutually reinforcing investments inwomen run in the billions of dollars every year – ingender equality more broadly, especially in strategic

health, legal, police and related services, in lost wages

areas that are most closely correlated as ‘protective’

to women and diminished female productivity tofactors for women against abuse and violence. These

employers.

include education, especially through secondary school,

Today there is growing recognition that the heavy

reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment,

toll of violence against women can be reduced with theand participation in decision-making, whether on

proper strategies and investments. In these times ofcorporate boards of multinational companies, at theeconomic crisis, it is especially important to preserve

highest levels of government, or in the household.

critical services for women at risk: reports show thatAs UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at thewhen men’s unemployment rises, domestic abuse tends

launch of his UNiTE Campaign to end violence against

to become exacerbated.

women in 2008: “Violence against women is neverFrom a global perspective, there is a sense of

acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable.”

optimism because in recent years more and morecountries have pledged their commitment to take action
on gender-based violence. In November 2011, we issueda ‘16-step’ policy agenda for a comprehensive responsethat focuses on the three Ps: prevention, protection andProfile of Michelle Bachelet

the provision of services.

Ms. Michelle Bachelet is the first Under-SecretaryGeneral and Executive Director of UN Women, which
was established on 2 July 2010 by the United Nations
General Assembly. Ms. Bachelet most recently served
as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010. She also held
ministerial portfolios in the Chilean Government as
Minister of Defence and Minister of Health. As Defence
Minister, Ms. Bachelet introduced gender policies
intended to improve the conditions of women in the
military and police forces. As Minister of Health, she
implemented health care reform, improving attention toprimary care facilities with the aim of ensuring better andfaster health care response for families.

Prevention must be a priority, especially througheducational and socialization approaches starting at
an early age so that boys and girls are raised withvalues of equality and non-violence. The role of themass media is essential in contributing to thetransformation of social norms. Men of all ages andwalks of life- from political and economic leaders, tofathers, teachers, policemen, judges and doctors,
neighbors and friends, artists and celebrities –are partNo.64 February 20121

Current Issues Series
Reflections on
Dating DV
Part 3

Noriko YAMAGUCHI

A representative of Aware,
Domestic Violence Batterers’ Intervention
Program & Dating DV Prevention Program,
Director, Facilitator, Trainer

What is a Healthy Dating
Relationship?
Domestic violence (DV) derives from certain assumptions
about “power and control,” “toleration for violence,” and“gender bias (gender distinction and difference establishedsocially and culturally).” Dating DV, which occurs especiallyamong young people, results from the above factors, andalso largely from such young people’s distorted ideas of whatlove and dating are supposed to be. In this regard, to ensurethat they have healthy dating experience, unaffected bydating DV, it is necessary for them to check whether they
espouse the above values, and if so, to unlearn them. Also, it
is essential for them to consider whether what they regard
as normal love and dating is really not wrong or distorted,and to learn what a healthy dating relationship is, and whatshould be done to establish such a relationship.
In order not to become an offender or a victim of dating
DV, it is important to realize the following things:

activities can be conducted only when you fully accept yourpartner as an individual on an equal footing. It is importantto realize that, if you think you are superior to your partner,
you will regard acceptance of your partner’s idea as “losing,”
or find compromise dissatisfying, which may lead you tocommitting DV.
Respect “what you are”
It is dangerous to think that partners, as a couple, should
completely share their feelings and thoughts. It is naturalthat each of them has partner’s own values and preferences.
The difference between them should be accepted as it is, not
as a factor indicating who is superior/inferior, or the winner/loser. The pleasure of dating comes from being stimulatedby and learning from someone who has ideas, attitudes,
feelings and preferences different from your own.
Also, if you restrict your partner’s actions based on
gender bias, expecting him/her to do “what a girlfriend/
boyfriend is supposed to do,” that will just result in making
your partner feel cramped and uncomfortable. Moreover, it
is also uncomfortable if you restrict yourself based on genderbias. It is important to respect not what you and your partner
are supposed to do based on gender bias, but what you andyour partner really are.

Never use violence
Physical violence is an injurious assault regarded as acriminal act, whether the victim is the offender’s partner ornot. Not only committing direct violence, but also expressing
anger by inappropriate actions, such as destroying things,
or yelling at or ignoring one’s partner, is also regarded as
violence (abuse) against the partner in the form of threat
and coercion. How you feel can never be made sufficiently
clear to your partner, unless you express it in words. To
expect your partner to know how you feel even if you do nottalk about it is just an unreasonable dependence on thepartner, which will end in making your partner feel
uncomfortable. It is important to realize that blaming yourpartner for how you feel and expecting your partner to makeyou feel better are both just forms of dependence.

Respect each other’s self-determination
It is dangerous to think that if you love your partner you
must follow the partner, or that if your partner loves you
then he/she must follow you. It is necessary to strike abalance between you and your partner, with neither of you
obeying the other implicitly or making unreasonable
endurance. All human beings have a right and capability todetermine things for ourselves. The important thing is torespect each other’s self-determination. Additionally, we
have the right to sexual self-determination, specifically indecisions regarding sexual intercourse. It seems that many
young people think that dating simply means having sexualintercourse, without realizing that such intercourse entails
possibilities of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
If you really love your partner, it is natural that you should
think about contraception in advance. Women should nothesitate to tell their partner what they really want to do.
Women should have the courage to express themselvesclearly, even if that seems difficult, without fearing that
their partner may dislike them.
It is hoped that young couples can avoid dating DV, byrespecting each other’s decisions and feelings, refraining
from restricting each other, allowing each other to do as
they wish, and supporting and encouraging each other. Thiscan result in the establishment of “a truly comfortable, close
relationship.”

Never restrain your partner
Many young people seem to think that it is natural for acouple to restrain each other. Young couples often restraineach other through behavior connected with their mobile
phones, violating personal privacy by checking theirpartner’s mobile phone records without asking, and evendeleting e-mails and addresses of people they do not like.
Many young people think that these activities result fromlove, but this is totally untrue. It is important to realize that
restricting your partner’s actions just because you love yourpartner or just because you are a couple is the beginning ofcontrol.
Respect the partner as an individual on an equal footing
Respecting someone means trying to accept her/his
ideas and values that are different from yours, even if you do
not agree with them. To do this, it is imperative to listen to
him/her with sympathy and try to understand him/her.
When you and your partner decide something, it is necessary
to compromise with each other through negotiation. These2

No.64 February 2012

22nd Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women
On November 26 and 27, the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women was held at the Kitakyushu
Municipal Gender Equality Center MOVE.

For details, please visit http://www.kfaw.or.jp/report/index.html.en

Facing Natural Disasters- What We Should Learn from the Great East Japan Earthquake
On the first day, the 26th, a keynote lecture and a panel discussion were held with the theme “Facing Natural Disasters - What
We Should Learn from the Great East Japan Earthquake,” inviting people engaged in reconstruction and restoration support
efforts to deliver the lecture and act as panelists. The panel discussion, with a panelist invited also from Korea, featured theGreat East Japan Earthquake including the necessity of a gender-equal perspective for disaster damage prevention measures
as well as reconstruction and restoration efforts. Finally, what we can and should do now was examined.

◆Keynote lecture:“Disasters and Gender Equality” Reiko AOKI (Executive Director of the National Council of Women’s Centers, NPO)
From the perspective of gender equality, Ms. Aoki spoke about the importance of appropriate responses and support at the time ofdisasters and about the need for a proper disaster damage prevention plan, sharing
concrete examples from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
One of the most impressive support measures offered by her organization wasestablishment of the website “Disasters and Women Centers.” The website enabled
women’s centers nationwide to exchange and share information, leading to the provisionof support that was really needed in affected areas. When the operation of evacuation
centers was male-oriented, the website was effective in helping to answer women’s
needs that tended to be overlooked. Ms. Aoki indicated the necessity of “match-making”
between demands which women hesitate to express clearly and actual support;
specifically, the provision of space and consultation services only for women as well as
the delivery of cosmetics and other daily necessities.
▲Keynote lecture by Ms. Aoki
Focusing on the “6.11 Symposium – Disaster/Reconstruction and Gender Equality”
held in Tokyo, Ms. Aoki also referred to how the symposium’s executive committee promoted reconstruction efforts after the symposium.
She clearly explained how the committee urged the central government to ensure that gender-equality was incorporated in its disasterreconstruction measures. Her explanation was truly significant.

◆Panel discussion< Panelists >- Reiko AOKI (Executive Director, National Council of Women’s Centers, NPO)
- Kyong-Ja MIN (President, Chungcheongnam-Do Women’s Policy Development Institute, Korea)- Yasuko ARAI (Subsection Chief, General Affairs & Planning, Sendai Gender Equal Opportunity Foundation)- Kenichiro OGAWA (General Secretary, Kitakyushu YMCA)< Coordinator >- Kuniko YOSHIZAKI (President, Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women)
At the panel discussion, each panelist made a presentation, followed by a▲Panelists
free discussion.
First, Ms. Min, from Korea, spoke about her country’s responses to earthquakes, as well as the Korean people’s responseto and support given in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. While Korea has never experienced a large-scale
earthquake, in recent years the country has been hit more and more frequently by earthquakes with a seismic intensity
scale of under 4. Nevertheless, according to Ms. Min, the country’s disaster damage prevention measures are not sufficient.
Next, Ms. Arai, who was engaged in women-friendly support in Sendai, which was hard hit by the disaster, spoke about
the actual situation and challenges of the area’s support efforts. She presented the details of a laundry service offered by anon-profit organization in Sendai. One of the most impressive messages in her presentation was that, when providing support,
her organization always paid attention to what should be done to help affected women return to their normal lives and regain
a positive attitude.
Finally, Mr. Ogawa, who served as part of the operations staff of a volunteer center in Sendai City, gave a concrete andeasy-to-understand presentation on a support activity provided by his organization. The organization invited children who
evacuated to a Kitakyushu City camp.
The panel discussion concluded with an exchange of opinions between Ms. Yoshizaki, the coordinator and all the panelists
on significant gender-related problems observed after the disaster, including those related to employment and domestic
violence against women. Some reports said that women tended to experience greater disadvantage than men at the time of

No.64 February 20123

natural disasters. There is no denying that this is due to the low participation of women in the decision-making process,which makes it difficult to reflect women’s opinions. In this regard, it was confirmed once again that it was necessary tofeature the concept of gender equality even in normal times. The program came to an end with the suggestion that in orderto minimize possible disaster damage, it is necessary for everyone to work together on the problem.

Reports on KFAW Research Activities
The Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) conducts surveys and research on a wide variety of gender andwomen related problems across the world, especially in the Asia and the Pacific region. At the report session heldon the second day, November 27, of the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women, Chief Researcher Masami
Shinozaki and Senior Researcher Masako Ota gave presentations on their research and exchanged opinions withforum participants.

“A Comparative Research on Effective Policies and Measures
to Raise the TFR in Japan and Korea – An Interim Report”“Women’s Empowerment through Collective Actions: The
Case of Mukhtar Federation in Andhra Pradesh, India”

Masami SHINOZAKI, Chief Researcher, KFAW

Masako OTA, Senior Researcher, KFAWThe TFR in Japan and
Korea dropped historicallylow. And the female labor
involvement rate in the twocountries continues to show
the M letter type, which isdifferent from other OECD
countries. Various policies
and measures have been carried out considering these rates
over two decades.
This research aims to examine the effectiveness of thesepolicies and measures at the local government’s level:
prefectures, cities, townships and villages. In this interim
report, Professor Bae discussed the birth rate and policies
changes in Korea. Ms. Shinozaki then explained themethodological framework, and introduced the unique caseof Iidate village, Fukushima, whose TFR was 1.8 during
past several years. She also referred to Edogawa-ku, Tokyoand Shimane prefecture.

The results of researchon the Mahila Samakhya
Programme was reported
based on fieldwork in India.
The programme aims toempower women througheducation by adopting aproblem-solving approach.
Women are organized into groups which try to remove obstacles
to the promotion of female education. Thus, women and girls
are enabled to avail themselves of educational opportunities.
The Makthal federation was established to solve common
problems across the villages, such as child marriage and childlabor. It is promoting education, redressing gender discrimination,and sending representatives to panchayat (self-government invillages). Also, it is now conducting projects independently
from the original programme.
Concerning projects for women’s empowerment, it isimportant to incorporate a strategy which enables women toacquire abilities and take action to change society, rather thanmerely providing services.

Reports on KFAW /CWPDI Joint Research(4th Japan-Korea Seminar “Comparison between Japan and Korea in Child-Rearing Support Networks”)
In August 2011, KFAW visited the Chungcheongnam-Do Women’s Policy Development Institute (CWPDI) to meet CWPDI’s
new president Kyong-Ja Min, who assumed the position in 2010. It was confirmed at the meeting that both organizations
will further engage in mutual cooperation. On the second day of the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women, reports
on a KFAW and CWPDI joint research project were presented for the first time in the three-year history of relations
between the two organizations. Also KFAW and CWPDI researchers explained their respective research.
The research provided a comparison between Japan and Korea in terms of each country’s actual situation regarding social support networks forworking women with young children to help raise their children, and how the networks for such women influenced their decision to continue to work.
It was reported that while a so-called “M-shaped curve” was observed in female labor force participation in both countries, there were differencesin their working attitudes and practices in terms of social support networks. One of the most concrete and impressive examples was that working
women in Korea were more satisfied with their working situation than those in Japan, and they highly valued their husbands, who provided support
for their careers.

Report ① “Personal network to help married women work – based on surveys in Fukuoka
Prefecture (Kitakyushu City and Fukuoka City) and Korea (Chungcheongnam-Do)”
Katsuhiko ISHIKAWA, enrolled in a doctoral program of the Graduate School of
Human-Environment Studies, Kyushu University (FY 2010 KFAW Research Staff)

Report ② “Surveys on the actual situation of child-rearing support networks and working
attitudes – with the focus on a comparison between Korea and Japan”
Eun Hee CHOE, researcher of the Chungcheongnam-Do Women’s Policy
Development Institute, Korea

4

No.64 February 2012

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS’ REPORTS “Youth Culture Today”
After graduating from The University of Science Malaysia in the field of interior design, I started
my life as a foreign student in Tokyo, Japan to continue my studies, hoping to contribute and dedicate
myself to the education field in the future. I obtained my master degree in architecture and am currently
a Ph.D. student in the same university, conducting research on environment-behavioral studies.

Communications and Internet Culture
CHEOW Puei Kuen (Malaysia)
Internet Users in Selected Countries

Internet connection started in 1990 and became widely Retrieved from Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (Q1, 2008)

used in Malaysia since 1995. According to data from the80

Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission(MCMC), Malaysia ranks as number 2 in terms of Internet

60

penetration (per 100 inhabitants) among ASEAN countries in

50

2008, after Singapore. Although Internet penetration rate is40

0penetration rate of 22.04%. The number of Internet users is
to

the

66.15

64.45
57.8

54.97

53.99

15.81

22.04

10

Malaysia is still considered acceptable compared to the world
According

71.98

20

South Korea and the U.S., the Internet penetration rate inyearly.

72.7

30

still not as high as other developed countries like Japan,

increasing

73.46

70

Japan

South
Korea

USA

UK

Taiwan , Malaysia Hong Kong Australia
SAR

Provinc of China

China

World

Internet penetration rate in selected countries.
(Source: http://comm215.wetpaint.com/page/Malaysia+Internet+Penetration)

International

Telecommunication Union, there are about 16,902,600
Internet users as of June 2009, which is 64.6% of thenot serious at the present stage. If users are educated about

population in Malaysia.

these issues, Internet should be a very convenient and useful
tool to improve communications among people instead of

The language used for communication via Internet inbecoming a hindrance. Many claim that communications

Malaysia is mainly in English. As a multi-racial country,

through the Internet is threatening youngsters’ way ofmulti-lingual communication is not uncommon on themaking friends. Undoubtedly, many Internet users makeInternet. With Malay Language as the Malaysia national andfriends in the virtual world. Also, there are worries that

official language, the Chinese and Indian citizens in Malaysia

Internet users may get cheated due to identity fraud. However,sometimes use their native language, which is Mandarin andrecently, with the prevalence of online social networks that

Hindu, for communication through the Internet. For the easerequire background information with personal pictures,of typing and communication, many Internet users start toidentity fraud is decreasing compared to the time whencreate new informal short forms and abbreviations which caninstant messaging was the main trend.

only be understood among the Internet users from younger

In my opinion, communication through Internet indeed

generation. Instead of words, some tend to use emoticons tobrings a lot of conveniences into our life. From the perspective

express their feelings and thoughts during communication.

of a foreign student, it makes frequent communications possible

Besides that, sentences used are usually in incorrect grammar

with friends and families as it is a very cheap, easy and fastwith wrong spelling. The emergence of this Internet culture

way to keep in touch with others. It is also possible to let themis said to be a problem among students in Malaysia whichknow about one’s recent life in another country by sharing

turn may affect their language proficiency.

pictures online. This is especially important for the foreign

Recently, Internet is used as a platform to spread an idea

students who just arrived in a foreign land without any friends

or advocate a movement. On the other hand, it is also used as

to cure their loneliness. From my personal experience,a link to connect different parties at different places to workcommunication through the Internet is also a very efficientand cooperate for the same objectives. There is no doubt about

way to contact families and friends during any emergency, likethe convenience brought by Internet into our daily lives.

the Great East Japan Earthquake which happened March 11th,

Internet also makes communication possible across long2011 in Japan when telecommunication systems were down

distance which helps to save a lot of time and money.

temporarily. On the other hand, many people tend to lose

Unfortunately, problems like reduced physical contacts,

contact forever with their ex-classmates after graduation.

identity fraud and others arise. Moreover, as more and moreInternet enables us to know each others’ latest whereabouts

users feel confident and safe behind computer screens, theyand recent lives. Some even use it to stay in touch with their

become addicted to Internet and dependent on their virtualteachers or lecturers. No matter what kind of new invention it

lives. As a result, less time is taken for face to face interactions.

is, more important is the way people use this invention. If

And there is a worry that this may affect Internet users’

people do not misuse the Internet, the benefits it brings to ourcommunication skills in reality. However, this problem is still

lives are much more than the disadvantages.

No.64 February 20125

Throughout my undergraduate years to my time as a doctoral student, I participated in programs
at the National University of Singapore and conducted research on Chinese communities in Singapore.
Currently, I work for both the Department of History and Department of Japanese Studies at the
Chinese University of Hong Kong. Also, Iam researching the support provided in Chinese communities
for children with High Functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Trends among Young People in Hong Kong (Food)
Miho GODA (Hong Kong)
In Hong Kong, 95% of residents are ethnically Han.

the clock.) In addition, their prices are reasonable, making

They speak Cantonese. And writing in kanji characters isthem attractive to many young customers. The reason forseen almost everywhere. At the same time, the region’s

their popularity lies not only in their prices and convenience,

history as a British colony and prosperous hub port of world

but also in the “diversity” and “unusualness” of their menu

trade has made Hong Kong a multicultural region. Even

items, which are unavailable in other types of restaurants.

now, it is home to many business persons from all over the

Cha chaan teng menus list more than 50 types of dishes inworld and numerous household workers from Southeast

total, including ordinary snacks (Western dishes, such as

Asia. As a result, Hong Kong has a wide variety of religions

sandwiches, toast, spaghetti, and pilaf), Chinese dishes

and cultures. Likewise, its wide variety of food culture is(rice porridge, noodles, and rice, vegetable, meat and fish

not limited to Chinese cuisine. You can select from an

dishes), plus patisserie (egg tarts, French toast, melon-

extensive range of delicious dishes. Actually, throughflavored buns, and rolls). Moreover, each cha chaan teng

getting to know young people in Hong Kong, I have learned

has its own particular menu specialties. Drinks served atthat they enjoy various types of dishes every day.

cha chaan teng also tend to be unique. They offer not only

Young people in Hong Kong are always interested in

tea and coffee, but also yuanyang (a mix of coffee and milk

things that are new and unusual. This applies also to theirtea), cola with lemon juice, Milo, watercress-flavored honeyeating habits. Many of them are eager to try hot-topic

drink, etc. While many young people began going to cha

restaurants and unusual dishes. They often exchangechaan teng in their childhood, they never tire of it. This is

information on popular shops and new menu items. Hongdue to the menu dishes’ “diversity” and “unusualness.”Kong has countless restaurants where you can try ethnic
dishes or unusual dishes casually, enabling many young
people to easily experience a rich diversity of tastes.
Popularethniccuisines

includeJapanese,

Thai,

Vietnamese, Korean, and Portuguese styles.
Although there is a wide variety of restaurants in Hong
Kong, cha chaan teng (traditional cafés and small
restaurants) remain highly popular. Some cha chaan teng
are operated as franchises, and others are owner-managed.
These stores are found almost everywhere: downtown aswell as in business and residential areas. They open earlyand close late (some in downtown areas stay open around▲Young People Enjoy a BBQ in Hong Kong

On weekends, many young people in Hong Kong have abarbecue to enjoy something unusual that they cannot
experience in their daily life. Numerous barbecue sites inthe suburbs draw many young people on weekends. Hong
Kong also has a lot of barbecue shops, where you canpurchase barbecue foodstuffs and equipment. Also, there
are barbecue sections in supermarkets, indicating the vast
popularity of this leisure activity. Food trends among
young people in Hong Kong are deeply related to theirnotable fondness for “diversity” and “unusualness.”▲Popular cha chaan teng
Access the complete version on our website

http://www.kfaw.or.jp/correspondents/index.html.en

6

No.64 February 2012

ISSN 0918-8266Indian government signed the Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement with the Japanese government in
February, 2011, expecting the expansion of businesses between
the two countries.
While the Indian economy is growing, around 30% of the
population lives below the poverty line. The India’s per capita
gross national income is only one-fortieth of Japan’s. In order toreduce poverty, it is important to accelerate the country’s
economy by attracting investments and companies from abroad.
And at the same time, it is essential to pay attention to the large
number of poor people. Social business is a new form ofbusinesses targeting the poor and the marginalized. Namely,
businesses are developed with the aim of solving problems thatthese people are facing while making profits. For example,
UNIQLO and the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh started procuring
raw materials, manufacturing clothes and selling them within the
country. They intend to create employment and raise income
among the poor.
The concept of social business reflects the changing trends
in development assistance – from providing services to capacity
building and empowerment. Social business presents a new
approach to encourage participation in economy and society
and sustainable development for poor women who have tended
to be considered irrelevant to doing business. It is hoped that
many
more
companies
which
enter
developing
countries
will
contribute to theimprovement of local
people's lives, inparticular those ofpoor women.

THE FORUM WINDOWCreating Business Opportunities for
Women in Developing Countries
by participating in the seminar “Doing
Business with India”

Masako OTA, Senior Researcher, KFAWThe Seminar on India in Kitakyushu was organized by
the Consulate General of India, Osaka-Kobe and City of
Kitakyushu on October 18, 2011. As many as 120 participants
were mostly men in business suits, which indicated theconsiderable interest in business and investment in India.
The economy of India is rapidly growing with the GDP
growth rate of 8.6% for the fiscal year of 2010.
Consul General of India, Osaka-Kobe, Mr. Vikas
Swarup, who was the original author of Slumdog Millionaire,presented how India was attractive for Japanese business
partners under the theme of “Doing Business with India.”
The country is politically stable; is endowed with rich natural
resources; has a huge market; and accommodates a large
labor force with highly skilled human resources. Many
people speak English, which is the second official language,
and two-hundred thousand IT personnel are produced every
year.
The Government of India allocates more than one
trillion dollars to the development of infrastructure in its 12th
Five Year Plan (2012-2017). It plans to build the DedicatedFreight Corridor between Delhi and Mumbai, and set up a
global manufacturing and trading hub alongside the corridor
where plants and factories are invited from abroad. The▲I n d i a n w o m e n s e l l i n g o r g a n i c
agricultural products produced by themConclusion of Agreement on Exchange and Cooperation
with the Incheon Development Institute (IDI)
On September 1, 2011, KFAW visited the Incheon
Development Institute (IDI) (President KIM Min-Bae), andconcluded the Agreement on Exchange and Cooperation
to promote the establishment of a gender equal society in
Kitakyushu City and Incheon Metropolitan City throughinteraction of the citizens of both cities and exchange of
information.

IDI. KFAW proposed to IDI to promote information exchange
and mutual participation in lectures, seminars and otherevents as well as joint development and use of programsfor young people and other citizens. President Kim
accepted this proposal from KFAW. It was decided thatboth organizations will share information on common
challenges, such as declining birthrates, aging population,
the advancement of women in society and multicultural
attitudes in local communities. KFAW hopes that, basedon the sister-city relationship between Kitakyushu City andIncheon Metropolitan City,
conclusion of the agreement
will lead to joint education
regarding a gender-equal
society and the promotionof mutual understanding
among the next generation.

IDI was established in 1996 to conduct research andsurveys on a wide range of problems faced by Incheon
Metropolitan City and to contribute to the establishment
and implementation of the city’s regional policies. As a partof the IDI, the Incheon Women’s Policy Center carries out
research and surveys on the development of policies andeducational programs for advancing the status of women.
The concluding ceremony was followed by a discussion
on the future expansion of interaction between KFAW and

Location of
Kitakyushu

KITAKYUSHU OTEMACHI BUILDING 3F
OTEMACHI 11-4, KOKURAKITA, KITAKYUSHU, 803-0814 JAPAN
PHONE＋81-93-583-3434 FAX＋81-93-583-5195
E-mail: kfaw@kfaw.or.jp URL: http://www.kfaw.or.jp/index.html.en

DalianBeijing▲With President KIM (left)

Seoul

Tokyo
Kitakyushu

KFAW
The Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) was established in October of 1990 with a special
government fund for revitalization projects. Subsequently, in 1993, the KFAW was recognized as afoundation by the Ministry of Labour (the present Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The purposeof the KFAW is to promote the improvement of women's status through various projects as well as their
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mutual understanding and cooperation in Asia.

SOY INK

This copy is printed with environment-friendly soy ink.

7

TM