Monday, June 22, 2009

3rd Meeting of the National Conference on Fostering Beautiful Forests in Japan

Prime Minister Taro Aso attended the 3rd meeting of the National Conference on Fostering Beautiful Forests in Japan held at a hotel in Tokyo.

The National Conference on Fostering Beautiful Forests in Japan is an organization to promote, from the private sector side, the National Campaign to Foster Beautiful Forests in Japan, a joint public-private sector undertaking.　This is the third year of their activities.

In the address, Prime Minister Aso said, "Nowadays we often hear people talking about a low-carbon society when discussing the global environment. Forests play a crucial role in that they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. Afforestation is a long-term activity as it takes several decades for a forest to be fostered after seeds of trees are planted. I sincerely wish that the activity will spread across the nation, and hope for many people to realize the importance of forest revitalization. I also express my deepest respect for the boy scouts and girl scouts who are working to address this issue."

At the meeting, a declaration for action was made, in which it is stated that, "We the people living in villages and cities shall work hand-in-hand to foster beautiful forests and vow to convey the value of forests to many people and to ensure that beautiful forests, which prevent global warming, are passed on to future generations."