Profile of Aichi-Nagoya

Aichi Prefecture Has a High Concentration of Industry

Aichi Prefecture has the highest concentration of manufacturing technology in Japan and accounts for approximately 1% of the world GDP. This level of industrialization is supported by infrastructure such as the Port of Nagoya, which is No. 1 in Japan in terms of overall freight handled and traded value, and the Central Japan International Airport, or Centrair. The prefecture also relies on the technique of monozukuri, which is the traditional art of manufacturing based on the utilization of nature that has been passed down over the years. The craftsmanship and superior materials from the region that were traditionally used in Japanese puppets, Japanese-style clocks, woven fabrics and pottery have been used in building the foundation for the world-renowned automotive, aerospace and fine ceramics technologies that Japan offers today.

Environmentally-advanced Prefecture, Aichi

The preservation of the biodiversity which supports our lives and livelihood is an important challenge to be handed down to our future generations. Aichi Prefecture is proceeding to develop into a region which can suitably be hailed as an environmentally-advanced prefecture through the creation of a sustainable society which allows people to live in harmony with nature, including the preservation of rare fauna, flora, and the satoyama which remain in the suburbs of its cities.

• Prefectural tree :
  Hananoki (red maple)
• Prefectural flower :
  Kakitsubata (iris)
• Prefectural fish :
  Kuruma prawn
• Prefectural bird :
  Konohazuku (scops owl)

Nagoya is Famous for its History, Culture and Tradition of Monozukuri

Nagoya Castle and its surrounding castle town were built by Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1610, giving start to the city’s rich historical and cultural heritage. At that time, the movements used in Japanese clocks were applied to create moving puppets called karakuriningyou, which gave birth to the traditions of monozukuri that has continued to flourish in the Nagoya region to this day. Nagoya Castle and the Tokugawa Gardens are representative of the samurai culture that has influenced the nearly 400-year history of the city.

• City tree :
  Kusunoki (camphor tree)
• City flower :
  Yuri (lily)

Environmentally Friendly Nagoya

Each and every one of us must carefully consider and take action that will ensure that our planet can be passed on to future generations. Nagoya continues its proactive efforts towards building a sustainable society that has minimal impact on the environment, as evidenced by achievements such as the 410 hectare Higashiyama woods and the Fujimae tidal flat that is registered under the Ramsar Convention, and its ongoing programs to reduce the volume of garbage and CO2 emissions it produces.

Japan is a long, narrow country of mixed terrain, blessed with four distinct seasons, abundant rainfall and a wide range of plant and animal species. Aichi Prefecture and its capital of Nagoya are located at the approximate center of Japan. The some 7 million people who live in this area are very proud of the fact that this rich natural setting is also home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of industrial technology. We call this region Aichi-Nagoya.

Abundant Nature

The abundant nature in this region can be attributed to the many streams and rivers that flow through its central region. The Shounai River and the Kiso Three Rivers are among the largest to pass through the Noubi plain. They are complemented by the many streams and rivers that flow from the mountains deep in the Mikawa region. Nearby is the Ise Bay region where the land is not as fertile, but the abundant aquatic resources of the many rivers and the Ise Bay all contribute to rich biodiversity. At the rear-most section of this region you will find the Chubu Mountains, whose lush nature is in integral component of local religions and traditions. These mountains give way to the Ise Bay area that channels water runoff into sea. This is an area with diverse ecosystems. Through the years, the people of this region have treated this natural setting as sacred and have lived in close harmony with it. This close contact with nature has given birth to a myriad of traditional arts and discerning craftsmanship.

• Ontake mountain
• Kiso river

The Blessings of Nature and Monozukuri

Aichi-Nagoya is proud to be Japan's leader in manufacturing output in terms of shipped value. Many of the world's top manufacturers are located here creating products in a wide range of fields including the automotive, aerospace, robotics, ceramics and manufacturing equipment industries. The history of monozukuri - or the "art of manufacturing" - can be traced back to the production of salt some 1,200 years ago. It is important to remember that all of the traditional fields of this region were inspired out of a desire to live in harmony with the surrounding natural environment and an innate respect for the value of natural resources.
The miso, soy sauce and sake that are an integral part of the culinary culture of the region would not be possible without the rich natural environment and biological resources of this region, such as high-quality water, rice and soybeans. In other words, even the industrial development which has occurred in this area is a blessing from and sustained by the nature that surrounds it. The Aichi-Nagoya region successfully developed into a large modern metropolitan area that went on to become the very heart of Japan’s manufacturing tradition while continuing to respect and protect its rich natural setting and biodiversity. It is now ready to serve as a role model to the world, particularly developing nations in Asia, of how to sustain a balance between industrial-economic development and the protection of the surrounding environment.

• Windup(mechanical) doll
• Dashi floats

Aichi-Nagoya - Working Towards Further Coexistence with Nature

The economic growth that took place from the 1950’s to the 1970’s caused environmental issues such as air and water pollution throughout Japan. This experience brought about major changes in Aichi-Nagoya and returned us to the path of coexistence with nature. By understanding the relationship between man and nature and refocusing on satoyama principles, we were able to build a sustainable society that coexists with its surrounding environment. We now want to develop our relationship with nature even more.

The Fujimae tidal flat is the only tidal flat remaining in Nagoya. Every year large numbers of migratory birds visit the tidal flat. However at one point there was a plan to use the Fujimae tidal flat as a landfill for the city's garbage. This plan was revisited from an environmental perspective and a decision was made to protect it. The people of Nagoya recognized the importance of this tidal flat and aggressively took on the task of reducing the amount of garbage destined for the proposed landfill. Their efforts resulted in a more than 60% reduction in the amount of landfill garbage. Later, the Fujimae tidal flat was registered under the Ramsar Convention and became a symbol to the people of Nagoya of the importance of our environment. Today citizens are continuing environmental protection activities in cooperation with the government.

In addition, when a satoyama called Kaishonomori located near the hills of Owari was to be developed as the site for Expo 2005 Aichi Japan, it sparked an extensive debate over the seemingly opposing priorities of preserving an ecosystem and the desire to develop the land. After much discussion, a way to meet both priorities was found. The innovative solution demonstrated that economic development and respect for nature are not opposite priorities, and this became the underlying theme of the Expo. Moreover, active public involvement in addressing environmental issues led to some 30,000 volunteers, 30 non-government organizations and 235 civic groups taking part. Many of these volunteer activities are still going strong and we consider them valuable regional assets.

At one time economic development caused a reduction in many of our precious ecosystems. Now is the time to find even better ways of living in harmony with them. While we can see more challenges in our future, Aichi-Nagoya has experience in changing from conventional methods of development to methods that are more sustainable. We feel that these experiences enable us to be a model for other countries and regions. We welcome the opportunity of COP 10 to showcase what we have accomplished and to use the event to vitalize local action towards addressing the many challenges that lay ahead of us.

• Fujimae tidal flat
• Kaishonomori