Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science 2019 (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science)
RESTEC successfully held the training program in the “Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science)”1) from 22nd to 31st of October 2019.
13 young officers and researchers working at the agricultural ministries and institutes of 8 Asian countries ー Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao DPR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam ー were invited to the training. With thanks to the many collaborators, the training was conducted mainly in RESTEC Headquarters Office and Hiki region, Saitama.
RESTEC arranged the 10-day training course including the lectures and hands-on training on basic satellite remote sensing and its application in agriculture in the collaboration with Tokyo Denki University. The training program included a facility tour to JAXA Earth Observation Center in Hatoyama Town. The trainees also visited the irrigation facilities of the West Yoshimi-South Land Improvement District in West Yoshimi in Yoshimi Town and a local sweet potato farm in Miyoshi Town.
In addition to the agricultural remote sensing training, the trainees visited the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation and the industrial waste recycling plant of Ishizawa Sangyo Co. Ltd., to learn of Japan’s state of the art science and technology.
TThe trainees also experienced Japanese traditional culture – ? the Japanese tea ceremony (Sa-Do), the making of traditional Japanese hand-crafted paper (Washi), and the historical Kawagoe downtown. Mr. Fujino, the Vice Mayor of Hatoyama Town, kindly visited them during the tea ceremony for international exchange with them.
At the end of training, the trainees discussed how to utilize remote sensing for the agricultural policy and planning in their own countries, 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.
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.
