Forum #12 – Tohoku Planning Forum Event at the University of Tokyo

DateMarch 26th, 2013

Time19:00 - 21:00 (Doors open: 18.30)

LocationThe University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus,
Building 14, Room 141 (1F)

RegistrationThis event needs registration and it is a free but first-come-first-served basis. Do please register in advance at info@tpf2.net

AccessCampus Map / Google Map

March 11th 2013 will be the second anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and its ensuing disasters. This will be the last in our series of regular forums. Thereafter we will continue as an 'on-demand' resource.

For this event we have a number of speakers to report on what has been achieved over this time and how this has hopefully helped the people of Tohoku. We are also asking a number of speakers to discuss what has sadly not been done, as well as work still being engaged in.

This is a free event lead by TPF2, but supported and assisted by the Joint Chambers of Commerce in Japan, including the British and Dutch Chambers. We are particularly pleased that Lori Henderson MBE has agreed to talk with us about some other activities of the British Chamber. Martin van der Linden of the Dutch Chamber will also be talking with us. We will be finalising our content over the next few days so please keep an eye on this site.

Speaker

Lori Henderson

Executive Director of British Chamber of Commerce, Japan

Lori Henderson is Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ). She spearheaded the BCCJ's Disaster Relief Forum as well as the Back To Business (B2B) Initiative - which supported projects that had the potential to demonstrate measurable results / generate economic returns / generate outcomes with long-term benefits in areas affected by the 3/11 disasters. The B2B projects, all of which were driven by local stakeholders, have gone onto have a positive impact on a variety of businesses and communities in Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures . Lori was awarded an MBE in The Queen's 2013 New Years Honours List for services to post-earthquake reconstruction and to the British business community in Japan.

Martin Van der Linden

van der Architects, Netherlands Chamber of Commerce

Martin van der Linden is a Dutch architect educated in the Netherlands, UK and Japan living and working in Japan for over 15 years. He worked for the Japanese architect Hiroshi Hara on the Kyoto Station. In 2001 he established his own company van der Architects, focusing on architecture and design. He is an active member in the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce where he initiated as the director of Activities Committee the Multi-chamber Given Back to Japan events. He is also a founding board member of the Oranda Jima Foundation, a business group who are in the process of building an After School Facility the coastal town of Yamada Machi, a town swept away by the 2011 tsunami.

Colin Shea

Colin and long term friend Tom Wedgwood met in London shortly after 3/11. Both of us have a long association with Japan dealing in luxury brands. Tom with Wedgwood ceramics and Colin with luxury cars. We decided with our international contacts we could help rebuild Tohoku in a way that would enhance the area and be cost effective. Woodley and Wedghouse Ltd was incorporated trading as Surelock Homes in Japan.
After nearly two years of dealing with soul-numbing Japanese red tape, some really interesting projects are on the horizon using our low cost high quality solid Siberian timber for inter-locking buildings. We have some successes starting with the kindergarden building donated by us to Kamaishi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOFTT5gAmHc
With the help of the BCCJ a community centre was built for the evacuated children of Naraha -Machi at the twin town in Fukushima, Aizu Misato Machi.

Angela Ortiz

Director of Administration for non-profit O.G.A. for Aid

Originally from Colombia and the USA, she spent most of her childhood in Japan. After high school, she travelled to India and engaged in various volunteer works, including the polio vaccinations by the Rotary Club Madras and social/community development projects for orphans and slum children of Goa, India.
After March 11 2011 she began a career in disaster relief as a Field Operations Director of O.G.A. for Aid, based in Miyagi ken. For the last two years she has been working in recovery support, project development and community rehabilitation. She currently divides her time between Tokyo and Minamisanriku cho, where the O.G.A. for Aid relief and recovery operations are continuing.

Duco Delgorge

Founder & President – Mie Project Co., Ltd., & Chairman, European Business Council in Japan

During Duco’s 21 years in Japan, he has worked in large and small companies, with 17 years as business head. In addition to his duties as EBC Chairman, his present company imports, distributes, and retails top quality organic, natural, and fair trade products in Japan.

Daniel H. Rosen

Founder and creative director of TokyoDex

Daniel H. Rosen is a Tokyo-based artist/producer who has spent the past two decades in Japan working as a writer, visual artist, curator and creative director of events, films and multimedia projects.

Christian Schmitz

Executive Director, REME KK

Christian has been in working in German multinational companies like Bayer, BASF and Henkel in strategic marketing roles in Germany and Japan. Later on he became the president of the German furniture brand hulsta in Japan expanding its retail network significantly.
Since 4 years he is independent with his lifestyle & marketing platform Aventa Japan as a bridge between Japan and Europe (and other markets). He is a shareholder and active executive director in the company REME KK selling waterless urinals in Japan. After the earthquake the company URIMAT announced a donation of 30 mio liters of fresh water (250 urinals, or 50 mio JPY) to Northern Japan.