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April 15-17, 2015
Venue: Quezon City, Philippines


Report on the International Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management under the e-ASIA Joint Research Program
and Typhoon Yolanda related J-RAPID Program

Strategic International Collaborative Research Program http://www.jst.go.jp/inter/index.html

The Department of International Affairs of JST, the Secretariat of the e-ASIA Joint Research Program (the e-ASIA JRP) and the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines (DOST) held a joint international workshop of the e-ASIA JRP* and the J-RAPID program** in April in Quezon, the Philippines.

JST has been promoting multi-lateral research activities as one of the e-ASIA JRP Member Organizations. On April 15th, the workshop was held on the theme of “Disaster prevention and disaster risk reduction”, one of the main fields of cooperation in the e-ASIA JRP. The workshop was moderated by Dr. Solidum Renato of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology at DOST, and Dr. Yoshimori Honkura, a Program Officer at JST. 8 researchers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam made presentations related to disaster prevention and disaster risk reduction. In the end, the importance of science and technology for disaster risk reduction, risk evaluation, restoration and human resource cultivation was emphasised among all participants, and proposals for future collaborative research in the field of disaster prevention in the e-ASIA JRP were made.

On April 16th and 17th, 11 research projects supported by the J-RAPID program related to Typhoon No.30 (named “Yolanda” in the Philippines), which hit the Philippines in November 2013, were presented. The Philippine and Japanese researchers made presentations on their research results and there was a very active exchange of opinions, questions and answers.
The J-RAPID program related to Typhoon Yolanda will conclude in April 2015; however, many researchers said they would continue their joint research activities based on the cooperation built through the program.

There were about 130 participants at the WS, including Philippine government officials, researchers, university teachers and students. The WS provided a good opportunity for researchers of both programs to exchange views and opinions with other participants. It is expected that multi-lateral cooperation, as well as the knowledge and information contributing to disaster risk reduction and management across the Asian region will be further enhanced under both programs.

(*)The e-ASIA JRP was established in 2012, aiming to develop a vibrant and collaborative Science and Technology research community, to promote innovation, resolve shared challenges in the East Asian region, and contribute to the regionfs economic development. The program consists of 16 funding agencies from 12 countries, and 5 cooperation fields have been established: Nanotechnology and Materials, Biomass and Plant Science, Health Research, Disaster Prevention, and Advanced Interdisciplinary Research towards Innovation. 11 research projects have been approved so far. (As of March 2015).

(**)The J-RAPID program supports international collaborative research and investigation activities conducted with foreign funding agencies and research institutions, in cases when urgent research activities are required following natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events. J-RAPID aims to play an initial response role by promptly supporting the above mentioned activities before ordinary projects can be implemented by the national government, academic societies, or others. So far, the program has supported 33 research projects related to the Great East Japan Earthquake, 2 related to the Thai flooding disaster, and 11 related to Typhoon Yolanda.
http://www.jst.go.jp/inter/english/sicp/country/j-rapid.html


JST, an integrated organization of science and technology in Japan, establishes an infrastructure for the entire process from the creation of knowledge to the return to the society. For more information, visit http://www.jst.go.jp/EN/