Japan for Sustainability

[Newsletter] Tokyo's Adachi Ward Promotes Community Ties to Prevent Citizen Isolation

2013-06-17T21:00:00Z

JFS Newsletter No.129 (May 2013)

Adachi Ward is located in the northeast of Tokyo, and is the fourth most populous of Tokyo's 23 wards, with about 670,000 residents. Unlike most other areas of Japan, its population continues to grow. More and more people are moving into the area as universities and new transportation services (including the Tsukuba Express and the Nippori-Toneri Liner) are developed, and new apartments built on former factory sites.

Note on Adachi "City": Adachi is one of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's (TMG) 23 special wards, legally designated as "special local public entities." These wards are in principle subject to the same regulations applicable to cities, and this may be why they refer to themselves, confusingly, as cities, e.g. "Adachi City," although in Japanese the words "ward" or "special ward" are still used. The relations between TMG and the 39 municipalities under its jurisdiction other than these wards (26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages) are the same as those between all Japan's prefectures and their municipalities, but these wards (including Adachi) share in the financial and administrative systems of the TMG. Only in certain administrative areas do they function independently. Thus, in this article we use the term "ward."

This issue of our newsletter introduces the activities of Adachi Ward Office's Power of Communities Promotion Division.

Establishment of Adachi Ward's Power of Communities Promotion Division

A shocking incident took place in Adachi Ward in the summer of 2010 when the skeletal remains of an elderly man who had been dead for about 30 years were found. He was supposed to have been alive according to the family register and would have been 111 years old. This incident raised the issue of missing elderly people across the country, and similar cases and situations were uncovered in other areas.

Adachi Ward took this social issue seriously. It already has 436 neighborhood and community associations which cover its entire area. Most of these associations belong to 25 regional neighborhood associations or Union Community Associations. The ward has 17 Residents' Offices that serve as its branches, and these offices support the neighborhood and community associations.

Although the coverage of Adachi's neighborhood and community associations is comprehensive compared with other areas, the ratio of residents who belong to these associations continues to drop from a previous level of 70 percent to 57 percent in recent years. The ratio of members actually participating in the community activities is even lower, because most people are too busy to join in. In addition, the number of single-person households is increasing, leading to even weaker lines of communication among local residents.

The Power of Communities Promotion Division was established in fiscal 2011 to strengthen community ties and tackle the issue of declining local communities, reduced communication, and the need for renewing community ties. In fiscal 2012, a section in charge of building bonds among residents was established as part of this division and now works to promote activities in support of isolated people.

The Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011 reminded people across Japan of the importance of community bonds. Support in times of need can come in the form of self-help, community cooperation and government assistance. Government assistance does not necessarily reach victims promptly during disasters, as was apparent during this great disaster. In future, it will be essential to promote self-help and community cooperation strategies on a regular basis.

The Power of Communities Promotion Division and the section in charge of building community bonds are charged with strengthening community bonds and empowering community cooperation in order to create a living environment in which elderly and isolated people can feel secure.

Activities of the Power of Communities Promotion Division

The Power of Communities Promotion Division works to make Adachi a comfortable place to live so that people will want to continue living there. Examples of its activities are: (1) promoting membership in neighborhood and community associations, (2) promoting a personal training project ("Adachi Kaientai (mutual support squad) Project"), and (3) Promoting a "Zero Isolation Project."

To promote citizen participation in community and neighborhood associations, the Adachi government published and distributed leaflets calling on people to participate. It also conducted research on citizens' awareness and related organizations, and categorized ward residents into several types based on criteria that included "relationships with others," "awareness of community activities and volunteer opportunities," and "daily activities," and is now trying to create approaches tailored to each group.

About 18 percent of Adachi residents were categorized as "proactive contributors," who engage in many interactions with their neighbors and communities, whereas the same percentage were categorized as "purpose-oriented," indicating people who have many inter-personal interactions but are not engaged in community activities per se; that is, their relationships are with like-minded people in theme-oriented circles, gatherings and hobbies. Such people can be influential human resources in the community, and the ward government encourages the people who participate in such activities at 13 community learning centers and salons in Adachi to give back their learning to the community. People categorized as "potential contributors" (about 13 percent) generally live alone and do not have so many interactions with neighbors but do have some interests and take part in volunteer activities, and the ward created opportunities for such people to get involved in the community, such as events and lectures.

To ensure citizen participation in neighborhood and community associations, the ward started a unique initiative in addition to generally encouraging newcomers to join the associations by giving them leaflets when they submit their moving-in notification to the ward office. In March 2013, Adachi struck a deal with real-estate businesses and the Real Estate Transaction Association: many potential citizens of Adachi visit real-estate agencies, and the ward asked realtors to encourage them to participate in community and neighborhood associations. Thus, Adachi has built up several strategies to promote citizens' participation in the community network that already exists, and which both fosters and exercises the power of the community.

Another initiative is the "Adachi Kaientai Project" designed to foster new agents who can solve community issues. Many people want to do something for the community but don't know where to start. In this project, the ward collaborates with nonprofit and volunteer organizations to hold a one-year course to help such people understand local issues and use this knowledge in their communities. Currently, 220 Adachi residents are taking the course; 48 of them are people in their 50s and 60s.

Zero Isolation Project to Protect Elderly from Isolation

The primary targets of the ward's "Zero Isolation" project are elderly citizens. One of its main features is an ordinance enacted in December 2012 which is designed to protect such residents from isolation by allowing the ward to provide personal information about elderly people to neighborhood and community associations, and allowing the community network to undertake support activities. Information is provided about people aged 70 years and older who are living alone, and households consisting only of those aged 75 years and older, and about the approximately 35,000 households that do not use long-term health care insurance services. The information includes the address, name and age of such residents.

Under the ordinance, isolation is defined as a situation in which the person in question talks with someone outside their own household less than once a week, or when the person has nobody to turn to for help with daily-life concerns. In collaboration with case workers, representatives of neighborhood and community associations visit the homes of the elderly to find out whether they are isolated or not.

If the survey identifies an elderly person as being isolated and he or she does not refuse support from the ward, he or she will receive regular visits from the Kizuna (the ties that bind) Relief Cooperative, which consists of groups and individuals who have registered themselves at local support centers commissioned by the ward. In the case of households that refuse the survey, the ward regularly sends letters to inform them of local events and activities, as a way of showing them that it still cares about them.

Currently, about 500 local volunteers keep an eye on the elderly. At present, the people who register with the Kizuna Relief Cooperative Persons are mainly such volunteers. When Kizuna volunteers drop by and talk to the elderly, for example on their way back from shopping or group exercises in the park, they provide advice on subjects the elderly person cares about, such as health or personal problems, and inform the ward and related organizations if necessary. Also, they inform the elderly about local events and encourage them to participate in social activities. Adachi Ward promotes these support activities in order to decrease the number of cases of social isolation, not just by watching and waiting, but by taking further steps to stay close to the elderly.

Prior to the enactment of Adachi Ward's ordinance, Nakano Ward, another of Tokyo's 23 special wards, enacted an ordinance that allows the provision of personal information about the elderly to neighborhood and community associations when necessary. While Nakano's ordinance requires the consent of the elderly before providing their information, Adachi's allows provision of the information to neighborhood and community associations without the individual's consent. Adachi has thus placed priority on more active support rather than relying on each individual's will, as the latter may lead to isolation of the elderly and delays in discovering unattended deaths. Of course, Adachi makes a thorough effort to protect individual privacy and prevent information leaks by limiting people who can see the list of elderly residents' information.

Towards Even Stronger Ties

In January 2013, Adachi Ward launched a project to reduce the number of elderly isolation cases to zero, targeting senior citizens over 70 who do not receive long-term health care services in 36 model neighborhoods out of a total of 436 neighborhoods. Before this project started, the ward had launched the "Juku de Danran" (meaning, "group fun in the neighborhood") project in April 2012.

This project's activities take place at senior citizens' houses in Adachi called "Yuyu Houses". These facilities are normally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but they also provide opportunities about twice a month for spending time together and sharing dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. This Juku de Danran project offers activities such as simple games, karaoke or exercises followed by dinner in order, to provide more opportunities for communication. The ward tries hard to offer attractive activities so that elderly people can join in casually. Adachi Ward plans to expand the Isolation Zero Project with a view to supporting single-mother households, the challenged, and the stay-at-homes to prevent their isolation as well.

In addition to those projects, Adachi Ward has promoted initiatives such as Beautiful Windows, which aims to make neighborhoods safe by making them beautiful, with reference to the "broken window theory," and another to decrease the number of suicides with the help of Mind and Life Supporters and Local Gatekeepers. As a result, the number of criminal law violations decreased from more than 10,000 in the past, the worst of Tokyo's 23 wards, to about 9,000 in 2012, down to the third worst, and then down to the fourth worst this year. The number of suicides is also decreasing, indicating an improved situation.

Such complex initiatives require ward administrators to work together, transcending traditional administrative divisions and involving various organizations and groups outside government, because local residents do not care about such divisions. By taking this approach, the ward government is able to promote these initiatives by consolidating the necessary work even when it falls in an area in between related departments. Such a flexible work style should function as a good example for Japanese administrative bodies that suffer from decreased efficiency and effectiveness due to their vertically structured systems.

We hope to continue monitoring Adachi Ward's initiatives to strengthen ties between residents to create a living environment where everyone can feel secure.

Written by Junko Edahiro and Noriko Takigami

"Nuclear-Free Economics" Campaign to Revitalize Economy Launched

2013-06-16T21:00:00Z

A symposium was held in Tokyo on March 27, 2013, to mark the launch of the "Gempatsu Zeronomics" (nuclear-free economics) campaign, which aims to heighten momentum toward de-nuclearization of Japan's energy. The campaign was initiated by organizations such as e-shift (an association for nuclear power phase-out and new energy policy) and a network of organizations and individuals to promote energy policies for sustainability and the phasing-out of nuclear power.

According to a national dialogue initiated by the Japanese government in the summer of 2012, nearly 90% of public comments received supported Japan being "nuclear-free by 2030." In response, the Japanese government set forth a policy to "achieve a nuclear-free Japan by the 2030s." However, in January 2013, the current Abe administration declared a completely new policy review of this goal advocated by the previous administration. To coincide with the upper house election, expected to take place in July 2013, the campaign started to seek public support, reiterating public opinion for a nuclear-free world. By June, it expects the number of people supporting its mission to exceed 100,000.

Latest Phase of Japan's Voluntary Emission Trading Scheme Reduces 70,811 Tons of CO2

2013-06-15T21:00:00Z

Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on January 18, 2013 a total reduction of 70,811 tons of carbon dioxide emissions (t-CO2) during the sixth phase (implemented in fiscal 2011) of Japan's Voluntary Emission Trading Scheme (JVETS). Participants in this phase included 58 businesses with commitments to reduce emissions and 86 participants who traded during the year or as former participants had made previous commitments and banked their excess emission allowances. A total of 46 transactions in emission allowances were implemented, with a traded amount of 30,481 t-CO2.

The ministry launched JVETS in fiscal 2005 to gain knowledge and experience regarding a domestic emission trading system and to support voluntary CO2 reduction activities by businesses. To date a total of 389 participants have made commitments to reduce emissions.

Japanese Company's Ethical Jewelry Line Making a Difference in Developing Countries

2013-06-14T21:00:00Z

HASUNA Co., a company focused on building its ethical jewelry brand using fairly traded and recycled materials, opened a shop at an accessories corner of a department store in the trendy Tokyo shopping district of Shinjuku, on March 6, 2013. The company was established in 2009 by Ms. Natsuko Shiraki, the president, with a desire to help with solving problems of poverty, not through financial aid but by conducting business between developing countries and Japan on an equal footing.

Mining in developing countries often comes with environmental damage, conflicts, and even child labor in the process of mining, production, and distribution of precious metals and gems. For instance, according to a 2012 report by the U.S. Department of Labor, child and forced labor has been reported at diamond mines in seven countries.

HASUNA defines "ethical" as "being concerned with various problems regarding people, society, and the environment," and tries as much as possible to purchase the materials for its jewelry directly from small-scale miners or artisans to ensure material source traceability.

Their jewelry line is aimed at being friendly for people and the Earth, by buying diamonds from Botswana and gold from Columbia, for instance, from sources that are unrelated to conflict or child labor and mined in an environmentally friendly manner, as well as seashells from Belize in Central America. The company already has three retail stores in Tokyo and Nagoya, and is planning to expand into western Japan and overseas.

Habitat for Humanity Launches Solar Project to Support Disaster-Hit Families with Disabled Members in Ofunato

2013-06-13T21:00:00Z

Habitat for Humanity Japan launched in November 2012 the "Solar Home Recovery Project" to support disaster-hit families with disabled family member(s) in restarting their lives. Through installation of solar panels on their house roofs, the project aims to help the families save on their long-term utility costs and earn money through the sale of excess electricity to regional utility providers under the feed-in tariff scheme.

For the first phase, Habitat will install photovoltaic generation systems with a capacity of 2-3 kilowatts per home at 13 single family homes in Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture, The system installation was completed to the first family home on May 30, 2013. The cost of installation will be covered by Habitat and by the National and Prefectural Government subsidies for photovoltaic generation . Habitat estimates that each family will receive a profit from solar power generation of several thousand yen (about U.S.$50) per month, including excess electricity to be sold.

Habitat for Humanity is helping people suffering from poverty or disaster to stand on their own by building houses in about 80 countries in the world. In Japan, since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the organization has been repairing disaster-hit houses and improving the housing environment in temporary shelters.

Considering that emergency activities are almost over and many disaster-hit people require income to restart their lives from now on, Habitat plans to provide long-term assistance using solar energy generation system with a useful lifespan of 20 to 30 years. Prior to the start of the project, Habitat released an outline of the project on the website of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations, reliefWeb.

New Japan Citizenship Education Forum Created

2013-06-12T21:00:00Z

Founded on March 17, 2013, the Japan Citizenship Education Forum (J-CEF) (http://jcef.jp/) held a memorial symposium in Tokyo on the same day. J-CEF is a group that aims to develop citizenship education to nurture future leaders who want to participate in the change and creation of their community and society. For that purpose, it helps people who work for citizenship education to nurture and expand the networks, supports those involved in the field of education, and creates an environment where they can easily practice.

About 150 people participated in the symposium, which included teachers and students, from universities and non-profit organizations related to education. At the symposium, practitioners and experts reported examples and study results of citizenship education, which had been conducted in various parts of Japan. One of them was an approach to political education using a mock election. It is one of the education methods on which youth under 20 years old conduct research about candidates and party policies based on a real election, and then they vote in the mock election.

According to the Network Association for Mock Election Japan (http://www.mogisenkyo.com/), more than 6,000 students from elementary school to university voted in the House of Representatives mock election in December 2012. A total of 100 schools, with over 40,000 future voters, have taken part in mock elections so far. Daisuke Hayashi, the secretary general of the network who delivered the talk about the examples, mentioned the importance of mock elections for citizenship education, saying, "It is important that the young generations nourish a sense of sovereignty and self-affirmation."

MOE Moves to Fund Local Low Carbon Projects

2013-06-11T21:00:00Z

The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) announced on January 11, 2013 that it plans to establish a fund to promote regional low carbon investment and allocate money in the fiscal 2013 budget proposal. After evaluating and assessing the CO2 reduction effects of economically feasible, low-carbon projects, the Japanese government will aim invest in regional citizens' funds or special purpose companies in order to encourage private investments.

The Central Environment Council under the MOE estimates that by 2030, approximately 135 trillion yen (approximately US$ 1.5 trillion) will be required as additional investment for renewable energy sources and energy conservation programs. There have been no sufficient private funds because these programs tend to be high risk with long payout time.

Government-funded programs include low-carbon projects to introduce renewable energies and to encourage energy conservation, and will aim to revitalize local communities and economy and to realize a low-carbon society.

All towards the same objective

2013-06-11T10:48:15Z

Note: Eco-activity must be integrated.

* Copyright Contents
All the contents in this page has copyright.
For permission of any secondary use, please check our copyright policy and contact us at info[at]japanfs.org

On this page presented are cartoons by Professor Hiroshi Takatsuki.
These are adopted and repainted in color from his cartoon collection,
HaiKIbutsu, or precious wastes.
For more of his work, please check Highmoon's Cartoon Gallery on the
website of Miyako Ecology Center.
http://www.miyako-eco.jp/highmoon/

Author: Hiroshi TAKATSUKI Pen-name: High Moon *
Professor, Ishikawa Prefectural University
A member of the Japan Cartoonist Association

*His pen-name, High Moon, is derived from his last name, which literally means high moon in Japanese.

[Newsletter] Meeting the Challenge of Stable Green Electricity Supply with Powdered Hydrogen Compound Fuel: Earth Project Co.

2013-06-10T21:00:00Z

JFS Newsletter No.129 (May 2013)
"Towards a Sustainable Japan -- Corporations at Work" (No. 103)

"I want to accelerate the shift away from an energy structure based on fossil fuels and nuclear power generation by providing a stable supply of renewable energy." Motivated by such thoughts, Takashi Shiraiwa became the president of Earth Project Co., an eco-solutions planning company, in April 2012.

Mission of Earth Project Co.

"The era of mass production and mass disposal is ending. We are in the midst of a transition towards an era that will require a business model focused on sustainability and connectedness. Recent trends including energy issues are also showing signs of structural transition from centralization to decentralization." Shiraiwa perceived the current situation as a time for creative transition and set up a mission for the company -- the Earth Project Company's role is to provide projects and products that will contribute to society.

To achieve its mission, the company has set up three basic guidelines for marketing its products and solution services. 1) Communicate advanced technology clearly and comprehensively. 2) Accumulate successful cases and give them visual shape. 3) Aim at global-scale practical application.

Focusing on Electricity Generation from Hydrogen Fuel

Earth Project focuses on electricity generation from hydrogen fuels in accordance with the following concepts.

------------------------

In Japan, the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and the subsequent nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant triggered a very active discussion on energy issues. One major focus of the discussion is the potential for a shift towards more decentralized energy production and away from centralized production based on fossil fuels and nuclear power.

The major sources of decentralized energy are renewables such as solar and wind power. However, these sources have disadvantages, notably unstable energy output due to their dependence on weather conditions. "Hydrogen power generation" systems can overcome this difficulty, and such systems are expected to facilitate the shift towards more widespread use of renewable energy to the point where it accounts for at least 20 to 30 percent of total generation.

From the viewpoint of the global environment, all countries will have to basically curb their emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). The time has come for concrete action to realize a low carbon society. We have no time to lose, as the impact of CO2 emissions will accelerate global warming, leading to extreme climate and the destruction of ecosystems in many countries.

Electricity generation from hydrogen does not involve or emit CO2 in any way, therefore, it could be an optimum locally-distributed energy supply system suitable for modern times. Decentralized energy production could become one of the pillars of energy policy in the future.

------------------------

Working on an Innovative Energy Supply System using SBH Hydrogen Fuel

As one approach to electricity generation from hydrogen, Earth Project is engaged in the development and commercialization of a hydrogen fuel system utilizing sodium boro-hydride (SBH) in cooperation with Tokyo University of Science and Hydric Power Systems Co., where Shiraiwa sits on the board of directors.

In attempting to achieve the practical application of electricity generation from hydrogen fuel, conventional methods of handling hydrogen as a gaseous substance raise costs. As a gas, hydrogen has a very low energy density, and must be compressed or liquefied to increase its density. Also, infrastructure specific to hydrogen storage and transportation is required for distribution, meaning that expensive hydrogen stations must be built.

It takes huge investments to clear these hurdles, and so electricity generation from hydrogen has seemingly fallen behind other renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass power. Moreover, the enormous amount of investment for hydrogen tends to result in a centralized electricity supply system similar to current systems for nuclear and thermal power generation.

A new way to solve these problems is technology that can provide a hydrogen source in the form of a solid powder. In this technology, borax, a natural mineral powder, chemically combines with hydrogen to produce a compound in powder form, which can be used as a fuel with an energy density 2500 times greater than hydrogen in gaseous form. This powdered hydrogen compound fuel for the SBH system can be handled safely, as it can be packed into cartridges that allow for easy transportation, storage and electricity generation.

The generator tailored to the SBH system generates electricity for the heat emitted by a hydrolysis reaction in the SBH powdered fuel. The same amount of fuel can generate about two times more electricity compared to a gasoline engine generator. Moreover, after electricity generation, the spent SBH fuel can be used many times over as a recyclable energy source; specifically, sodium metaborate (NaBO2), a by-product associated with releasing hydrogen, can be reprocessed into sodium borohydride (NaBH4), the original fuel of the SBH system.

The SBH system emits no CO2 whatever. Most fuel batteries currently on the market generate electricity through reactions using hydrogen obtained from reformed natural gas, and this process discharges CO2. On the other hand, the SBH system uses no carbon at all.

Thus the SBH system can potentially realize low-cost, decentralized energy production and supply without any special infrastructure, because this system uses hydrogen in the form of SBH powder, an innovative fuel medium that is easily stored and transported.

Test Run of Fuel Cell Vehicle Succeeds

A research team led by Nobukazu Hoshi, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, announced on January 22, 2013, that they had succeeded in completing a test run of a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCV) that runs on SBH powder fuel. This was the first big step toward practical application of an SBH system.

Movie of experiment by the research team of Tokyo University of Science

As explained above, the sodium borohydride used in an SBH system is a solid substance at ordinary temperatures and generates electricity using heat from a hydrolysis reaction. In this process, the sodium metaborate (NaBO2) generated after releasing hydrogen bonds easily to a catalyst, inhibiting the continuation of the hydrolysis reaction.

However, the research team has solved problems inherent to this reaction by introducing a method utilizing a centrifuge and succeeded with the FCV test run.

FCVs are one of the hot items being developed by vehicle manufacturers. Currently, one common approach is to install a high-pressure hydrogen tank in vehicles as a fuel storage component. However, it is difficult to install these tanks in compact cars due to limited space. Application of the SBH system, which does not need a high-pressure hydrogen tank, will open the way for compact FCVs without any major infrastructure investment.

Before widespread practical use of SBH systems is realized, there remain issues of by-product collection and energy efficiency improvement through returning by-products to replenish fuel using a hydrogenation process. We will continue to monitor how Earth Project meets these challenges and how it overcomes these problems.

Written by Nobuhiro Tanabe

Japanese Company Launches Newly Developed Rice Husk Fuel Machine

2013-06-09T21:00:00Z

Tromso Co., based in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, developed a process for preparing non-fossil, solid fuel, called Momigalite, using rice husks, and in the fall of 2008, started selling the Momigalite manufacturing machine. The machine, known as a Grind Mill, grinds rice husks, and then compresses them to yield solid fuel. Because of these activities, Tromso has been recognized as a pioneering company in new business fields by Hiroshima Prefecture.

Momigalite, which is resistant to moisture, and is able to maintain its shape and quality for long periods, provided that it is kept dry. It can therefore be stored for use during disasters and emergencies, in addition to its typical use as biomass fuel. Momigalite has the following features:  
(1) It can be easily and safely ignited,
(2) Its emissions are much cleaner than those of fossil fuels,
(3) It burns with a flame, which is able to keep many people warm,
(4) It releases about 4,000 kilocalories of heat during combustion, and burns several times longer than firewood,
(5) Its use contributes to the conservation of forests, and
(6) Its ashes can be recycled as a soil conditioner.

Momigalite is made of 100 percent rice husks, which are otherwise discarded as agricultural waste. In Japan, about two million tons of rice husks are produced every year. Momigalite is an environmentally friendly fuel that emits neither nitrogen oxides nor sulfur oxides when burned. It is also expected to adsorb endocrine disruptors. Furthermore, rice husks are readily available in rice-producing areas; thus Momigalite can promote the concept of "local production for local consumption."

Organic Farmers in Fukushima Open Organic Cafe in Tokyo

2013-06-08T21:00:00Z

Mr. Noboru Saito (right) and Ms. Naomi Abe, the store manager

On March 16, 2013, two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, "The Community & Organic Cafe Fukushima Organ-Do Shimo-Kitazawa" was opened in Setagaya, Tokyo, and features local dishes prepared using vegetables and rice grown in Fukushima Prefecture.

The Fukushima Organic Agriculture Network, a non-profit organization to promote organic farming in Fukushima, is in charge of the cafe management. Organic farmers in Fukushima were hard hit after the earthquake, but they are proving that contamination of their farm produce by radioactive materials is extremely low, as a result of their efforts of soil improvement and continued testing for radioactivity. All the food provided in the cafe is measured for radioactivity, and the results are displayed for customers' peace of mind.

Noboru Saito, the executive director of the network, said that they have been putting much effort into selling farm produce from Fukushima via the internet or at charity events in the Tokyo metropolitan area since just after the earthquake, and these efforts developed into a network to open this cafe. As evacuating families were separated in the aftermath of the earthquake in Fukushima , he hopes that the cafe will help reconnect many of those separated.

Fukushima Organ-Do also sells seasonal farm produce and processed products. They are hoping to disseminate farm culture from the cafe, connecting those who evacuated from Fukushima, as well as people in Fukushima and Tokyo.

Computer Printers Among Three Devices Added to 'Top Runner' List under Japan's Energy Saving Act

2013-06-07T21:00:00Z

Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy announced on February 15, 2013 an amendment to the enforcement ordinance of the Act on the Rational Use of Energy (Energy Saving Act), adding three categories to the list of products under the Act's "top runner" program. The amendment added multi-function devices, printers, and electric water heaters (Eco Cute) to the list of products targeted by the program.

The top runner program is a system to establish energy consumption standards for manufacturers. In the specified categories, the product with the highest energy efficiency in the market at the time of deciding the standard is picked up as the "top runner." The energy consumption standard for that category is then established based on the properties of the top runner product, while taking into account possible future technological advances.

The program targets mass-market products used in Japan that also consume a considerable amount of energy, and have room for improvements in energy efficiency. More than 20 items, including passenger cars and air-conditioners, have been designated since the program was established in 1999.

Japan's Environment Ministry Draws Up Roadmap to Reintroduce Japanese Crested Ibis into the Wild

2013-06-06T21:00:00Z

Image by pei_monogaga. Some Rights Reserved.

The Ministry of the Environment of Japan announced on February 25, 2013, the plan of action to reintroduce its native crested ibis, known as the Toki (in Japanese), into the wild. The efforts have been actively undertaken by the Japanese government under the Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The roadmap for crested ibis reintroduction describes plans and schedules for an immediate goal of resettling 60 wild crested ibises on Sado Island, a large island in Japan's northwest, by around 2015. It provides detailed actions to ensure the goal is met, based on the estimates of the future population of the bird calculated using observation data for the captive-bred birds released since 2008.

According to preliminary calculations, if the fledgling rate (the number of nests successfully producing fledgling young per nesting female) increases to 0.5 from 0.19 in 2012, the population of the wild crested ibis would stay constant without the addition of captive-bred birds. Even if the fledgling rate remains the same, the population could still reach 60 by releasing captive-bred birds into the wild every year through 2015.

The roadmap provides detailed action plans for securing the birds for captive-breeding and future release, increasing the fledgling and survival rates, and facilitating local networks and groups to gain consensus and momentum to protect the birds and surrounding environment.. The progress in undertaking these items will be evaluated each year to develop the next phase of the roadmap planned for 2015.

Kumamoto City's Global Warming Info Website Allows Households to See Their "CO2 Diet"

2013-06-05T21:00:00Z

Kumamoto City launched a website in January 2013 to provide general information on global warming, called "Kumamoto's Low-Carbon City Development: Look, Know and Learn about Global Warming." Through its featured "CO2 Diet Club" pages, a household's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions can be automatically calculated by registering on the website and then inputting consumption of electricity, water, and gas. From there, the household's "diet report card" is produced, with information on the amount of CO2 reduced in the previous month, as well as advice on energy saving.

On a checklist, users can also see actions to save energy in their daily lives and quantify the reductions in CO2 emissions and utility costs. Besides providing basic knowledge on global warming and introducing measures being undertaken by the city, the website also includes a webpage for children, where global warming is explained using simple language and with quizzes.

Japanese NPO Expands Residential Solar Co-Ownership Project

2013-06-04T21:00:00Z

Ueda Citizen Energy, a non-profit organization (NPO) in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, started on March 8, 2013, a new project called Ainorikun (meaning "car pool" in Japanese) Plus to accelerate the growth of local solar power generation, as a follow up to a more limited Ainorikun project launched in November 2011. The NPO calls for local-area "roof owners" and nationwide "panel owners" to jointly install solar panels on sunny rooftop spaces.

The previous Ainorikun project targeted only private-house type solar power generation with an output under 10 kilowatts, and participants in the project were only able to trade surplus electricity. The new Ainorikun Plus project, in response to the feed-in-tariff scheme established by the Japanese government in July 2012, will target power generation businesses to trade both surplus electricity, as well as total electricity generated. The project is designed to utilize various land and roof spaces, such as public facilities, retail shops and colleges.

With 100,000 yen (about US$1,064) or more paid for the cost of setting up panels, anyone can enter a 13-year contract with the NPO to become a panel owner. Panel owners can sell the total electricity generated by the panels and earn the profit after deducting the costs necessary for maintenance and management. The NPO estimates that a panel owner paying 100,000 yen to join the project would acquire an income of about 120,000 yen (about US$1,277) from selling electricity over the 13-year period, while a panel owner paying 500,000 yen (about $5,319) would acquire about 610,000 yen (about US$6,489). The estimates are based on the purchase price in fiscal 2013.

To date, with 10 roof owners and 37 panel owners, the project Ainorikun has installed photovoltaic panels with a total output of about 69 kilowatts. The director of the NPO, Mayumi Fujikawa notes that because this is a project supported by citizens, collaboration with local governments, universities and private companies is possible, and that by further spreading networks featuring citizen ownership, renewable energy can be promoted all over Japan.