The Asian Urban Information Center of Kobe (AUICK) held "The Sixth Workshop on Population and Sustainable Development" in Kobe from May 14 to June 5, 1999, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This workshop, first held in 1994, introduces administrative officials from Asian cities to practical methods of coping with problems caused by rapid concentration of population and industries, based on the experiences of Kobe and other Japanese cities. The workshop covers broad areas including population, family planning, environment, public health and welfare, and waste disposal. Thirteen senior urban administrators from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka participated in the  most recent workshop. 

The workshop lectures were given by Dr. Toshio Kuroda, Advisor of AUICK and Director Emeritus of Population Research Institute of Nihon University; Asst. Prof. Satoshi Nakagawa, Department of Economics of Kobe University; Ms. Risa Asamura, Programme Officer of Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP); and by Kobe City officials. Through lectures, discussions with lecturers, and discussions among themselves, the participants gained insight with which to better shape policies to deal with a wide range of issues caused by population increases.

Observation tours of facilities such as a sewage treatment plant and a waste incineration plant supplemented the lectures and gave the participants a firsthand view of Kobe's urban policies in practice. In addition, they had an opportunity to meet and interact with citizens at the Kobe City Silver College, a facility designed for people over 55 years. The college is located within the Comprehensive Wellness Zone, a municipal facility designed for social activities and recreation.

<Workshop Curriculum>

(Lectures and Lecturers) 
• Demographic Transition and Aging Issue in Japan (Dr. Toshio Kuroda)
• Family Planning Surveys and Their Significance in Japan (Dr. Toshio Kuroda)
• Projections of Urban Population (Asst. Prof. Satoshi Nakagawa)
• Family Planning Practice in Asia and Japan with Reproductive Health Issue (Ms. Risa Asamura)
• Master Plan (Kobe City official)
• Statistics System of Kobe and Japan (Kobe City official)
• Resident Registration System (Kobe City official)
• Aging Society with Fewer Children (Kobe City official)
• Primary Education in Kobe City and Japan (Kobe City official)
• Women's Empowerment and Social Participation (Kobe City official)
• Health Care Service for Mothers and Children in Kobe and Japan (Kobe City official)
• City Planning System (Kobe City official)
• Kobe Municipal Water System (Kobe City official)
• Projects for Residential Waste Disposal (Kobe City official)
• Pollution Control System (Kobe City official)
(Observation Tours)
• Visit to Artificial Island
• Visit to Comprehensive Care Center for the Aged
• Visit to Elementary School
• Visit to Public Health Service Center
• Visit to Comprehensive Wellness Zone and Exchange with Citizens
• Visit to Project Sites for Land Readjustment and Redevelopment
• Visit to Sewage Treatment Center
• Visit to Project Sites for Residential Environment Enhancement
• Visit to Waste Incineration Facility