In accordance with the Austrian proposal about technical exchange with Japan made at Interpraevent 2016, five people led by Deputy Manager Florian Rudolf Miklau of the Erosion and Sediment Department of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management came to Japan from November 9.

The Japan - Austria SABO Technology Preconference was held at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on November 9. After the greetings from each leader, there were presentations about the current status of sediment disaster and its countermeasures and discussions about how to set up an earth-flow disaster caution zone and take measures for climate change.

We agreed to sign an MoU in Austria next year about technological exchange between both countries and regularly correspond with each other.

On November 10, we visited Tsukuba City to inspect a hydraulic test facility and held a workshop about hazard maps.

On November 11, we inspected the landslide site in Takizaka in Fukushima Prefecture, where preventive work has been executed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

On November 12, we joined the "International Symposium on Natural Hazard Analysis and Hazard Zoning" hosted by the Research Institute for Natural Hazards and Disaster Recovery of Niigata University. There were presentations and active discussions about accurate and effective analysis methods for potential hazards involving sediment flows and avalanches.

On November 14, we visited Hiroshima City, which had a major sediment disaster in 2014, to discuss the status of infrastructural and other measures and challenges with members from the Hiroshima Prefectural and City Governments.

On November 15, we visited Miyajima Island, a UNESCO world heritage site, to see "Garden Sabo" (erosion and sediment control) by the Momijidani River.

It is expected that the bilateral relationship will become even closer and there will be more exchange contributing to better erosion and sediment control technology and sediment hazard prevention.