Ambassador Noor, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, visits
Yokohama before the “APEC Japan 2010 in YOKOHAMA”
to be held in November this year.
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN –Thursday, March 11, 2010 - On March 3, 2010, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat※１, Ambassador Muhamad Noor Yacob has visited Yokohama for an inspection tour toward APEC(Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) in November in Yokohama. The Executive Director Noor visited Japan to attend the “APEC Japan 2010: First Senior Officials' Meeting” held on February 22-23 in Hiroshima and made a courtesy call on METI Minister Naoshima on March 2. On March 3, Mr. Noor visited Yokohama and talked with Mayor of the City of Yokohama, Fumiko Hayashi the first time. In addition, Mr. Noor made an inspection at PACIFICO Yokohama which Yokohama City recommends as the venue of APEC Japan 2010 Leaders Week, and the accommodations in the vicinity, and an institution which shows an environmental model house located in Minato Mirai 21 district
※１ Previously, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat was transferred to Singapore in turns each year from the host meｍber economy of APEC. Starting this January, for the purpose of enhancement of APEC Secretariat leadership, APEC has decided to set a dedicated Executive Director which assumes a three- year term, instead of rotating system. Mr. Noor is the first dedicated Executive Director. *Please refer to the following page for Mr. Noor’s profile.
【Inspection details and comments of Executive Director Noor】
◆Fully-functional institutions to accommodate an international convention
Yokohama City acts as the host of various international conventions such as 2002 FIFA World Cup
TM final game and the 4
th Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The compact conferencing is made possible with a good access from Haneda Airport and the downtown of Tokyo, the accommodations with enough quality and quantity, PACIFICO Yokohama which are fully equipped with the function and infrastructure that is necessary for an international conference. In addition, the Minato Mirai 21 district where these convention facilities concentrate is located in waterfront, characterized by beautiful scenery around the port.
In the Minato Mirai 21 district, Mr. Noor received the explanation of the institution summary of "Pacifico Yokohama", and the inspected the hotels where that leaders will plan to stay. The Executive Director Noor is quoted by saying,
"I was greatly impressed with various institutions that are scheduled to be used during the convention." at the meeting with Mayor Hayashi.
◆"Hospitality" fully supported by the city
The Executive Director Noor referred to a countdown electric signboard and a big banner of APEC which are installed in front of the city hall and mentioned that
“I realized that preparations are progressing very well by full support of the city with the leadership of the mayor”. And Mayor Hayashi replied, “We are going ahead through the preparations with citizens to invite APEC with the best hospitality” and told that “We make sure of security by cooperation with both the guard held and the police.”
◆“Environmental Model City” Yokohama
In addition, Mr. Noor visited “Yokohama Home Collection” at Minato Mirai 21 district which shows an environmental model house. By inspecting the model house with energy-efficient gas generation / hot water supply heating system, household fuel cell and a photovoltaics(PV) system, Mr. Noor said,
“These initiatives are very important and will contribute much to the environmental issues. “Sustainable growth” which is being argued as a new growth model of APEC and the leaders who participate in APEC leaders meeting in November are also able to inspect such important initiatives in Yokohama.”
The City of Yokohama has been designated by the Japanese government in July 2008 as an “Environmental Model City” as its challenge of actions, such as large reduction of the greenhouse gas, to realize the low-carbon society.
Under the CO-DO30※２ which was formulated in January, 2008, the City of Yokohama will enhance the furtherance of PV/ the solar heat use system in the personal house in fiscal 2010, so that the renewable energy which is kind to the earth will spread out in the city. In addition, the city will provide aid for the replacement to aｎ electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid car while creating a good environment for the user by increasing the charging facilities. Moreover, the city will take actions to mitigate climate change in the local areas, such as the setting of photovoltaic power generation facilities to a local community hall and the LED crime prevention lights.
※２ CO-DO30 is Yokohama’s action plans to mitigate climate change, which sets mid-and-long term goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city and attempts to achieve the goals. Specifically, it targets 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per one citizen by the year 2025.
【Mayor Hayashi’s comments on the meeting with the Executive Director Noor】
The City of Yokohama is pushing forward preparations with citizens to invite APEC Japan 2010 in the best hospitality. We will try our very best so that all the people involved are satisfied enough to say, “It is great that APEC was held in Yokohama.” Furthermore, we continue to conduct security trainings from last year, and will make doubly sure by cooperation with the local police.
We are conscious of “International-city Yokohama”, and taking advantage of the APEC in YOKOHAMA opportunity, we are expecting that Yokohama will be better known to many more people.
We would like to further vitalize the City of Yokohama by taking advantage of the globalization of Haneda Airport or an action for an international hub port of Yokohama Port this year other than APEC 2010.
【Biography of Executive Director Noor】
Muhamad Noor Yacob
1951 December 3, born in Malaysia (age58)
1974 Bachelor of Economics, University of Malaya, Malaysia
1982 Master of Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
2002 Advanced Management Programme, Harvard Business School, USA
1996 Head of Planning and Policy Research and Chief Information Officer
2001 Deputy Secretary General, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Malaysia
2003 -2009 Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the World Trade Organization
2010- Executive Director of the APEC secretariat (three-year term, first term)
Media Liaison Subdivision, Management & Planning Bureau, City of Yokohama
- Created:11 Mar.2010
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