For the member governments from Japan and overseas, we held “the Economy and Industry Section Meeting” with the theme of “Promoting Local Economies with a Focus on the Post-Pandemic” with the co-organizer, West Java Province, who will be the host of the 11th East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress in 2022.
1. Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 from 13:30 to 16:30
2. Discussion Theme: “Promoting Local Economies with a Focus on the Post-Pandemic”
3. Organizer: Nara Prefecture Co-Organizer: West Java Province
4. Venue: Nara Prefectural Convention Center, Meeting Room 205 & 206
(Hybrid Online Meeting)
5. Program:
○ Opening
Greetings from ARAI Shogo, the Governor of Nara Prefecture (Recorded Video Message)
○ Keynote Speech and Q&A (Online Live-Streaming)
“Promoting Local Economies with a Focus on the Post-Pandemic
~Analyzing the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Future of the East Asian Local
Governments from Data~”
MOTANI Kosuke (Chief Senior Economist, the Japan Research Institute, Ltd.)
○ Case Presentation by the Member Governments (Online)
(1) West Java Province, Republic of Indonesia
“Strategy for West Java's Economy Recovery During the Pandemic”
SETIAWAN Wangsaatmaja, Regional Secretary
(2) Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China
“Circumstance of Ecology/Environment Protection and Economy and Industry
Development, and Efforts to Optimize Business Environment in Yulin City”
Wang Huasheng, Vice Mayor
(3) Guizhou Province, People’s Republic of China
“An Opportunity to Develop the Tea Industry in the COVID-19 Era”
Zhang Hanlin, Chairman and Director General, Foreign Affairs Office and Chinese
Communist Party Group
Hu Jicheng, Vice Chariman and Deputy Director-General [Director-General Level],
Provincial Department of Rural and Agricultural Affairs and Chinese Communist
Party Group)
(4) Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
“Post Pandemic Support for Development in Commercial Trade and Tourism
Industry in Chengdu City”
Li Li, Vice President, Chengdu People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign
Countries
Zhou Hai Bo, the Head of International Exchange Cooperation Division, Chengdu
Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism
(5) Chungcheongnam-do Province, Republic of Korea
“Post-Pandemic Regional Diplomatic Trade Led by Chungcheongnam-do”
Hong Man-pyo, Director, International Cooperation & Trade Division
(6) Koryo Town, Nara Prefecture, Japan
Industry Support and Sustainable Regional Economy Formation Based on the
“Small and Medium Enterprises and Small-Scale Businesses Promotion Basic
Regulation”
KURIYAMA Yukari, Deputy Director General, Project Department
(7) Q&A Session and Exchange of Opinions
○ Summary by Lecturer
○ Greetings from Co-Organizer Mochamad Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of West Java
Province (Recorded Video Message)
Screening of the West Java Province’s Video
○ Closing Greetings MURAI Hiroshi, the Vice Governor of Nara Prefecture and Group
Photo Session
◆ Participants
On Site Participants: The Member Governments from Japan 10 organizations, 42 people
Online Participants: The Member Governments from Japan and Overseas 73
organizations, 187 people
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Total 79 organizations, 229 people
* Including 4 local governments who participated in the Section Meeting both at the site and online.
【Member Governments】
・China: Jiangsu Province, Anhui Province, Guizhou Province, Shaanxi Province,
Chengdu City, Xi’an City,
Yangzhou City, Suzhou City, Weifang City, Linyi
City, Dongying City, Dujiangyan City, and Dunhuang City
・Indonesia: Province of West Java and Province of Yogyakarta Special Region
・Malaysia: Melaka State
・Philippines: Municipality of Baler
・South Korea: Gyeonggi-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Gongju City,
Seosan City, Buyeo County,
Jeollanam-do Province, and Gyeongju
City
・Vietnam: Phu Tho Province
・Japan: Yamagata Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Toyama
Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture,
Fukui Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture,
Shizuoka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture,
Shimane Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, Kagawa Prefecture, Kochi
Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture,
Tagajo City, Kofu City, Takayama City,
Nara Prefecture, Tenri City, Kashihara City, Gose City, Katsuragi City,
Miyake Town, Koryo Town and Shimoichi Town
【Special Members】
Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), Japan External
Trade Organization(JETRO),
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),
UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (UNWTO)
【Guests】
Indonesia: Bandung Regency, Bogor Regency, Ciamis Regency, Cianjur Regency,
Cirebon Regency, Garut Regency, Karawang Regency,
Majalengka Regency, Pangandaran Regency, Purwakarta Regency,
Subang Regency, Sukabumi Regency, Sumedang Regency,
Tasikmalaya Regency, West Bandung Regency, Bandung City, Bekasi City,
Bogor City, Cimahi City, Cirebon City, Depok City, Sukabumi City, and
Tasikmalaya City
Japan: Ehime Prefecture
【Lecture and Summary by Lecturer】
○ Comparing the COVID-19 infected cases per million people, the average of the last
week in Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam,
Australia, and New Zealand was small (between 0.1 and 170 people per day)
compared to the average of the last week in the US and EU (between 252 and 374
people per day). Based on this, we can say that the areas of East Asia and Oceania
are relatively strong against COVID-19.
○East Asia has advantages against the pandemic, for example, regional characteristics
such as culture and religion, individual efforts to carry out self-isolation, and efforts by
medical and governance agencies.
○In the future, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia plant to reopen to international
exchange as the COVID-19 pandemic is ending. However, on the other hand, China
might have difficulties reopening because they have effectively lowered their case
numbers.
○Today’s case presentations and opinion exchanges by the local governments gave us
all to have hope for the recovery of local economies and industries in the future. It is
my hope that large industries, which have global competitiveness, and small
industries, which are regionally based in their own culture will develop together.
［Video Message from Governor ARAI］［Keynote Speech by Lecturer MOTANI］
［Nara Venue: Nara Prefectural Convention Center］ ［West Java Venue: The Trans Luxury Hotel Bandung］
Our governor exchanged opinions with Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of the West Java Province regarding the 11th East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress, which was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 from 15:00 to 15:30
Participants: Governor ARAI Shogo and Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of West Java Province
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(Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of West Java Province)
- The spread of COVID-19 in West Java Province was very severe situation in July and the bed occupancy rate (BOR) was over 90%. However, the present BOR has dropped to 20%. The West Java Province vaccination program has been carried out for vaccinating 37 million West Java people. The 80% of Indonesian people will be vaccinated in December, 2021.
- The pandemic in Indonesia will calm down and we will proceed to recover situation steadily. Therefore, I am confident that I can hold the congress and welcome you in West Java Province in November, 2022.
- I would like to focus on the post pandemic governance and economy and discuss the future of East Asia during the 11th Congress. Let’s continue to cooperate with each other.
(Mr. ARAI Shogo, the Governor of Nara Prefecture)
- I fully support your decision, which is to hold the face-to-face congress on site based on your deep understanding of the congress purpose even though the 11th congress is postponed for about two years.
-The Delta variants of COVID-19 are raging all over Japan and the numbers of infected cases are increasing again. However, I look forward to seeing you and the member governments to share wisdom of the local governments including Indonesia, China and South Korea in Bandung City in 2022.
Regarding the congress, which will be held by West Java Province, Indonesia this year, it was originally planned to be held in November, 2020, and postponed to November, 2021 due to the COVID-19.
However, the situation surrounding the COVID-19 infection is still in a severe state in East Asian countries and each country has restrictions to travel abroad, hence it is difficult to hold the international congress offline on-site.
Considering all circumstances, we have discussed with the host of the congress, West Java Province, and we reached the conclusion that we should forgo holding the congress offline this year and postpone it again for about one year.
We will continue to rearrange with West Java Province in order to hold a fruitful offline congress in Bandung City, West Java Province in 2022, to discuss the common issues among the member governments and deepen mutual understanding and interactions with each other.
Date: From Thursday, November 11th to Saturday, November 13th, 2021
→Postponed again for about one year.
Place: Bandung City, West Java Province, Republic of Indonesia
Organizer: West Java Province, Republic of Indonesia and the “East Asia Local and
Regional Government Congress” Secretariat (Nara Prefecture)
(Comments from the Governor of West Java Province)
He thinks it is important that the East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress will be held offline and the member governments will gather and discuss in person on-site. However, West Java Province has the highest population in Indonesia, and is a buffer zone to the capital, Jakarta, therefore he judged that it is not a suitable time for all members to travel safely to Indonesia and participate in the congress in November 2021. He sincerely hopes that this pandemic will come to an end soon and I look forward to seeing all member governments in Bandung City in Indonesia in 2022.
Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province in the People’s Republic of China has become a new member of the East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress as of May 10th, 2021.
As a result, the Congress now has 75 local and regional government members from 7 nations.
Dujiangyan City has an ancient irrigation system, Dujiangyan, which was built more than 2200 years ago, Mount Qingcheng, which is the birth place of Taoism, and it is particularly famous for having a habitat for pandas. (The “Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System” were registered as world cultural heritage sites in 2000.)
Currently, Dujiangyan City has friendly relations with 25 cities and deep interests in interacting with local governments, therefore they became a new member of the congress.
We are continuing to promote the new member government’s admissions to the congress for further fruitful development. Therefore, we would appreciate all member governments’ cooperation and support.
Click here for the Overview of Dujiangyan City.
The Tourism Section Meeting was held for the working-level officials from the Japanese Member Governments as a theme of the “Promotion of Tourism in the era co-existing with COVID-19.”
◆ Date : Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 from 14:00 to 16:00
◆ Organizer : Nara Prefecture
◆ Venue : Multi-purpose room, Heijokyu Izanai-kan, Nara Palace Site Historical Park
◆ Outline
○ Lecture Lecturer
Mr. GOTO Kenichi
Place & Culture Designer, NOASOBI Regional Revitalization Producer,
Chairman/C.E.O. (In charge of the Regional Revitalization) of Snow Peak Regional
Revitalization Consulting Inc., and others.
○ Case Introductions from the Member Governments
・Director KIRITA, the Tourism Capacity Improvement Division,
Nara Prefectural Government
・Director HATAJIRI, the Overseas Marketing Strategy Division, City of Takayama,
Gifu Prefectural Government (Online)
◆ Participants
・At the venue
22 organizations (17 local governments, 2 organizations, 3 guest local governments)
64 people
・Online
18 organizations (14 local governments, 2 organizations, 2 guest local governments)
33 people
・Total
35 organizations (27 local governments, 4 organizations, 4 guest local governments)
97 people
* Out of 35 organizations, 5 organizations (4 local governments and 1 guest local
government) participated both at the venue and online.
[At the Venue]
・Yamagata Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, Kagawa Prefecture, Kochi Prefecture, Nara City, Gose City, Koryo Town, and Nara Prefecture
・Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
・Guests: Okayama Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, and Ehime Prefecture
[Online]
・Fukui Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Kagawa Prefecture, Arakawa City, Kofu City, Takayama City, Katsuragi City, Ikaruga Town, Asuka Village, and Shimoichi Town
・Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) and UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific
・Guests: Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Ehime Prefecture
【Report】
○ As a new attempt for this time, the participants attended the Section Meeting at the venue of the Nara Palace Site Historical Park or online.
○ Lecturer, Mr. GOTO Kenichi gave a lecture regarding the theme, “Regional Revitalization with NOASOBI (spending luxury time in nature) SDGs and Regional Value in the Era of Globalization and How Best to Use it.”
○ During the case introductions from the member governments, Director KIRITA, the Tourism Capacity Improvement Division, Nara Prefectural Government gave us a presentation regarding measures for the tourism against COVID-19. Director HATAJIRI, the Overseas Marketing Strategy Division, City of Takayama, Gifu Prefectural Government gave us an online presentation regarding post-COVID-19 inbound tourism strategies in Takayama City.
【Lecture and Summary by the Lecturer】
○ First we should accept the current situation, which has been affected by COVID-19, then we will consider how we can evolutionally grow againt that. It is important that we don’t negatively see the rural areas as having “nothing there”, we should recognize the value of each area’s different “individuality” with our global mind.
○ The important thing is “concrete action at the actual place.” We will improve the overall attractiveness of places using NOASOBI and abundant nature, which rural areas originally have, and make the places where people within and outside of Japan would like to come all the way to visit.
○ The important thing about the regional revitalization during the era of globalization is “Opening and Connecting.”
Connecting to the world with the ability to trust and smiles from local regions, Japan, and East Asia. We will bring on evolutional businesses from each region for multi class targets including high classes. The relationship of the East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress is the result of Nara Prefecture “Opening and Connecting”, and it is important that using this relationship to expand “Fun and Tasty NOASOBI SDGs” together.
Lecture by the lecturer The case introduction by Nara Prefecture
The case introduction by Takayama City (online) Opinion exchanges
Our governor exchanged opinions with Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the governor of West Java Province regarding holding the 11th East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress in Bandung City, West Java Province in the Republic of Indonesia that was decided to be postponed until 2021 with the COVID-19 global pandemic in mind.
○ Date: Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 from 15:00 to 15:40
○ Participants: Governor ARAI Shogo and Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the governor of West Java Province
(Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of West Java Province)
○ The West Java Province team will try to do their best to hold the 11th Congress in 2021 make sure it’s a success.
○ The West Java Province team will consider whether the discussion themes can be changed to the ones related to COVID-19 or not.
(Governor ARAI Shogo)
○ We, Nara Prefecture would like to express our appreciation to hold the 11th Congress in West Java Province in 2021. We look forward to seeing you, Mr. Ridwan Kamil at the congress.
○ The expectation of holding the 11th Congress in Bandung City is increasing more and more. We would like many people to participate in it.
○ Balancing both prevention of spreading COVID-19, and social and economic activity are the common issues in local governments. We agree to consider them as the discussion themes.