************************************************************************* Issue 36 [September 2009] OCCI e-Magazine http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html ************************************************************************* [CONTENTS, September 2009] 1. OCCI Vice Chairman M. Kato joins Osaka's Top-Leaders' Promotion Activities in Asian Regions 2. Kansai Bio Promotion Council organizes the Proposed Plans for FY2010 ---including 'BIO Information Highway Plan - Phase II' 3. "AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009" Opened on August 22 ---showing off the charms of the Metropolis living with the rivers 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors ========================================================================= 1. OCCI Vice Chairman M. Kato joins Osaka's Top-Leaders' Promotion Activities in Asian Regions Together with Mr. T. Hashimoto, Governor of Osaka Prefecture, OCCI Vice Chairman M. Kato conducted activities to promote Osaka this time in Bangkok (Thailand) as the 3rd delegation during August 24-27, after the 1st one to Beijing and Tientsin (China) in November 2008 and the 2nd one to Seoul (Korea) in July this year. Both Governor Hashimoto and V.C. Kato made their own presentations respectively at the Promotion Seminar organized for the occasion bringing together about 160 representatives of government agencies and businesses. Vice Chairman Kato introduced the recent new development in Osaka's industries with emphasis on the formation of "Panel Bay" referring to major 'panels' manufacturers' complex bases concentrated around Osaka Bay as well as on promotion of life science industry. He also called to Thai companies encouraging them to join the Osaka / Kansai markets, and generally emphasized the attractiveness of Osaka for tourists. After the seminar, representatives of participating 14 Osaka companies had one-to-one business talks meetings with those of Thai companies. For top-level promotion of Osaka's attraction, Governor Hashimoto and Vice Chairman Kato personally met and talked eagerly with top VIPs such as Dr. Vachara Phanchet (Thailand Trade Representative, Office of the Prime Minister), Mr. Charnchai Chairungrueng (Minister of Industry), Mrs. Atchaka Sibunruang Brimble (Secretary General, Board of Investment), and Mr. Sukhumbhand Paribatra (Governor of Bangkok). They also had an interview with Thai mass media for general promotion to further enhance the effectiveness of the overall top promotional activities. ======================================================================== 2. Kansai Bio Promotion Council organizes the Proposed Plans for FY2010 ---including 'BIO Information Highway Plan - Phase II' Kansai Bio Promotion Council [formed by the main economic organizations such as OCCI, regional governments, related research institutes all based in Kansai; (with OCCI President M. Nadamoto as Secretary General)] held its 9th plenary meeting on July 24 at OCCI and organized its Proposed Plans for FY2010 with 16 projects as a pillar including the BIO Information Highway Plan - Phase II. The proposal will be submitted to the Office for the Promotion of Regional Revitalization, Cabinet Secretariat, so that the Council can follow it up with further exertions to have the Proposed Plans included in the Government's consideration for the FY2010 budget. Kansai Bio Promotion Council was founded in 2001, aimed as a world-class bio-science center in the Kansai region. All these years, the Council has made all-out joint efforts to organize bio-promotion projects born in Kansai to present them to be taken up by the Government. During the 8 years (FY2001 - 2008) since its founding it has already gained 242.9 billion yen of the national expenditure fund for promotion of these projects, steadily enlarging the depth and breadth of the bio-industry concentration in the Kansai region. In his address representing the Council, OCCI Chairman A.Nomura emphasized the importance of bio-industry as a leading industry from now on. Following the address, a report was made on the Council's activities with reference especially to international cooperation, focusing on the individual business talks meetings with those of a French region biocluster with whom the Council keeps a cooperation agreement, as well as on the participation in the BIOTECHNICA, a joint exhibition event held in Hannover, Germany. ======================================================================== 3. "AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009" Opened on August 22 ---showing off the charms of the Metropolis living with the rivers With Osaka's rivers as its theme, "AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009" opened on August 22, 2009, for revitalization of Osaka's waterfront activities. Blessed with waters all through the area, Osaka made its development together with the rivers. From ancient times, Osaka thrived as an international port as well as the center of the country's economy or as the "kitchen of the nation" as so-called during the Edo period (1603-1867), all the time supported by the development of a network of rivers/canals and ship transports covering throughout the area. The now ongoing "AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009" has been principally organized, through their jointly formed Executive Committee, by the Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka City Government and the main economic organizations in Osaka who joined forces to build a 'city brand' of "Osaka as a Waterfront Metropolis" in view of such history, to widely promote the attractiveness of Osaka. During the period [Aug. 22 (Sat.) - Oct.12 (Mon. a public holiday)], the event offers a series of program for visitors to experience the Waterfront attractions, such as 'Illumination of Bridges", "Kitahama Terraces", "Cruise & Walk" etc. With "Cooperation, Inheritance and Continuity" as the keywords, the event aims to hand down its mechanism and forms, through many programs carried out by the citizens and local NPOs, as the successful results of AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009. AQUA METROPOLIS Osaka 2009: http://www.suito-osaka2009.jp/en/index.html ======================================================================== 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors * July 22 (Wed.) Ms. Maria Lourdes V. RAMIRO LOPEZ, Consul General Philippine Consulate-General in Osaka * August 8 (Tue.) Mr. Luis Gilberto MENDIVIL CANALES, Consul General Consulate General of the Republic of Peru in Nagoya * September 4 (Fri.) Mr. Kush Kumar Joshi, President Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry * September 8 (Tue.) Mr. Erno BOHAR, Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Japan * September 10 (Thu.) Mr. Mr. Charnchai Chairungrueng, Minister of Industry Kingdom of Thailand * September 18 (Fri.) Mr. Drahomir STOS, Ambassador Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Japan ========================================================================