Co-creating Cultures for the Future Week
The Power of JICA volunteers
-Change the World, Change Japan-
The First session：Promoting Regional Internationalization
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Over the past 60 years, more than 56,000 Japanese have been dispatched to 99 developing countries to work as Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer(JICA Volunteers) for two years. After returning to Japan, many EX-volunteers contribute to solving social and global issues in Japan. Today we have two sessions with EX-volunteers, experts and local goverments to explore what can do to revitalize local communities and realize a multicultural and inclusive society.
Discussion
- Local community revitalisation
- Others
- Multicultural coexistence
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Agenda2025
Participation Programme
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.04.25[Fri]
10:30 ～ 12:30
(Venue Open 10:00)
-
- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
Number of the migrant workers in Japan has increased year by year to more than 2 million people in 2023. It is becoming necessary to create a multicultural and inclusive society where people from various countries and Japanese people can work and live together. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an incorporated administrative agency in charge of implementing ODA, is supporting socioeconomic development in developing countries in different regions of the world. JICA Volunteers program will celebrate its 60th Anniversary in 2025, and more than 56,000 JICA volunteers have been dispatched to date and worked with local people to solve problems in their communities in 99 countries and regions. It is precisely because they have spent two years in developing countries as minority foreigners that they can contribute to the creation of a multicultural and inclusive society in Japan.
Through two sessions of panel talks, we will discuss how JICA Volunteers have contributed to the internationalization of the local communities in Japan after their return to their home region, and what role Ex-Volunteers can play in building a multicultural society.
The First session (from 10:30 to 12:30 tentative): Promoting Regional Internationalization
The Second session (fromt14:00 to 16:00 tentative): Creation of a Multicultural and Inclusive Society
Cast
Moderator
Mr. Hideharu Tachibana
Director General of the Secretariat of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
After graduating from university, he worked at a financial institution and then he was dispatched to Indonesia as the JICA Volunteer.
After returning to Japan and joining the JICA, he held various positions including Deputy Director of the JICA US Office, Director of the General Planning Division, and Director of the Innovation and SDGs Promotion Office. In December 2022, he was appointed as the Director General of the Secretariat of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, a position he holds to this day. He is the editor and author of the book “GLOCAL INNOVATORs who change society through empathy”.
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Speakers
Mr. Ooe Kazuhiko
Mayor of Ama, Ama Town, Oki County, Shimane Prefecture
Born in Ama Town, Oki County, Shimane Prefecture in 1959. He became mayor of Ama Town in May 2018. He is currently serving his second term. After being appointed to the Ama Town Office in 1985, he held various positions including the Director of the Local Production and Commerce Division and then as the Director of the Industry Creation Division. During his tenure as the Director of the Industry Creation Division, he was selected as a member of the group “People burning to Revitalize Local Industrial Promotion” established by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and has worked hard to develop sales channels for seaweed, dried sea cucumbers, oysters, OKI beef, and other products to create industries, as well as supporting immigrants in starting their own businesses. Currently, under the slogan of ‘Building an island where everyone pulls hard with one heart (where everyone is willing to get involved in)’, he leads the island with a desire to “inherit and unite”, valuing the traditional culture, half-farming and half-fishing life style, and bonds that have taken root in Ama.
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Mr. Haruji Kuroiwa
Chairperson of SPIRA, Saga Prefecture International Relations Association（SPIRA）
Born in Sendai in 1956, Japan. After joining the Saga Prefectural Government in 1981, seconded to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), then returned to Saga Prefectural Government where he served as Director of the Municipalities Section, Deputy Director General of Personnel Development, Director General of Management Support Department and Director General of the International and Tourism Department. After retiring in 2016, he joined JICA as a Senior Volunteer where he formulated the "Shiatsu Training Center Concept" with the aim of supporting the independence of blind people living in Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. After returning to Japan, he has been in his current position since October 2018 and has been working on community development for multicultural coexistence in Saga.
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Mr. Ryoichi Yajima
Executive Director, Global Agriculture Crossroad TERRAKOYA
After finishing the terms as JICA Volunteer in Panama, he returned to Gunma Prefecture, Japan and established NPO “Global Agriculture Crossroad TERRAKOYA” in 2001. With the concept of “the whole community is a school and the teachers are local people”, the NPO conducts activities such as agricultural training, community revitalization projects, social education and promotion of multicultural and inclusive society. With the mission of “Rural-inspired creation of future world”, this year marks the 24th year of its efforts to create a platform for the exchange of information on various aspects of rural villages around the world from a global perspective.
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More Information
Co-creating Cultures for the Future Week
The Power of JICA volunteers
-Change the World, Change Japan-
The First session：Promoting Regional Internationalization
Over the past 60 years, more than 56,000 Japanese have been dispatched to 99 developing countries to work as Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer(JICA Volunteers) for two years. After returning to Japan, many EX-volunteers contribute to solving social and global issues in Japan. Today we have two sessions with EX-volunteers, experts and local goverments to explore what can do to revitalize local communities and realize a multicultural and inclusive society.
-
2025.04.25[Fri]
10:30～12:30
(Venue Open 10:00)
- Theme Weeks Studio
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
OTHER PROGRAM
Co-creating Cultures for the Future Week
