From 7th to 22nd November, a Chinese team of seven representatives from Guizhou Province and one from the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) visited Japan to learn about rural life improvement, and community health, including population, reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP), and social welfare activities.

This is the second time this year counterparts from the JICA-supported poverty reduction project in China have visited Japan to undergo training through JOICFP.

In Tokyo, the visitors received lectures on various aspects of community health, as well as on rural life improvement from the Japan Agricultural Development and Extension Association.

One of the Chinese counterparts tries
on a weighty pregnancy simulator

Field trip

In Iwate Prefecture, the team visited the prefectural office and were informed of prefectural health activities under the national 10-year plan "Healthy Japan in the 21st Century," and life improvement activities, including eco-farming.

At a local NGO, the Iwate Health Service Association, the visitors were interested to observe preventive health care services that are provided on a fee-paying basis in collaboration with the local government to the business community, thereby assisting with sustainability. They also observed client friendly services in a women-only clinic for health checks such as for uterine and breast cancer.

Looking at uterine cancer cells

Remote rural area

Nishiwaga town is in a remote mountainous area of Iwate that experiences heavy snowfall. Post-WW II, poverty, disease, and high infant mortality were serious problems. Community leaders worked ceaselessly "to save the lives of the village," and in 1960 the "new life movement" motivated every villager to take part in community activities such as life improvement, health and nutrition.

The Chinese counterparts were very impressed by the courage and hard work of those community people, and how the village had turned adversity into success.

This old road tunnel is now used
as a refrigerator by Nishiwaga

The visitors were told about the importance of organizing farmers' groups for self-support by a representative of a Japan Agricultural cooperative, and they also visited a farmer's house to see the life of a typical farmer and how the cooperative raises living standards through technical guidance.

A representative of the farmer's cooperative
explains how a rice strain was developed
to withstand the harsh climate of the area

On this farm in Iwate there are Chinese working
as farm hands

In Tokuda Primary School, the team learned about school health activities, and met with children who impressed them their sanitary habits and discipline.

Through lectures, observation and discussions, the Chinese team learned valuable lessons that can be adapted for use in the project area in China.