Purpose of the Typhoon CommitteeThe Typhoon Committee (TC) is an inter-governmental body organized under the joint auspices of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1968 for the purpose of minimizing damage caused by typhoons in Asia and the Pacific.
Participants from JapanToshio OKAZUMI, Director for International Water Management Coordination, River Planning Division, River Bureau, MLIT
Toshiro ITOUJI, Chief of Sabo Information Section, Sabo Planning Division, River Bureau, MLIT
Katsuhito MIYAKE, Chief Researcher of ICHARM, Public Works Research Institute
Hideaki MIZUNO, Senior Researcher of Erosion and Sediment Control Division, NLIM
Kazuhisa ITO, Director of 2nd Research Department, Infrastructure Development Institute
Masahiko NAGAI, Researcher of 2nd Research Department, Infrastructure Development Institute
The personnel above are concerned with the Hydrological Component.
Place of meetingChiang Mai Province, Thailand
Schedule
Mon. Jan. 19, 2009
Opening ceremony, election of chairman, adoption of the agenda, meetings for individual components, reports on activities during 2008 (for individual components and relevant organizations)
Tue. Jan. 20
Reports on activities during 2008 (country reports from individual member states), review of the 2008 typhoon season, etc.
Wed. Jan. 21
Roman Kintanar Award, formulation of next year’s budget, annual plan, etc.
Advisory Working Group (AWG)
Thu. Jan. 22
Scientific lectures
Fri. Jan. 23
Site visit, AWG
Sat. Jan. 24
Approval of matters, closing ceremony
Major content of the Session
[Opening/Session Meeting]
Opening ceremony in the presence of the Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Thailand, Deputy Director-General of the Meteorological Department of Thailand, Vice-Governor of Chiang Mai, Executive Secretary of the ESCAP, Secretary-General of the WMO and Secretary of the TC
At the Session, important matters were decided including the budget, in addition to which review of the activities during the year and discussion on future activity plans were given with the participation of the member states.
Member states briefed about the country reports regarding the initiatives of the Meteorological, Hydrological and Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Components. As representatives of Japan, Tadashi TSUYUKI for the Meteorological Component, Toshio OKAZUMI and Toshiro ITOUJI for the Hydrological Component and Shingo KOCHI for the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Component gave briefings.
[Hydrological WG]
The “flood hazard map” and “sediment-related disaster forecasting and warning system” projects carried out by the River Bureau were confirmed to end in 2009 and the schedule was confirmed and cooperation of the member states was requested for the preparation of the final report.
As new initiatives, “disaster preparedness index” and “sediment-related disaster hazard map” were proposed as Japan-led projects and mentioned in the annual plan for next year as new projects.
In place of Mr. Miyake, who has chaired the Hydrological Component since 2005, Mr. Okazumi was approved to serve as chairman starting in 2009.
[Scientific lectures]
Fourteen scientific lectures were given on the topics closely related to typhoons. Japanese representatives gave lectures on the following three themes, all of which invited lively discussion with the participating states.
[T-PARC2008 – THORPEX Pacific Asian Regional campaign]
(Tadashi TSUYUKI, Director of Administration Division, Japan Meteorological Agency)
[Flood Forecasts through IFNet/GFAS]
(Kazuhisa ITO, Director of 2nd Research Department, Infrastructure Development Institute)
[Strategy for Reducing Risk Caused By Sediment-Related Disasters in Japan]
(Hideaki MIZUNO, Senior Researcher of Erosion and Sediment Control Division, NLIM)
[Date and place of the next Session]
It was agreed that Singapore host the next Session. The date is to be further coordinated.
It was agreed that Philippines host the integrated workshop annually held around September.
[Adoption of the report/Closing]
The Drafting Committee presented an agenda proposal regarding the content of the Session, which was adopted subject to amendment.
