On 7th December 2004, a 30th anniversary symposium and reception for the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) was held in the Japan Press Center, Tokyo.

Around 250 parliamentarians, representatives of the government, NGOs, academia, the mass media, supporters and international parliamentarians' groups attended, as well representatives from UNFPA and IPPF.

In an opening address, Dr. Taro Nakayama, Chairman, JPFP, and Member, House of Representatives, said that JPFP was founded in 1974 by former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, also a former president of JOICFP, in response to seeing the plight of street children in Calcutta in 1973.

Dr. Nakayama addresses the symposium

He continued by saying that as a result of JPFP activities, many parliamentarian forums on population had been set up in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Addressing the symposium, Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA, thanked the federation for its 30 years of efforts in keeping population and development in the spotlight.

While recognizing past successes, Obaid focused on HIV/AIDS, saying that much more needed to be done, especially for young people. She stressed that the goals of ICPD must kept in mind, and that 2005 was important as it is the tenth anniversary of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, and the year for the five-year review of the MDGs.

Steven Sinding, Director General, IPPF, spoke about his concerns for global reproductive health and rights in light of the reelection of President Bush in the USA. He expressed gratitude to the parliamentarians on behalf of IPPF, and requested that they continue their leadership and support.

Secretary General, JPFP, Kayoko Shimuzu, highlighted the links between population and poverty, and how there were still pressing environmental needs to be addressed. Mentioning the work of Dr. Toshio Kuroda, President, JOICFP, Shimizu emphasized that as the country with the longest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality, Japan possessed wonderful assets it could be proud of, and needed to take a stronger stand in improving the health of the world's people.