Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science 2018 (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science)
RESTEC successfully held the “Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science)1” from 15th to 24th October 2018.
14 young trainees who work in the agricultural sector of 7 Asian countries?Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam?were invited. With thanks to the many collaborators, the training was conducted mainly in Hatoyama town, Saitama.
RESTEC arranged 10 days of training including lectures and hands-on tasks regarding basic satellite remote sensing particularly for agriculture in the collaboration with Tokyo Denki University and Rissho University. The course included a facility tour to JAXA Earth Observation Center in Hatoyama town. The trainees also visited prefectural irrigation facilities and Saitama Agriculture Management Junior College.
In addition to the agricultural remote sensing tasks, they visited the Center for Exploratory Research of Hitachi, Ltd., JAXA Tsukuba Space Center, and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation to learn of Japan’s state of the art science and technology.
They experienced Japanese traditional culture?Japanese tea ceremony (Sa-Do), making traditional Japanese hand-crafted paper (Washi), and the Kawagoe Hikawa festival. Mr. Komine, the Mayor of Hatoyama-machi, kindly visited them during the tea ceremony. Washi and the Kawagoe Hikawa festival are recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritages.
At the end of training, they discussed how to utilize remote sensing for their own countries’ agricultural policy and planning, based on the knowledge and experience gained through the training program.
RESTEC will continue to promote remote sensing technology and its application in both Japan and overseas through capacity building programs.
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1 This program is promoted and founded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to enhance exchanges of youths between Asian countries and Japan who will play a crucial role in the field of science and technology in the future.
