Additionally, at the session discussing pirate measures, the current status and issues regarding the pirate problem was discussed and a joint declaration was adopted stating the IMO to continue deliberations.

The ITF also includes the participation of well-known speakers from around the world including the keynote speakers Giuseppe Sciarrone, CEO of Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori and Italian rail operator and Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD. From Japan, Chairman Miyahara of NYK Line, Chairman Kasai of Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), Chairman Seino of East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and others participated as speakers to present our country's transport system and contribute to discussions.

Japan will continue to take an active role in ITF to make the most from our experience as serving as the chair.

The Minister's Session

Source) ITF

Note Discussion on how to remove seams, as factors that inhibit smooth transport, were held from various angles.

## (3) Cooperation in Disaster Management

When a disaster occurs abroad, experts from MLIT and Japan Coast Guard participate in the Japan Disaster Relief Team dispatched as part of the rescue team or expert team. Participation in recent years includes rescue teams dispatched to the Great Sichuan Earthquake in China (2008) and the Christchurch earthquake in South Island, New Zealand (2011). For the floods that occurred in Thailand in 2011, expert teams consisting of members from the public and private sector were dispatched to Thailand, including drainage pump vehicles and experts on drainage measures for the first time internationally.

Also, for the purpose of applying lessons for disaster prevention from disaster stricken areas abroad to disaster management policies in Japan, in FY 2012 field studies were conducted in Thailand (floods), United States (Hurricane Sandy), and others. Especially regarding Hurricane Sandy, it caused great damages by directly hitting New York and since this was a large-scale water disaster that occurred in a big city in an industrialized nation for the first time, MLIT and disaster management-related academic organizations dispatched a joint study team to apply the lessons learned to measures for flood management in metropolitan area in Japan.

Taking the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the lessons learned from our countries efforts in the Thailand floods mentioned above, the MLIT is promoting an initiative to strategically expand our “disaster management package” which integrates human resource, technologies, and knowledge that contribute to improving disaster management capacity for countries in Asia and the countries vulnerable to disaster, in accordance with their needs.

Specifically, in order to share Japan’s technology and experience regarding disaster management for the purpose of contributing to the improvement of disaster management capacity in other countries and creating business opportunities in the field of disaster management, workshops on water and disaster management were held in November 2012 in South Africa and in Myanmar and Indonesia in January 2013.

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## I nitiatives in the Water-related Disaster Field toward the Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction

The phrase “Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction” has been used since the United Nations established the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). Currently, there is no clear definition, but it is generally used in the following three ways: