Home| Structure | News/Events | Publications | Newsletter| Databases| Partners| IHP Training Course
The contribution of Japan to water science in UNESCO frame work dates back to International Hydrological Decade (IHD 1965-1974). As of now Japanese contribution continues to expand as it becomes more involved in regional and international water science issues. When IHD changed to IHP Japan became almost a constant member of the Intergovernmental council of the IHP. The National Committee for IHP in Japan have during these years been the main source of Japanese contribution to IHP and other regional bodies. The main objective of the National Committee falls in line with the objectives of IHP namely; to improve scientific and technological basis for the development of methods for the rational management of water resources, including the protection of the environments and disasters prevention / mitigation relating to water and society.
One of the main achievements of the National Committee is its contribution to the IHP Training Course at Nagoya University. Members of the Training Course Working Group have been able to oversee the successful running of the course including production of a number of text books for the training course. The members of National Committee have also been active participants in IHP Regional Steering Committee (RSC) for Southeast Asia and the Pacific and Asian Pacific FRIEND (AP FRIEND). Another major land mark in success story of the National Committee is its contribution for production of Catalogue of Rivers for South East Asia and Pacific (Vols.1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). Other publications which the National Committee contributed includes various National and Regional reports as well as conference proceedings. The National Committee also publishes "IHP", a news letter of IHP activities in Japan (in Japanese) at least once a year.
Future plans
In the near future the National Committee plans to participate in RSC activities, FRIEND projects and updating of the Catalogue of Rivers. The National Committee will also take more active part in the running of IHP training course at Nagoya University and support of the third World Water Forum which will be held in Japan in March, 2003. Research activities of the National Committee in the near future include participation in HELP projects and development of projects related to IHP-VI (2002-2007). The IHP also plans to disseminate more information and data on its website which is largely under construction at the moment.
In the long term the National committee plans to be involved more in IHP, FRIEND and RSC projects as well as river cataloguing on web sites and IHP Training Course in Nagoya.