UNAIR NEWS – Two Japanese professors, Prof. Noriko Ookubo and Prof. Naoyuki Sakumoto, on Thursday, March 24 gave a general lecture on Environmental Law. Held in Gondowadojo Hall, FH UNAIR, the lecture was attended by dozens of students and moderated by a lecturer of Environmental Law FH UNAIR, Franky Butarbutar.
In the occasion, Prof. Ookubo explained about improvements on Japanese legal policy to protect the rights of the environmental damages’ victims. He also explained legal system improvements conducted by Japan government to minimize environmental pollution.
Improvements, according to the environmental law professor from Osaka University, were made because of Minamata tragedy happened in the fifties. At that time, Minamata of Kumamoto Prefecture suffered nervous function disorder from acute mercury poisoning. After being investigated, the poisoning was from consuming seafood polluted by Chisso battery factory.
Prof. Sakumoto who is a representative of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) talked about the environmental destruction preventive efforts. In his opinion, Asian countries need integrated and comprehensive environmental policy to reduce damages from environmental pollution. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or in Indonesia known as Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) can be an essential instrument to prevent unwanted disasters.
Regarding the general lecture, Vice Dean III FH UNAIR, Dr. Radian Salman explained that the professors were actually visiting for research on the implementation of Indonesian Environmental Management Act. In FH UNAIR, they asked for opinions from the lecturers and experts on environmental law.
“Pak Suparto Wijoyo gave a lot of inputs and suggested related references to them,” he said.
To make their visit more meaningful, they were requested to give general lecture to FH UNAIR students who take environmental law class.
Radian added that both professors in the future are expected to conduct joint-research with FH UNAIR lecturers.
“We also make some effort so that Prof. Sakumoto later on can be a visiting professor in FH UNAIR,” he said. (*)
Author : Yeano Andhika
