[Official Report] 1st Japan RV Association “Camper Symposium with Tokyo Camper Show”
*Neo Project Co., Ltd.*
Press release: July 26, 2024
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[Official Report] 1st Japan RV Association “Camper Symposium with Tokyo Camper Show”
Saturday, July 20, 2024, the 1st Japan RV Association “Camper Symposium with “Tokyo Camper Show” was held at Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 8. This symposium was planned as part of the Tokyo Camper Show, the largest camper car exhibition in Tokyo, which is held once a year, and as a forum for exploring new possibilities for camper cars and continuously discussing how they connect with society. it was done. The theme of the first session was “Camper vans and disaster prevention.” A variety of panelists took to the stage and exchanged opinions on the relationship between campers and disaster prevention, and their future.
We would like to ask all members of the press to cover this matter in their media.
【overview】
◆Title: 1st Japan RV Association “Camper Symposium with Tokyo Camper Show” ◆Date and time: Saturday, July 20, 2024 (after the Tokyo Camper Show 2024 1st day)
◆Location: Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 8 (within the Tokyo Camper Show 2024 venue) ◆Panelists
Jun Tamura (talent)
Tetsuya Akejo (Secretary General, NPO National Disaster Volunteer Support Group Network)
Andoris (outdoor disaster prevention guide)
Kenji Araki (Chairman, Japan RV Association)
Host: Yoshinari Tsuji (free announcer)
* Part 1: Japan RV Association’s response report to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake*
In the first part of the symposium, Kenji Araki, president of the Japan RV Association, reported on details of support activities in response to the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
Regarding the use of campervans in the disaster-stricken areas, Chairman Araki said, “In the disaster-stricken areas, there was a lack of lodging facilities for employees and groups that came to Ishikawa Prefecture from all over the country for earthquake relief.Therefore, we convened 60 campervans from member companies. They were dispatched to disaster-stricken areas and used as lodging facilities for local government employees.”
“Although we have only just started, the association as a whole would like to utilize camper vans more effectively than ever before and to create a system that can surely be used for disaster relief. Recognition of camper vans as vehicles equipped with disaster prevention functions. I want to work on expanding and establishing it,” he said, conveying his extraordinary thoughts to the audience.
Part 2: Panel discussion
In the second part of the panel discussion, a multifaceted discussion took place regarding the relationship between campers and disaster prevention. Those who took the stage were entertainer Jun Tamura, Tetsuya Akejo, executive director of the NPO National Network of Disaster Volunteer Support Groups, Andorisu, an outdoor disaster prevention guide, and Kenji Araki, president of the Japan RV Association.
*Panel discussion theme and discussion content*
* [Agenda 1.] What kind of disaster is the Noto Peninsula earthquake? * Tetsuya Akejo: He called the disaster a test of Japan’s ability to respond to disasters, pointed out the delay in providing meals, and raised issues with Japan’s ability to respond. “For example, with regard to meals, there were situations in which rice and bread were not delivered to the affected areas, and the fact that it took a long time to deliver them shows that Japan’s ability to respond has deteriorated.”
Andris: “Future disasters are condensed,” he said, pointing out the challenges of disaster prevention and evacuation centers in an aging society. She said, “I saw with my own eyes that the infrastructure was no longer usable and the evacuation centers were becoming like nursing homes,” and warned that this could happen in future disasters.
Atsushi Tamura: “Recovery is only halfway done” and emphasized the gap between the actual situation on the ground and media reports. “When I went to the site on April 4, the media reported that reconstruction had already begun, but in reality the roads were still in a mess and there was no water or gas,” he said. conveyed the voices of the people.
Kenji Araki: He said that he was reminded of the difficulties of providing support due to the location of Noto, saying, “Access is poor and recovery is difficult.” “However, I felt that something like this could happen anywhere in Japan, so I felt very anxious,” he said, seeming to be able to see issues such as future support measures in the event of a disaster. was.
* [Agenda 2.] Advantages and future challenges of supporting camper vans * Tetsuya Akejo: I mentioned the self-sufficiency of a camper as “the ability to be self-sufficient.” “Camper vans can provide
self-sufficient support at disaster sites, and the challenge is to what extent they can provide self-sufficient support.”
Andouris: We emphasized that campers are comfortable for disaster victims as an “all-in-one” vehicle. “When attending the symposium, we heard from supporters that they wanted a campervan.That’s why campers are so attractive to disaster victims.”
Atsushi Tamura: He cited “high mobility” and talked about the importance of campervan mobility in disaster-stricken areas. “By taking advantage of the high mobility of campervans and using them as lodging facilities in disaster-stricken areas, we can support recovery efforts.”
Kenji Araki: Using RVIA’s efforts in the United States as an example, he suggested the future of campers. “RVIA owns a large number of camper vans, which they usually rent out to campgrounds, and have built a system to use them for support in times of disaster.Such efforts are necessary in Japan as well.”
* [Agenda 3.] Camper vans and the possibility of disaster prevention * Tetsuya Akejo: He emphasized the importance of campers as lodging facilities for supporters. “At first, NPO supporters responded by sleeping in their cars, but having a camper van improved the quality of support,” he said.
Atsushi Tamura: He talked about the importance of owning a campervan from the perspective of disaster prevention, saying, “Having a campervan in your family can help you rely on it.” “Camper vans are important not only for everyday leisure, but also as evacuation sites for families in times of disaster,” he said.
Andris: We emphasized the usefulness of campers as “evacuation vehicles for pets, the elderly, and people in need of medical care.” “Camper vans serve as shelters and are great allies for vulnerable people,” he said.
Kenji Araki: We proposed the importance of local governments owning camper vans. “By having each local government in the country own one camper van, we will be able to create a system in which a large number of campers can quickly gather at the site in the event of a
disaster.”
* [Agenda 4.] Expectations for the camper car industry *
Tetsuya Akejo: I called for unity as an industry. “In times of disaster, trust is created when the entire industry comes together to provide support, rather than individual companies supporting each other individually.”
Atsushi Tamura: We proposed the introduction of a subsidy system at the time of purchase, and appealed for the creation of a system to dispatch campers in the event of a disaster. “Supporting the purchase of campervans with subsidies and creating a flow for dispatching the campervans in the event of a disaster will lead to the development of the campervan industry.”
Andris: We proposed a system of multiple ownership of camper vans and car sharing. “By sharing a campervan with multiple people, more people will be able to use it.”
Kenji Araki: He emphasized the importance of industry unity and new initiatives. “The industry as a whole will advance new initiatives with the aim of owning rental campers and establishing an emergency response scheme.”
*What is “Japan RV Association”?*
Members of camper car manufacturing and sales businesses that are engaged in activities to popularize, develop the market, and improve the environment with the theme of “Creating a culture of camper cars in Japan!” with the aim of creating a culture of car travel and sleeping in cars. It is an organization made up of.
*JRVA is an abbreviation for “JAPAN RECREATIONAL VEHICLE ASSOCIATION,” the English name of the Japan RV Association.
●Japan RV Association website: https://www.jrva.com/
●Japan RV Association official Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jrva.official/
●Japan RV Association Official Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/rvpark.jrva?locale=ja_JP
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