MALAYSIA and Japan are keen to expand collaboration in various areas including disaster management and social protection policies, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said today.

She said Japan had a lot of experience in managing disasters and this was one area in which the National Disaster Management  Agency (NaDMA) could benefit from. 

“This includes training and the sharing of know-how in a number of areas, such as early warning technologies, to help to predict and prepare for disasters, and advance planning on how to deal with major disasters, she said at a joint press conference with Japan’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Makio Miyagawa who paid a courtesy call on her at her office in Putrajaya. 

Dr Wan Azizah said: “I understand Japan already has a comprehensive response system in the event of a major earthquake. 

“Besides that, (we need) expertise on disaster-risk reduction to help us mitigate disasters from an early stage as well as organise large-scale exercises to develop our disaster response readiness,” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, also said that ageing population and women leadership development were also areas that Malaysia could seek support and assistance from Japan.

Malaysia, which would have an ageing population by 2030, would like to know better Japan’s social protection policies and benefit from the country’s experience in the area, she said.

“We also discussed the possibility of having bilateral training and exchanges in the area of women leadership development. I am happy to know that Japan continues to be committed to support us and work closely with us. I trust we will continue to have a mutually beneficial relationship,” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah said Malaysia was thankful for the support from Japan’s institutions, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Foundation.

“They have been instrumental in supporting various projects in Malaysia. Many officers from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development underwent training sponsored by JICA. We are truly grateful for all this assistance.

“Japan, a close friend of Malaysia and ASEAN, has played a major role in Malaysia’s development.  Japanese companies continue to be major investors in Malaysia and many Malaysians received their education in Japan,” she said.

She said that besides acquiring much hardware from Japan, Malaysian companies had also benefited from learning and adopting Japanese management techniques, including the quality control circle and lean production system, which had become ubiquitous in many industries in Malaysia.

Miyagawa, meanwhile, said he had a fruitful discussion with Dr Wan Azizah.

He said Japan was ready to offer technologies, know-how and expertise on disaster management, including early detection of floods in Malaysia.

He also said that Japan would also share its experience and help Malaysia in the area of the ageing population even though it was not “acute” yet but added that there was a need to prepare for it.

“We would be very happy to continue this engagement to offer human resource development, transfer of technologies and collaboration with Malaysian local industries so that Malaysia can become a good leader in Southeast Asia,” he said. – Bernama, June 18, 2018.