5 September 2025
On September 5 and 6, 2025, an international symposium on prevention of desertification and promotion of afforestation was held in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. In the symposium, specialists and stakeholders from five countries: Japan, China, Korea (ROK), Mongolia and Uzbekistan participated.
The symposium was hosted by Alaxa Ecological and Cultural Conservation Association, which is OISCA’s local operational base, and it was made possible with the support of the China Office of JICA. Moreover, OISCA also participated as a co-organizer in planning and operations alongside the Forestry and Grassland Bureau.
Mr. Shuji Zushi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Japan-China-Korea Cooperation Secretariat, who took the podium for the opening address, noted that environmental cooperation, including desertification control, has long been the driving force behind the trilateral partnership. He emphasized that a cooperation model involving the three countries plus additional partners is crucial for addressing global challenges.
In the session featuring academic presentations from experts from the participating countries, Dr. Satoshi Togashi, who leads OISCA’s desertification prevention project in Uzbekistan, and Mr. Dashnyam Zagdragchaa, a former trainee in Japan, who participated from Mongolia, also presented on their activities.
Furthermore, the desertification prevention project currently underway at the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan similarly utilizes the knowledge and technology cultivated in Inner Mongolia.
Dr. Togashi, an expert who works across China, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, stated, “This has become an opportunity to strengthen international networks and share knowledge,” expressing his hopes for future collaboration among the countries.
