Japan
Ja an PERMANENT MISSION OF JAPAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS
866 United Nations Pla a, New York, N I'. 10017 (212) 223-4300
Press Release
Please check against delivery
Statement by
Ms. KOIKE Yuriko, Minister of the Environment of Japan
at the Twelfth Session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development
(April 28, 2004)
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to be able to give a few
words to the distinguished participants gathered here today on behalf of the
Government of Japan .
Japan is rich in water resources and its wisdom on water conservation and use has
long been conveyed to the greater public in Japan . However, there is no country in
the world which has enjoyed affluence and also accomplished both environmental
and economic development objectives simultaneously . Japan experienced significant
water quality degradation, which resulted in health ha ards such as Minamata
Disease. We have learned lessons from this bitter experience and have promoted a
number of measures which include the initiation of the most stringent regulations on
pollution in the world .
Japan hopes that her friends around the world, especially her friends among
developing countries, will learn from her bitter experience, not falling into the same
rut that Japan did . In order to address global water issues, the Government of Japan,
in addition to supporting the Third World Water Forum (WWF), held in March 2003
in Kyoto and other places in Japan, hosted a Ministerial Conference at which
participants adopted a Ministerial Declaration reflecting a mutual recognition of
water issues affecting our various countries .
Mr. Chairman,
The Government of Japan has been promoting effective restrictions on factory
effluents by integrating criteria in each region into unified effluent standards and
accelerating implementation of measures for domestic wastewater, as a part of
measures on wastewater to prevent water contamination in the field of water and
sanitation. Also, we have been promoting improvements in sewage systems and the
installation of johkasou, on-site treatment systems for domestic wastewater . In
addition, in urban areas where water resources are scarce, water treated via advanced
sewage treatment is recycled for use in flush toilets or as water to supplement river
volume or improve the average quality of river water . As the percentage of areas
hooked up to the sewage system or using johkasou has increased, the water
environment in a large number of rivers, reservoirs and the ocean has been
improving.
In the field of water supply, we have accomplished a high dissemination rate of
water supply facilities, making positive efforts in establishing a sound water cycle as
well as measures to address global warming and waste treatment issues .
In addition to these efforts, we are actively involved in various international efforts,
including stipulation of a water environment standard for drinking water as well as
the steady undertaking of the implementation of the Initiative for Japan's ODA on
Water which we announced at the Third World Water Forum .
Johkasou, created and developed in Japan, are on-site treatment systems for
wastewater generated through domestic activities to treat wastewater at its source .
This domestic wastewater treatment system is a useful measure to address domestic
effluents in areas where there are few houses, and johkasou hold the same treatment
capability as sewage treatment facilities . This facility draws great attention by
developing countries .
Considering the prevention of water contamination, the conservation of water
resources, and the conservation of the ecosystem as inseparably linked, the Ministry
of the Environment has been undertaking various efforts in order to establish a sound
water cycle.
Mr. Chairman,
I would like address to Japan's international efforts with regard to the conservation
of the water .
Japan attaches great importance to international cooperation in the area of water
issues . The OECD-DAC statistics for the years 1999 to 2001 show that Japan is the
largest donor country in the world in the areas of drinking water and sanitation .
These statistics also show that Japan accounted for no less than one-third of total
world assistance during those three years . Japan has been making efforts to develop
desalination technology to address water shortages in regions with scarce natural
water resources as well as earth observations which span the entire globe . In addition,
we are working on developing an international framework aiming for the sustainable
use of irrigation water to secure food security and promote poverty reduction .
At the Ministerial Conference of the Third World Water Forum, the Portfolio of
Water Actions (PWA), a portfolio of specific proposals for action as put forth by
both individual countries and international institutions to solve water issues of the
world, was released on the basis of the proposal of the Government of Japan . As part
of this Portfolio, Japan proposed specific actions, including the Water Environmental
Partnership in Asia (WEPA) . I would like to invite you to the side event on this
Portfolio of Water Actions at noon today, which Japan will host in cooperation with
UNDESA and UNESCO .
Water is one of the elements crucial to sustainable development . Countries which
fail to conserve water resources will find it impossible to pursue development . I
believe that the most important thing is fostering partnerships through the
establishment of ownership, in which each individual in the global community is
well aware of what should be done, recogni ing the importance of water resources .
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to conclude today by stating my hope that all participating ministers and
relevant guests commit to taking another step forward to solving global problems on
water, sanitation and habitat through a frank exchange of views .
Thank you very much .
866 United Nations Pla a, New York, N I'. 10017 (212) 223-4300
Press Release
Please check against delivery
Statement by
Ms. KOIKE Yuriko, Minister of the Environment of Japan
at the Twelfth Session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development
(April 28, 2004)
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to be able to give a few
words to the distinguished participants gathered here today on behalf of the
Government of Japan .
Japan is rich in water resources and its wisdom on water conservation and use has
long been conveyed to the greater public in Japan . However, there is no country in
the world which has enjoyed affluence and also accomplished both environmental
and economic development objectives simultaneously . Japan experienced significant
water quality degradation, which resulted in health ha ards such as Minamata
Disease. We have learned lessons from this bitter experience and have promoted a
number of measures which include the initiation of the most stringent regulations on
pollution in the world .
Japan hopes that her friends around the world, especially her friends among
developing countries, will learn from her bitter experience, not falling into the same
rut that Japan did . In order to address global water issues, the Government of Japan,
in addition to supporting the Third World Water Forum (WWF), held in March 2003
in Kyoto and other places in Japan, hosted a Ministerial Conference at which
participants adopted a Ministerial Declaration reflecting a mutual recognition of
water issues affecting our various countries .
Mr. Chairman,
The Government of Japan has been promoting effective restrictions on factory
effluents by integrating criteria in each region into unified effluent standards and
accelerating implementation of measures for domestic wastewater, as a part of
measures on wastewater to prevent water contamination in the field of water and
sanitation. Also, we have been promoting improvements in sewage systems and the
installation of johkasou, on-site treatment systems for domestic wastewater . In
addition, in urban areas where water resources are scarce, water treated via advanced
sewage treatment is recycled for use in flush toilets or as water to supplement river
volume or improve the average quality of river water . As the percentage of areas
hooked up to the sewage system or using johkasou has increased, the water
environment in a large number of rivers, reservoirs and the ocean has been
improving.
In the field of water supply, we have accomplished a high dissemination rate of
water supply facilities, making positive efforts in establishing a sound water cycle as
well as measures to address global warming and waste treatment issues .
In addition to these efforts, we are actively involved in various international efforts,
including stipulation of a water environment standard for drinking water as well as
the steady undertaking of the implementation of the Initiative for Japan's ODA on
Water which we announced at the Third World Water Forum .
Johkasou, created and developed in Japan, are on-site treatment systems for
wastewater generated through domestic activities to treat wastewater at its source .
This domestic wastewater treatment system is a useful measure to address domestic
effluents in areas where there are few houses, and johkasou hold the same treatment
capability as sewage treatment facilities . This facility draws great attention by
developing countries .
Considering the prevention of water contamination, the conservation of water
resources, and the conservation of the ecosystem as inseparably linked, the Ministry
of the Environment has been undertaking various efforts in order to establish a sound
water cycle.
Mr. Chairman,
I would like address to Japan's international efforts with regard to the conservation
of the water .
Japan attaches great importance to international cooperation in the area of water
issues . The OECD-DAC statistics for the years 1999 to 2001 show that Japan is the
largest donor country in the world in the areas of drinking water and sanitation .
These statistics also show that Japan accounted for no less than one-third of total
world assistance during those three years . Japan has been making efforts to develop
desalination technology to address water shortages in regions with scarce natural
water resources as well as earth observations which span the entire globe . In addition,
we are working on developing an international framework aiming for the sustainable
use of irrigation water to secure food security and promote poverty reduction .
At the Ministerial Conference of the Third World Water Forum, the Portfolio of
Water Actions (PWA), a portfolio of specific proposals for action as put forth by
both individual countries and international institutions to solve water issues of the
world, was released on the basis of the proposal of the Government of Japan . As part
of this Portfolio, Japan proposed specific actions, including the Water Environmental
Partnership in Asia (WEPA) . I would like to invite you to the side event on this
Portfolio of Water Actions at noon today, which Japan will host in cooperation with
UNDESA and UNESCO .
Water is one of the elements crucial to sustainable development . Countries which
fail to conserve water resources will find it impossible to pursue development . I
believe that the most important thing is fostering partnerships through the
establishment of ownership, in which each individual in the global community is
well aware of what should be done, recogni ing the importance of water resources .
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to conclude today by stating my hope that all participating ministers and
relevant guests commit to taking another step forward to solving global problems on
water, sanitation and habitat through a frank exchange of views .
Thank you very much .
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