East Asian Insurance Day
Oct. 13, 2017
One of the most important activities of the General Insurance Association of Japan (GIAJ) is to promote mutual understanding and interchanges with overseas general insurance markets through the exchange of information and opinions, including active participation in the East Asian Insurance Congress (EAIC), which is the biggest international insurance conference in Asia.
On the occasion of the East Asian Insurance Day, which was launched in 2006 by the EAIC to help the public gain a better understanding of the role of insurance in East Asia, Mr. Noriyuki Hara, the Chairman of the GIAJ has delivered a message both at home and abroad.
In addition, we are delighted to share with you a message from Mr. Toshifumi Kitazawa, EAIC Committee Member (Tokyo).
Greetings in commemoration of the East Asian Insurance Day
To commemorate the "East Asian Insurance Day" (October 18), which was established by the East Asian Insurance Congress (EAIC), I would like to send my heartfelt greetings on behalf of the General Insurance Association of Japan (GIAJ). The EAIC, which held its first congress in Tokyo on October 18, 1962 with only around 20 overseas participants, has grown into the largest insurance congress in Asia with more than 1,200 attendees from 30 countries and regions. With the purpose of promoting the role and importance of insurance, as well as the activities of the EAIC in each region, the East Asian Insurance Day was enacted at the 23rd congress held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei in 2006. This year, we are holding our eleventh annual day and I believe that the cooperation of all members is very beneficial for the development of a sound insurance industry as well as a prosperous society in East Asia.
Mr. Noriyuki Hara, Chairman
The General Insurance Association
of Japan (GIAJ)
On the East Asian Insurance Day, the GIAJ will implement the following initiatives to promote the role and importance of insurance, as well as the the activities of the EAIC. We will continue these efforts together with our member companies in the future.
1) Exhibit displays at the GIAJ, which will introduce the purpose, history and activities of the EAIC to our visitors.
2) Utilize the GIAJ's website and insurance business publications for communication and public affairs.
3) Contact more than 2,000 ISJ graduates to encourage them to attend the next EAIC.
Every year since 1972, the GIAJ has been the host of the Insurance School (Non-Life) of Japan (ISJ), an international insurance technical assistance program for industry professionals in East Asia. The ISJ was established in response to an EAIC's request and a recommendation by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). With a history of 45 consecutive years of assistance to professionals of the insurance industry in East Asia, the ISJ has more than 2,000 graduates and is highly praised by all participating countries and regions, today. We believe that the East Asian Insurance Day is a day to recognize the long history and close relationship between the ISJ and the EAIC.
On May 29, we marked our 100th anniversary. Over the past 100 years, we have experienced various environmental changes and our industry has grown steadily in line with the progress of society through responding appropriately to those changes. In future, it is expected that technological innovations, shifts in global demography and effects through climate change will transform our societies and economies with an unprecedented speed. Under these circumstances, our mutual understanding and close cooperation are becoming even more important in order to be able to continuously provide our excellent solutions to the society.
I hope that the East Asian Insurance Day serves as a good opportunity for all people who work in the industry in all regions to reaffirm the role and importance of insurance for economic and social progress. I offer my warmest congratulations on this commemorative day, and hope the East Asian insurance market will continue to progress far into the future.
On the occasion of the East Asian Insurance Day
One year has passed since I took office as the EAIC Executive Board Member for Tokyo at the 28th East Asian Insurance Congress in Macau in 2016. At the last congress which was held under the theme "The Future of Insurance: Customer-Centricity", delegates representing each city made presentations and actively exchanged opinions on topics such as digitalization, low interest rates, natural disasters, falling birthrates and aging societies. Under the main theme of "Managing Disruptions, Driving Change", the 29th Congress will be held in Manila next May. More than 1,000 people will attend the congress, including not only EAIC regular members from 12 regions of East Asia, but also insurance professionals from across the world. As information and digital technology is expected to disrupt traditional business models, we will discuss and share ways of taking appropriate measures towards such changes. We anticipate that the congress will be a valuable opportunity for EAIC members to work together with insurance professionals from around the globe to develop better solutions.
Mr. Toshifumi Kitazawa
EAIC Committee Member for Tokyo
With each country in Asia achieving steady social and economic development, insurance is playing a greater and more important role in society than ever before. In May this year, the GIAJ held the 'Asia General Insurance Executive Forum' in Tokyo. Together with 18 people from Japan participating including representatives from the Financial Services Agency, the GIAJ invited 16 top executives from supervisory and regulatory bodies and insurance associations in five Asian countries. We will continue to build closer cooperation with each country and region in Asia through various measures such as the forum and the EAIC.
October 18th is East Asian Insurance Day. This day is an opportunity for each member region of the EAIC to promote awareness and understanding of insurance in society, and the importance of EAIC-led activities. Carrying out these common initiatives is beneficial in bringing the various regions of East Asia together to help develop a sound insurance industry, and to contribute to the daily lives of the people and the social progress of the region. I believe that insurance is a wonderful invention created by the wisdom of humanity. It is our mission to provide insurance to as many people as possible, and to spread safety and security in each country. I offer my warmest congratulations on this commemorative day, and hope the initiatives of the EAIC continue to progress far into the future.