Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences will be visiting Kyoto (Japan) to take part in an International Conference dedicated to the theme of ‘Science & Technology in the Service of Human kind’. The conference is being hosted by STS Forum; a major NGO supported by the Government of Japan and Chaired by Mr. Koji Omi, former Finance Minister of Japan. The conference will be attended at the ministerial level by over 20 countries including Germany, Brazil, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Mongolia, the Czech Republic, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan etc.
Dr. Kumar is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with the Science & Technology Ministers of Japan, Germany, Thailand, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and Maldives. In addition, Dr. Kumar is also scheduled to have a courtesy meeting with the Prince of Japan on October 4th in Kyoto.
Dr. Kumar will address the Opening Plenary Session of the 8th Annual Meeting of STS Forum on “Science & Technology for the future of Humankind” on October 2nd. He will also address a Ministerial Roundtable meeting on “How Science & Technology can contribute to the construction of a secure and safe society”. The theme of this international conference in Kyoto assumes special significance in view of the Fukushima disaster.
The Minister will also address three meetings i.e. the Japan Centre for Economic Research, Global Forum of Japan and Centre for International Public Policy Studies. Dr. Kumar will speak on the India-Japan engagement and the future of the bilateral relationship at these meetings.