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The theme of Main Conference

Glocalized Development for Universal Design
—Towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games—


Subtopics

  1. Universal design for a glocal city
    Considering universal design in the future through a review of infrastructure development and improvement of a future tourist city in preparation of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as well as UD concepts latent in Japanese culture such as sustainability, compassion for others and omotenashi hospitality in Edo culture.

  2. Universal design in the promotion of industry
    In addition to promoting UD innovation in products from Japan to the rest of the world, we will make efforts to share UD ideas with small to medium-size community-based enterprises and further promote and spread UD through cooperation with major corporations.

  3. Universal design in emergencies

    We will review from a UD perspective responses during emergencies to damages to urban functions and residences caused by disasters such as a large-scale earthquake directly underneath the capital or localized torrential rainfall in metropolitan Tokyo area, recovery activities during the Hanshin Awaji and the Great East Japan Earthquake, or events such as fires and power outages, etc.

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The theme of Pre-Conference

Glocalized Development for Universal Design
—Recovery and Rehabilitation in Universal Design—


Subtopics

  1. Universal design for a glocal city
    To dispel rumor-induced fears associated with the nuclear power accident in Fukushima and enable tourists and businesspeople from overseas to stay in Japan with peace of mind, we introduce universal design (UD) in the development of social infrastructure. We also revisit UD concepts that traditionally grew out of and that underlie Japan’s distinct culture, such as “omoiyari” and “omotenashi” (the spirit of consideration for others and hospitality), and share our vision of a sustainable, symbiotic society with the rest of the world.

  2. Universal design in the promotion of industry
    A renewable-energy industry cluster and promotion of tourism and exchange in Fukushima will secure employment in the region, building a core from which people can rebuild their lives and communities. We introduce UD concepts to small and medium-sized enterprises based in the region to expand the industrial base and further promote universal design through collaboration with major corporations. Moreover, we globally promote advanced products and services from Japan bearing the “Fukushima brand.”

  3. Universal design in emergencies

    ased on the experience of recovery and rebuilding in the wake of the triple disaster of earthquake, massive tsunami, and nuclear power accident in Fukushima, we examine our response to damages on the social infrastructure and residential environment caused by typhoons and localized torrential rains that occur almost every year in Japan and to emergencies such as fire, blackouts, and other incidents, from the perspective of people who may find themselves in different situations at a time of an emergency.

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Purport

May 22, 2014


The International Association for Universal Design (IAUD, Patron Her Imperial Highness Princess Yohko) will hold "The 5th International Conference for Universal Design in Fukushima & Tokyo 2014" in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo Metropolitan in November 2014.


Universal design (UD) is to design, from the start, equipment, a building, or living space so that it will be utilized by as many people as possible.


Established in November 2003, IAUD in its founding objectives refers to "universal design" as the creation of a social environment where the humanity of each and every individual is respected, and advocates the rapid establishment of a human-oriented social framework applicable to all aspects of society where the relationship of user and producer are redefined.


　However, the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster suffered by Japan three years ago reminded us that we must first deal with threats to the basic safety of human beings before we can ensure respect for human life and human rights. At The 5th International Conference for Universal Design in Fukushima & Tokyo 2014 where our theme was “Safety and Security – Thinking about the Foundations of Universal Design,” we engaged in various exchanges of opinions.


Indeed, in Japan today, this is one of the most pressing issues that cannot be ignored. Even in Tokyo, which experienced the Great Kanto Earthquake, where various countermeasures are currently being put in place in anticipation of a vertical earthquake predicted for the metropolitan area in the next several years, and in Fukushima Prefecture and other prefectures in the Tohoku area, which are still trying to recover and to rebuild their communities in the aftermath of the recent earthquake disaster, there is a need to continue to bring together the wisdom of many minds and deepen our examination of ways to ensure safety and security.


Moreover, Tokyo, as the host of the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, has a responsibility to develop and upgrade urban infrastructure that will be both safe and easily accessible to a variety of people including the aged, people with disabilities, children and expectant women, and foreign visitors with different languages and lifestyles. To achieve this, Tokyo must thoroughly adopt designs that take into consideration human dignity and diversity from every aspect of society so that people will not be unfairly excluded, even in a disaster or other emergency crisis, due to their age, gender, nationality, and difference in abilities. At this time, we believe that what is needed as the first step is a spirit of “wa” (harmony) and “tolerance,” values that have developed in the context of Japan’s unique culture and history and which have nurtured qualities such as “consideration for others” and “hospitality.” This is exactly what is meant by the spirit of UD, which is founded on the fundamental principle of “Diversity & Inclusion.”


In this way, the very values that Japanese people take for granted are surprising and refreshingly stimulating to people of other countries. These values are also viewed as a beacon for saving the world from chaos. The practice of UD is not only beneficial to all people in Japan. On the contrary, the establishment of UD as a global model and its deployment on a global scale will contribute significantly to the earth’s environment and a sustainable future for the mankind.


This fifth international conference will have for its theme “Glocalized Development for Universal Design —Towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”  Through the constructive and active exchange of ideas and the experience of participants from far and near we will aim at realizing a better UD society with spontaneous and sustainable individual contributions. We hope that you will endorse our initiative, support it by enlisting like-minded individuals and organizations of every background and by personally joining us.

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