YPEP 2002: Impressions by Harry Walker

I arrived in Tokyo on Friday, 18th October, full of enthusiasm but with little idea of what to expect from Japan or my training program. The weeks leading up to my departure had been unusually hectic and so I had had far too little time to adequately prepare or to research Japan in the way I had originally intended. As an environmental engineer working for the past couple of years with SMEC International, currently based in their Cambodia office, I was eagerly looking forward to the opportunity of learning more about life in Japan today as a young professional. For me, ‘Japan’ typically conjured up visions of two very different worlds: Zen, samurai and tea ceremony on the one hand; high-tech gadgetry, company loyalty, and extraordinary hard work on the other. I was eager to see for myself how these two worlds fit together - if at all - and indeed whether there was any truth to my stereotypes of either of them.

The first day at NEWJEC’s head office in downtown Osaka gave me a welcome opportunity to learn a little more about the company’s operations in Japan and abroad, as well as giving me an introductory taste of Japanese corporate culture. After a whirlwind tour of introductions, complete with exchange of innumerable namecards, I was allocated a desk in the International division – a handy base from which to attend the series of lectures and discussions which comprised the bulk of my program. The general thrust of this program fitted surprisingly well with my background and professional interests, and comprised a variety of perspectives on environmental engineering, environmental aspects of water resources projects, and international development.

My first lecture, on Risk Management, highlighted the changing scope of Japanese engineering consulting operations, and the movement, also prevalent in Australia, away from large-scale new developments and towards new and improved maintenance techniques such as risk management. NEWJEC representatives had recently returned from an overseas study tour and were pleased to share with me some of their initial impressions of this increasingly important field.

Consulting opportunities arising through the Japanese aid program were next reviewed. The operations of JICA and JBIC were outlined, with particular emphasis on the differences between grant and credit-type funding arrangements for international development projects. As I had recently been taking on increased responsibility for the business development aspects of both SMEC’s operations in Cambodia and of SMEC’s Cambodian subsidiary, SCC Ltd., I was particularly interested to learn about the opportunities for non-Japanese consulting firms in the implementation of Japanese aid-funded projects, and of the best strategies for pursuing them. All those present were greatly interested in the possibility of a working collaboration between SMEC and NEWJEC some time in the future.

One of NEWJEC’s hydropower projects in Indonesia provided an interesting case study through which to explore some of the important environmental aspects of large-scale water resources development. This case study was followed by two more, where resettlement and other associated impacts on the social environment proved to be critical and divisive issues. We discussed the resettlement action plan developed at the time, which included a variety of compensation options, and the possible reasons behind its various successes and failures. The complex social and environmental issues and implications arising from these projects are still being discussed in an academic context today.

An overview of the study and planning phases of small (300 to 5,000 kW) hydropower developments provided a useful framework for better understanding the various environmental issues with which they are associated. A subsequent group discussion on ethical issues in the engineering consulting industry provided an interesting and refreshing look at the ‘bigger picture’ – i.e., the broader social context in which we operate. We discussed FIDIC’s emphasis on professional integrity at their recent conference in Acapulco, and the key role played by consulting engineers in upholding sustainable, socially and environmentally-responsible development. I was pleased to share some of our experiences of working as professionals in developing countries, including ideas on how to deal with the various challenges posed by corruption, and often widely differing value systems.

The Yodo river is an important river in the Kansai area, and during a study tour there I examined current river management practices, such as the use of soda mattresses to protect against scouring, and the subsequent establishment of wando ponds, which now provide an important habitat for rare fish and other wildlife. Visits to the Yodo River Museum and Water Museum placed these current management practices within an interesting historical and cultural context.

A tour of the Research and Development Center of Nippon Koei in Tsukuba was made with other YPEP participants, and I was pleased to see the long-standing commitment to innovative technical research by this key player in the Japanese consulting field. A visit to the project office of the Kasumigaura Water Conveyance Project was particularly interesting for me, helping to confirm my suspicion that water supply is likely to become an increasingly important focus for major infrastructure projects throughout the world in the coming century.

An overnight study tour in Nara prefecture proved to be one of the highlights of my time in Japan. This beautiful area provided me with a unique glimpse of the country’s extraordinary but rapidly disappearing natural beauty, combined with some ‘essential’ cultural pursuits, such as drinking sake, bathing in hot springs and early morning fishing in crystal-clear mountain streams. A trip to the snow at Odaigahara was an unexpected surprise, and a visit to Otaki dam provided an interesting view of a large dam under construction.

Upon returning to Osaka I attended a lecture and discussion on the Japanese urban environment, with particular reference to sustainable river management. The establishment of the Ibogawa Basin Committee, for which NEWJEC is acting as coordinator, provided a case study for the exploration of a variety of environmental management issues, such as the specific problems raised by Japan’s unique topography, the varying and sometimes conflicting demands placed on rivers as natural resources, and community involvement in river management. An enjoyable counterpoint to this discussion was the subsequent visit to Kaiyukan, the Osaka aquarium. Apart from filling me with the desire to raise pet jellyfish when I return to Australia, I appreciated the aquarium’s ability to convey a clear message of environmental conservation while entertaining and educating such large numbers of visitors.

NEWJEC have established a hydraulics laboratory in Uji city, near Kyoto, which I visited to learn about current approaches to the problem of sedimentation in reservoirs in Japan. The use of countermeasures such as sediment flushing and bypass tunnels were examined, and their advantages and disadvantages, including environmental impacts, were discussed. I was able to witness an experiment being conducted by NEWJEC staff using a 1:35 physical scale model of Asahi Dam, in which a proposed bypass tunnel was assessed for its ability to divert the sediment load to a point downstream of the reservoir.

The legal and regulatory framework of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) was presented. Japan has only recently (in 1997) implemented its Environmental Impact Assessment Law, but it was interesting to learn of current approaches and initiatives to support environmental protection and conservation, including the role played by consultants such as NEWJEC. A recent census of wildlife along Kisogaura river near Nagoya provided a case study from which the particular problems posed by Japan’s geography and small land area were cast into relief.

Another highlight of the trip was the joint study tour in Kyoto and Nara. A lightening tour of some of the well-known temples, shrines and other important landmarks provided me with a valuable glimpse of Japan’s beautiful cultural heritage, and I was impressed by how well preserved and cared for these places were. I hope that some day I may be fortunate enough to revisit some of my favourite places, in order to spend some more time there – though in future I will definitely take the precaution of arriving first thing in the morning so as to avoid the formidable crowds! Whilst in Kyoto we also managed to experience one of the cultural benchmarks of ‘modern’ Japan, namely karaoke, and I must confess to being surprised at just how much I enjoyed this peculiar pastime.

An overview of the Kobe earthquake of 1995 provided the introduction to a more general discussion on urban planning in Japan. I was particularly impressed by an ambitious new urban environment project recently designed and implemented by NEWJEC following the earthquake in Kobe city in 1995. The Open Space Corridor Project works towards sustainable urban development through the incorporation a series of urban ‘corridors’ of varying types, with the multiple purposes of providing emergency supplies of water in the event of future disasters, reducing the heat island effect, and proving green areas and small streams throughout the city center, with more open spaces and the promotion of healthier, closer communities.

NEWJEC is responsible for the monitoring of a large number of dams owned by its parent company, the Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO). I was provided with an overview of the sophisticated dam monitoring techniques employed by NEWJEC staff, including typical instrumentation systems for different dam types. Of particular interest was the extensive monitoring and analysis program undertaken for Kurobe dam, which is the largest dam in Japan.

Finally, a visit to Kobe city provided me with the opportunity to see for myself the results of the Open Space Corridor Project, where some areas have already been constructed. While in Kobe, I also observed the recently implemented bio-tope next to the Umeda Sky Building, in which a glimpse of the future of the urban environment of cities throughout the world is perhaps on display.

One of my strongest general impressions of Japan is that it is a beautiful country, in many ways: the natural environment is surprisingly different from Australia, and the beauty of the trees and landscape is quite exquisite; this beauty is reflected, moreover, in the styles and architecture of many of the old buildings and temples I was fortunate enough to visit. At the same time, it is apparent that much of this beauty is being rapidly destroyed, and I sincerely hope people are able to act in time to stop it from disappearing altogether.

In sum, the YPEP program has been a tremendous experience from start to finish. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for this opportunity, and particularly how grateful I am to my host company, NEWJEC, for the extraordinary time and effort they have put in to providing me with a training program not only interesting, stimulating and well-matched to my interests, but also highly enjoyable. They have gone out of their way to entertain me and make me feel welcome, and I shall always be grateful for this kindness. I feel I have made some good friends in these three short weeks, and I sincerely hope that these friendships, like my many wonderful memories of Japan, will endure for many years to come.