Addresses by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince (2010)

Address by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince at the Opening Ceremony of the Follow-up Conference of the International Year of Sanitation(2010)

Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan
at the Opening Ceremony of the Follow-up Conference of the International Year of Sanitation
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan

Distinguished participants and guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am happy to welcome to Tokyo participants from around the world for the Follow-up Conference of the International Year of Sanitation.

The International Year of Sanitation (IYS) in 2008 was a global milestone in promoting efforts to solve 8 sanitation problems which are pivotal to achieve all Millennium Development Goals stipulated to be reached by the international community by 2015. The IYS created momentum for the international community to address sanitation issues holistically in a concerted manner as seen in the water and sanitation summits held by the heads of states and their ministers in Africa and Asia, which face the severest problems. The activation of projects at the grass roots level is another tangible achievement of the IYS. As the Honorary President of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation that advocated the International Year of Sanitation, I wish to express my deepest appreciation for the enthusiasm and efforts of all those who participated in the IYS .

Safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities are indispensable for wholesome and civilized living. Ensuring them depends on locally tailored technologies and people's incessant efforts, reflecting their history and culture. However, it is not easy to maintain these efforts at an appropriate level.

I have been told that the aggravated sanitary conditions in Haiti, in addition to shortage of safe drinking water, have become a serious problem after the country was hit by a severe earthquake. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the victims and I sincerely hope that relief and restoration activities in the country will be appropriately undertaken in order to secure, among other things, safe drinking water and sanitation for the affected people.

According to a report by the United Nations, there are still approximately two and a half billion people without access to improved sanitation facilities. I am also grieved at a report stating that a child dies approximately every twenty seconds due to water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. We need action not only by governments and international organizations but by all peoples and organizations, including municipalities and civilian societies, in order to address this grave situation.

In this context, it is truly meaningful that you have gathered here from all over the world to discuss the relation between sanitation and society, locally appropriate technologies, and financial support for sanitation under the theme, "Beyond IYS - How can we deliver sustainable sanitation services to every citizen of the world?".

I sincerely hope that understanding and collaboration on sanitation will be increased and that further progress will be made regarding concrete actions to solve sanitation problems through lively discussion in the Conference.

Thank you.

Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince for 43rd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons(2010)

Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan
For 43rd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons
May 24, 2010
Portopia Hotel, Hyogo

Mr.President,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am most pleased to have the honor of attending the opening ceremony of this, the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons. There are gathered here today many pediatric surgeons from Japan and 30 countries around the world.

Ever since its first meeting in Seattle, in the United States of America in 1968, the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons has acted as a center for the exchange of advanced information on medical treatment in the field of pediatric surgery. This has been in the countries around the Pacific Ocean, and also for the education of young pediatric surgeons in developing countries and has contributed significantly to the development of Pediatric medical treatment. Thanks to the impressive advances of treatment in the field of pediatric surgery, the mortality rate, for example in Japan, of the neonatal surgery decreased from 32% in 1968 to 7.5% in 2008. It gives me great pleasure to note that a lot of children who previously had no hope of cure, have now been given the chance of growing up normally. To all those concerned, I offer my heartfelt congratulations on these achievements.

Great expectations rest on you the specialists attending this congress, to safeguard the health of our children by exploring all possibilities for the treatment of their diseases. May the many research reports that will be presented at this congress serve to give new hope to the children struggling with disease and to their parents in every country and contribute to the advance of pediatric surgery throughout the world.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere hope that this congress will produce fruitful results and lead to further clinical and research developments in pediatric surgery.