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JSPS Quarterly No. 14, Winter 2005 (71 KB)


Japan-Germany Science Symposium Held in Tokyo

On 12 September, JSPS and the JSPS Club (former JSPS fellows' association in Germany) co-sponsored a symposium on the theme "Urban Planning — Sustainable Cities." Held at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo, it had two purposes: to participate in as an event in "Germany in Japan Year" and to celebrate the Club's tenth anniversary. Germany is well known internationally for its frontier research on the subject, while it shares with Japan a high interest in the environment as a global issue.

In prelude to the presentations, JSPS executive director Prof. Kenichi Iga and JSPS Club chair Prof. Dr. Heinrich Menkhaus (professor, Philipps-University Marburg) greeted the attendees, giving them an overview of the Club's 10-year history. Then, Mr. Stefan Gallon, Minister of the German Embassy in Tokyo, congratulated the JSPS Club on its successful first decade of operation and offered a look back over the unique history of the German-Japan partnership, which started in the 17th century between scientists of the two countries. Speaking for all, he expressed high expectations in the German JSPS Club, which has inherited this deep-rooted tradition. The keynote speech was delivered by JSPS Club board member Dr. Arnulf Jäger-Waldau (Renewable Energies Unit, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, EC Joint Research Centre).

Three sessions were held, each featuring presentations by one German and one Japanese researcher. The morning session was on "Concepts of Sustainable City"; the afternoon session, "Technical Solutions"; and evening session, "Social Impact of Urban Planning." Delving into the form that cities might take to reduce resource and energy consumption, some speakers drew upon the experience of their respective countries in offering models of urban sustainability, while others introduced urban management schemes that incorporate reusable energy, such as solar and wind power, and other city design innovations. Still others considered vistas for future urban planning, as illustrated in one presentation titled "Paradigm Shift for Sustainable Society."

Attending the symposium were about 30 members of the German JSPS Club, who had traveled to Tokyo for the occasion, and their former Japanese host researchers, along with representatives of German science-promotion agencies and experts in the fields of environment and urban planning. The some 80 attendees listened attentively to the lectures and asked spirited volleys of questions. Afterwards, many of them praised the symposium for its meaningful role in advancing dialogue on solutions to issues of urban sustainability.

More details on the symposium can be found on this page.

JSPS Bonn Office