The 56th annual session of the Typhoon Committee (TC) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from February 27 to March 1, 2024. The Typhoon Committee is an international assembly of 14 nations and territories in East and Southeast Asia that are often affected by typhoons. It includes four working groups: Meteorology (WGM), Hydrology (WGH), Disaster Risk Reduction (WGDRR), and Training and Research Coordination (TRCG), along with the Advisory Working Group (AWG), which oversees these four groups. Annual sessions are pivotal meetings where all stakeholders gather to make comprehensive decisions based on the activities of each working group.
Approximately 96 participants attended the meeting from 12 nations and territories (China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the TC Secretariat. The event marked the first in-person annual session in the post-COVID era. The Japanese delegation consisted of 13 members, including representatives from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI), the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC), the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), the Infrastructure Development Institute (IDI), Tohoku University, the Typhoon Science and Technology Research Center(TRC), and two researchers from ICHARM: Senior Researcher MIYAMOTO Mamoru, currently serving as the chairperson of the TC’s WGH and a member of the AWG, and Researcher KAKINUMA Daiki.
On the first day, the general meeting began with opening speeches, followed by the Dr. Roman L. KINTANAR Award ceremony for the past four years, from 2019 to 2023, during which in-person ceremonies were halted due to the pandemic. ICHARM received the 2020 award for a joint project with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Infrastructure Development Institute (IDI) , for which Senior Researcher MIYAMOTO gave an acceptance speech on behalf of the project team. On the occasion of receiving the award, the report by Executive Director KOIKE was posted in the ICHARM Newsletter Vol. 60;
https://www.pwri.go.jp/icharm/publication/newsletter/pdf/icharm_newsletter_issue60.pdf
The meeting also included technical presentations from various countries, and those from Japan attracted significant interest.
On the second day, the four working groups reported the review results of their annual operation plans (AOPs) and presented plans for 2025. Chairperson MIYAMOTO delivered the review and plans of WGH. Discussions were particularly focused on enhancing the Synergized Standard Operating Procedures for Typhoon Response (SSOP-III), with an emphasis on flood risk monitoring for lifesaving, the theme led by Japan. The discussions further advanced Japan's efforts toward establishing international standards in the field of water disaster management.
The third day featured financial reports from the TC Secretariat and discussions on deciding the names for typhoons that caused significant damage. (Though not widely known, the TC is responsible for naming typhoons; however, the names given to especially destructive typhoons are never reused.)
The final day addressed the schedule and location for next year's joint working groups and annual session, and TC’s important yearly event ended successfully. Participation in the 56th annual session was an excellent opportunity for Japan, ICHARM, and the Public Works Research Institute to demonstrate their international presence and further contribute to the improvement of regional resilience. The much-awaited face-to-face occasion helped facilitate closer exchanges among the participants, leading to a deeper understanding and cooperation between various countries. In addition, it even helped enhance collaboration among domestic institutions while sharing technical and other issues. ICHARM will continually dedicate itself to leading regional cooperation for water disaster risk reduction and resilience enhancement through TC and other international frameworks.
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delivering an award-winning speech |
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reporting WGH activities |
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