WIREC -- PROPOSED SUBNATIONAL PANELISTS FROM JAPAN

UNCLAS TOKYO 000275 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES STAN SPECHT DEPT ALSO FOR EAP/J HEATHER DRESSER BANGKOK FOR KANCHANA AKSORN-AREE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV TRGY ECON SOCI JA SUBJECT: WIREC -- PROPOSED SUBNATIONAL PANELISTS FROM JAPAN REF: A. AKSORN-AREE EMAIL OF 1/15/08 ¶B. FUKUOKA 0005 Sensitive But Unclassified. Please Handle Accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) In response to request in ref A, propose the following individuals as potential panelists for the WIREC 2008 Subnational Sessions: Dr. Hideaki YUKAWA Director, Microbiology Research Group Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) Visiting Professor, University of California, Davis Address: 9-2 Kizugawadai, Kiagawa-shi, Kyoto 619-0292 Telephone: 81 (0)774-75-2308 Dr. Yukawa is planning to attend the entire WIREC event and could serve as a panelist in the "Renewable Energy Collaboration Opportunities" session to provide a brief overview of RITE and its collaborative work on biofuels research. Governor Yukiko KADA Shiga Prefectural Government Address: 4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu, Shiga 520-8577 Telephone: 81 (0)77-524-0403 Before being elected to office as an independent in 2006, Governor Kada was a professor of environmental sociology at Kyoto Seika University. She has done expert research on pollution and is a champion of improving water quality in Japan's Lake Biwa. Kenji KITAHASHI Mayor of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 1-1 Jonai Kokurakita-ku Kitakyushu City Fukuoka-ken 803-850 Telephone: 81 (0)93-582-2162 Mayor Kitahashi is a former Diet member and chaired the lower house's Committee on Environment. Kitakyushu is home to a number of energy research initiatives, including the recently inaugurated Hydrogenius project, a leading facility for research on hydrogen storage (see ref B). Mr. Atsushi HORIBA President and CEO Horiba Ltd. Address: 2 Miyanohigashi, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8510 Telephone: 81 (0)75-313-8121 Horiba is a leading company working on environmental and energy issues in Kyoto through manufacturing of air pollution measurement devices and products related to energy development. ¶2. (U) Please advise at the earliest opportunity if Post can assist in extending invitations to any proposed officials. SCHIEFFER