Tatsuo Yada
Chairman of AUICK
(Mayor of Kobe)

The world's population surpassed five billion on 11 July 1987. In a bid to draw public awareness to growing population concerns, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has named 11 July "World Population Day". Today, the United Nations' estimate of world population has climbed above 6.7 billion (2006 estimate). While this alarming growth rate is expected to start declining in the future, world population is likely to continue increasing, and it is estimated to reach 7.9 billion in 2025 and 9.2 billion in 2050. The population explosion, particularly in Asia where it is coupled with rapid urbanisation, has been causing serious problems in areas such as employment, housing, transportation, water supply, and the environment.

Since its establishment on 12 April 1989, Asian Urban Information Center of Kobe (AUICK) has been working actively on population and urban issues in medium-sized Asian cities through research, information dissemination, and the training of senior administrative officials. 

Following the advice of the International Advisory Committee and the UNFPA, AUICK 's 2004-2007 project has focused our activities on imparting knowledge and experience of urban development issues to nine selected cities -referred to as AUICK Associate Cities, or AACs - so as to use our limited resources to best effect. Through each city making and implementing AUICK training program guided urban action plans (which are then assessed by follow-up reports and city visits), we have created a more effective and visible system of urban imporovement and evaluation. This has enhanced the network of international cooperation among Asian cities, which AUICK and the Kobe International Center for Cooperation and Communication (KIC), with the support of Kobe City Goverrnment and the UNFPA have been building for the last eighteen years - resulting in greater improvement of urban conditions within those cities.

AUICK is looking ahead and we remain committed to our mission. We intend to continue our activities by providing important and useful information, and working in tandem with governments, concerned local administrative organizations, international organizations and research institutions, both in and outside of Japan. We ask for your continued cooperation and support. Thank you.

1 April 2007 

Downtown Kobe photographed by Nobuyuki Morimoto on 24 March 2006
from the building of the Kobe Branch, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.