Regional Industrial Development by Public-Private Partnership for Central American and Caribbean Countries seminar　(Aug. 24-Sep.14, 2012)

Experiencing various study cases on regional and tourism promotion and linking them to practical application in home countries From Aug. 24 to Sept. 14, 2012, seminar participants from Central American and Caribbean countries made numerous trips to appealing companies that are clearly and easily imagined as having practical application in their own countries. We will introduce four of these places.

Nara Ateliers Road (Nara Prefecture)

The various workshops of artisans, who work in traditional industries, scattered throughout the Uda district of Nara Prefecture have formed into a network, and the activities in this case study linked to regional tourism promotion were headed by course leader Professor Murata. The participants tried their hands at making original works at one of the workshops that made Japanese paper, or “washi.”

Harie (Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture)

A spring known as “Kabata” supports all of the houses in the Harie district. The participants observed the activities at these homes, finding and treating them as regional treasures, and their careful preservation. While taking a stroll during some leisure time, the participants pondered the things that could be treasures in the regions where they live.

Irodori (Kamikatsucho, Tokushima Prefecture)

he participants inspected the front lines of a leaf business that has now become a nationwide brand of regional promotion. In this town, where the elderly live with the greatest amount of happiness and vigor in all of Japan, and also being a place to which an endless stream of young people are I-turns and U-turns, the group seemed to have acquired some hints as to what they could also apply to their own situations.

Sugi Gohei (Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture)

Participants visited this farm, which has thoroughly developed a form of organic rotational agriculture and has become a pioneer of the sixth-sector industry. The participants learned about how to attach added value to agricultural products. While enjoying a smorgasbord of organic vegetables, they also heard from the farm’s owner about the processes behind his unique ideas and the trials and tribulations he faced during the farm’s history.

Realizing action plans while fellow former participants who have returned home provide stimulation for each other Follow-up seminars have been implemented since last fiscal year as part of the curriculum for this seminar. These use TV conferences to create exchanges with people in their home countries who participated in the past seminars. The number of former participants of the seminar who have since returned home has exceeded 60 when 11 participants from the current fiscal year are added, and more than 30 of the total number took part in the TV conference. The event, which started from 8:00 Japan time (either 17:00 or 19:00 local time), brought together people in seven countries: Japan, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Everyone shared their own case studies of regional promotion.

There was an unceasing number of seminar participants who said they wanted to give presentations on the progress of the action plans in their own countries, and we did in fact want those who expressed such a desire to have the chance. Yet time was limited, and so six people gave presentations.

Our eyes were opened by the activities taking place in the countries of the former participants, who capitalized on their knowledge and experiences learned in Japan. Without a doubt, their successful results are conversely giving a boost to the long-running seminars. And at next year’s follow-up seminar, we’re definitely looking forward to presentations of the wonderful results gained by this year’s participants.

(Yoshiyasu Hamaguchi, International Department)