The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) held the WMO International Symposium on Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) and Service Delivery on 16 March 2015 at Tohoku University's International Research Institute for Disaster Science (IRIDeS) in conjunction with the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR, held from 14 to 18 March) in Sendai, Japan. Attendees gave a number of important presentations on MHEWS, and an active panel discussion was held with input from more than 100 participants from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and relevant organizations, including the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

At the symposium, Mr Noritake Nishide (Director-General of JMA and Permanent Representative (PR) of Japan with WMO) provided welcome remarks and a closing address, and Dr Masashi Nagata (Director-General of JMA's Meteorological Research Institute) gave a presentation on the impacts and applications of science and technology in regard to the evolution of MHEWS.

Group photo

Secretary-General of WMO, Mr Micheal Jarraud (left) and Deputy Direcor of IRIDeS, Prof. Makoto Okumura (right)

Opening remarks by Mr Nishide (left) and presentation by Dr Nagata (right)

At WCDRR, JMA also contributed to two Working Sessions, a Public Forum, and a special joint exhibit by WMO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO/IOC), and JMA.

Dr Nagata at the Working Session on Early Warning (HFA Priority 2) (14 March)

Mr Nishide at the Working Session on Lessons from Mega Disasters (15 March)

Public Forum on Tsunami Early Warning and Public Awareness — making communities around the globe resilient (18 March)

Special joint exhibit by WMO, UNESCO/IOC and JMA

During WCDRR, JMA's Sendai Regional Headquarters (SRHQ) hosted courtesy visits to its Director-General and gave tours of its operation centers to Dr Jayeshwue Raj Dayal (Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, Disaster and Beach Management, Mauritius), Mr Jacob Nkomoki (Director of the Meteorological Department, Zambia) and Mr Ivan Cacic (Director of the Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Croatia)

Minister of Environment, Sustainable Department, Disaster and Beach Management of Mauritius, Dr Jayeshwue Raj Dayal

Director of the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia, Mr Ivan Cacic

Director of the Meteorological Department of Zambia, Mr Jacob Nkomoki

From 15 to 20 March 2015, leaders of NMHSs such as the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Turkmen Hydrometeorology Committee visited JMA's Headquarters in Tokyo. They paid courtesy visits to Mr Nishide and Dr Toshihiko Hashida (Director-General of JMA's Forecast Department), and were given tours of JMA's operational centers.

Director-General of FMI, Prof. Petteri Taalas

Coordinating Director of CMO, Mr Tyrone W. Sutherland

Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management for the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, Dr Holly A. Bamford

Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Hydrometeorology of Turkmenistan, Mr Orazmammedov Murad