In June this year, the Japan Foundation hosted an international program entitled ‘Environment: Symbiosis with Nature, and a Sustainable Society’. The project was organised as part of the JENESYS (Japan–East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths) Program with activities taking place in Tokyo, Takamatsu and Kyoto.

I was very excited to be chosen to participate in the 2008 JENESYS program, to go to Japan with 24 other NGO/NPO representatives and 25 teachers from 15 different Asia-Pacific countries. We had an impeccably organised fortnight full of activities, our journey starting and ending in Tokyo and taking in Takamatsu, Teshima and Naoshima Islands, Kobe, Nara, Kyoto and Osaka along the the way.

I work with the Total Environment Centre in Sydney, on its corporate sustainability program. We are an environmental NGO/NPO advocacy/lobby group and our program engages with business and government to move the sustainability agenda forward. From a professional perspective this opportunity found me curious about Japanese culture and interaction with the environment.  I was interested to look at the ways that NGO/NPOs interact with other sectors, how environmental education is delivered to different audiences, levels of responsibility in the business community and the political framework in which it all happens.  

The objective of the program was to bring together community leaders in East Asia, to promote mutual understanding through sharing of knowledge and experiences, with a focus on Environment: Symbiosis with Nature, and a Sustainable Society. The program also aimed to build a network across the region.

Our journey of activities varied from lunch at a recently eco-renovated elementary school through to a day touring industrial waste sites and processing plants. We visited NGOs, educational centres for the community, rice terraces that were worked by a community of volunteers, prefecture offices, a high school, a university and the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN).  This fascinating breadth of activity and experiences provided the group with much to discuss and compare and was an excellent starting point for collaboration and development of ideas.

Key issues that were highlighted for me on this journey were the importance of equity, collaboration and action to combat the environmental, social and political challenges ahead. Also critical in addressing these issues, is building civil society’s capacity to act.

It was interesting to see the different collaborative models used in Japan between local governments, business, educational NGOs/NPOs and the community. The government at various levels seems very supportive, especially in funding of environmental community education projects – this was seen to be delivered in collaboration with a range of NGOs, small and large, businesses and schools. The research undertaken at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature seems to be pushing towards increased collaboration at a national and regional policy level, which will likely move towards the greater integration and reach of programs across Japan and the region. Increasing collaboration and communication between education systems and NGOs is something that we are now working towards – speaking increasingly with training and skills building organisations.

Commitment to innovation was obvious in Japanese culture – waste management processing technology at Teshima and Naoshima is world class, processing illegally dumped industrial waste at great expense, to prevent further environmental and community damage. There will continue to be opportunities to share the technology and to learn from the experience of the community action that originally began the clean up process. I would like to develop this example as a case study for business to learn more about considering the impacts of products at end of life. Many of us were impressed by the effort required to set up such a processing plant and to have it accessible in an education capacity, for groups to tour.

Panasonic also demonstrated leadership and innovation in its products and the educational resources available through their Centre. They are tackling such challenges as energy efficiency, behaviour, health, education, design for re-manufacturing and product take-back and recycling. It should be noted and applauded that some of these initiatives are strongly supported by government policy, making them financially viable to deliver. 

The urban areas of Japan were diverse and fascinating, heavily influencing population distribution, housing density, and an impressive public transport infrastructure.  We travelled on the subway, the Shinkansen (bullet train) and with a big smile, watched people ride their bicycles on their accessible bike tracks, some even managing to ride whilst holding a parasol. I appreciated the beautiful gardens that provide sanctuary for birds and people alike.   A quiet space for reflective thought, meditation and exercise, they are clearly a well-respected and cherished place for every community.  A mix of modern and traditional buildings certainly encourages deep integration of efficiency and technology.  While visiting our host families, many of us noticed solar hot water systems incorporated widely into residential housing and saw examples of environmental design within schools and offices that we visited. The group will continue to lobby our own governments for a more supportive regulatory infrastructure towards sustainable built environments.
 
There was great diversity in the locations that we visited and the lectures we attended, which provided us with a good understanding of teaching methods, research/collaboration and policy programs, engagement and education techniques used in various sectors of the community, as well as inspirational technical tours.

The dynamics of the group was exciting, with such fantastic energy and common interest there was much inspired conversation on the bus. We all have so many different socio-political landscapes to work in and we spent as much time as possible comparing stories and programs in an effort to share ideas, knowledge and resources. I have realised how important it is to share, compare and contrast what we learn in our organisations so that we can be more effective in the long term throughout the region. The environmental problems we have belong to all of us and the challenges we face are global, requiring a collaborative effort to overcome.  

The JENESYS group looks forward to the continued sharing of knowledge and expertise amongst the group and with people involved in the tour. The program has encouraged further collaboration amongst us to seek opportunities, to share and support our friends in the network.

We will always remember the kindness of our, host families, guides and interpreters and all involved in making our tour so fascinating. I would personally like to thank the Japan Foundation for such a great opportunity to learn in a wonderfully colourful cultural program.

Danielle Domone
Joint Program Manager
Green Capital - Total Environment Centre
www.greencapital.org.au
www.tec.org.au