APRC/00/INF/1


 

TWENTY-FIFTH FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Yokohama, Japan, 28 August-1 September 2000

INFORMATION NOTE

 

Conference arrangements

1. The FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific will be held at Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan from 28 August to 1 September 2000. The inaugural ceremony of the plenary session will take place at 1000 hours on 31 August 2000.

2. The normal working hours of the Conference will be 0930 to 1230 hours and 1430 to 1730 hours, unless otherwise decided by the Conference.

3. An Order of the Day will be issued daily, giving detailed information of the Conference business, the timetable of meetings, items to be discussed and other information of general interest.

4. The Provisional Annotated Agenda (APRC/00/1) has been circulated with the invitation letter.

5. FAO will provide the Secretary of the Conference, assisted by a number of FAO staff whose names and functions will be included in a list to be issued on the first day of the Conference.

Working languages

6. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in Chinese, English and French. The documentation will be issued in French, Chinese and English.

Press liaison and information

7. For the duration of the Conference, an FAO Information Officer together with a Press Officer of the Government of Japan will provide contacts with the press and be responsible for matters concerning information to the public.

8. Journalists will be accredited on presenting two passport size photographs and a letter of assignment from their editor or employer to the accreditation desk at the Conference venue.

Documentation

9. The working documents will be sent to all governments and organizations invited, before the holding of the Conference. Documents drafted during the Conference will be available at the document distribution desk, outside the conference hall. The desk will also deliver mail and messages and deal with general inquiries.

Draft recommendations and amendments

10. Delegates who wish to submit draft recommendations or other documents requiring a decision by the Conference are requested to hand their texts in French or English to the Conference Secretary, if possible in three typewritten copies. Delegates wishing to circulate other written material related to the agenda of the Conference are requested to deliver 25 copies in French, 15 copies in Chinese and 100 copies in English to the Secretariat for distribution.

Advance communications of text of speeches and statements

11. When prepared speeches or statements are to be made, it helps the Secretariat and ensures accuracy in interpretation, if three typed copies of the texts are handed to the Secretariat of the Conference beforehand.

Correspondence

12. All correspondence concerning the regional Conference should be addressed to the Conference Secretary at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200 Thailand, tel: 66-2-281-7844, fax: 66-2-280-0445, e-mail: [email protected] and copied to the government Liaison Officer at the addresses below:

Mr Takafumi Tahara
Director
International Cooperation Planning Division
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100-8950 Japan
Tel.: 81-3-3502-8111 (ext. 2840) and 81-3-3501-4095 (direct)
Fax: 81-3-3502-8083
E-mail: [email protected]

During the Conference the address of the Conference Secretary is:

Mr Donato Antiporta
Conference Secretary
25th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific
Tel.: 81-45-223-6085
Fax: 81-45-223-6086
E-mail: [email protected]

13. Telephone and facsimile services as well as a travel and tourist information desk will be provided at the Conference premises. Postal services are available at the hotel concierge and at a nearby post office.

Formalities for entry into Japan

14. As the Conference Secretariat cannot assist in facilitating an entry visa upon arrival, travellers to Japan must have a valid visa. An entry visa to Japan, if required, should be obtained prior to the date of travel from a nearest mission or consulate of Japan.

15. Participants are advised to provide advance notice at least three weeks prior to arrival of the name of carrier, flight number, time of arrival and other related information to the Liaison Officer in Tokyo, to ensure that they are properly met on arrival at the New Tokyo International Airport (Narita). Participants are advised to mark their luggage clearly in order to facilitate identification.

16. On arrival at the New Tokyo International Airport (Narita), participants will be met and transport to their respective hotels will be provided, if they request the Government Liaison Officer in advance. Entrance formalities (customs and immigration) will be facilitated for ministerial level. Transport from hotels to the airport will be arranged at the end of the Conference.

17. All participants to the Conference are advised to finalise, at an early date, return travel arrangements. Immediately upon arrival in Japan, participants are advised to contact the travel desk at the conference premises for special internal visits for spouses and for the reconfirmation of their departure date and time.

Foreign exchange and banking

18. The monetary unit is the Yen (¥). At the conference premises, a bank/foreign exchange desk will be available to convert only US$ to ¥. At the time of going to press the exchange rate is approximately ¥105/US$ (April 2000).

Medical services and first aid

19. First aid services will be available at the conference premises. Emergency medical services will be provided by a nearby large general hospital.

Hotel accommodation

20. Requests for hotel reservations should be made on the printed form appearing in Annex A, as soon as possible, but not later than 30 June 2000, by sending the original to the Conference Liaison Officer at Tokyo and a copy to the Conference Secretary at Bangkok, Thailand (see para 12 above).

21. Accommodation will be available for participants and their families at the hotels listed in Annex B.

Registration

22. All delegates and observers are requested to register, soon after arrival, at the Conference hall or Navios Yokohama, so that they can be provided with identification tags. The registration desk at the conference hall will be open on Sunday, 27 August 2000 from 1000 to 1800 hours and on Monday, 28 August 2000 from 0830 hours. The registration desk at Navios Yokohama will be open on Sunday, 27 August 2000 from 1000 to 1800 hours. The Conference Secretariat will issue a Provisional List of Participants on the first day of the Conference. The Secretariat should be notified of any corrections or additions to this list. Only registered participants will be issued special badges, which will permit them to enter the Conference meeting venues.

Weather and time

23. Yokohama is located about 35 degrees north of the equator. During the month of August the average temperature in Yokohama ranges around 25/300C. It is advisable to bring light cotton clothing. Japan is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

Electricity

24. The voltage in Japan is 100 volts AC (50 HZ).


ANNEX A

HOTEL RESERVATION AND NOTIFICATION OF ARRIVAL FORM

1. Name:_______________________________________________________________
                Family name                                  Given names
2. Country/organisation:____________________________________________________
3. Title and position:_____________________________________________________
4. Address (postal):_______________________________________________________

telephone:____________  fax:________________   e-mail:____________________

5. Attending as:   ___  Delegate            ____ Observer          ____  Secretariat 
6. Accompanied by spouse:   __ Yes   If so, name of spouse: _______________________
                                         __  No
7. Dates of anticipated stay in Japan: _______________ to ________________
8. Arrival information: Date:_____________________  Hour:_______________

Airline and flight No._______________ From (city):____________________

9. Departure information: Date___________________  Hour_______________

Airline and flight No._______________ From Tokyo

10. Hotel accommodation desired: ___  Single     ___ Twin [# of persons/occupants one two]
                                               ___  Suite

Check in date: _________________ Check out date: ____________________

11. Please indicate hotel names and room codes (see Annex B column 5) by order of preference:

First ________________ Second_________________ Third___________________

 


NOTE: Each participant is required to complete the above form in duplicate and send one copy to each of the addresses below as soon as possible, but not later than 30 June 2000, even if complete flight information is unavailable. You may fax or email flight information details at a later date.

a) Mr Takafumi Tahara
Liaison Officer (FAO Conference)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Tokyo, Japan 
Tel.: 81-3-3502-8111 (ext.2840)
81-3-3501-4095 (direct)
Fax: 81-3-3502-8083
E-mail: [email protected]
b) Mr Donato Antiporta
Conference Secretary
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel.: 66-2-281-7844
Fax: 66-2-280-0445
E-mail: [email protected]

 


ANNEX B

LIST OF HOTELS

Address Distance to Conference Venue Room Tariff (occupancy) Room
Code
*
1. Yokohama Grand Inter- Continental Hotel

1-1-1, Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku,
Yokohama, 220-8522 Japan
Tel: 81-45-223-2222
Fax: 81-45-221-0650

Adjacent to venue Standard Twin**
(24m2)

Deluxe Twin
(38m2)

Suite (84m2)

¥13 860 (one)
¥18 480 (two)

¥16 170 (one) ¥20 790 (two)

¥80 850

A

B

C

2. Pan Pacific Hotel Yokohama

2-3-7, Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku,
Yokohama, 220-8543 Japan
Tel: 81-45-682-2222
Fax: 81-45-682-2223

3 minutes on foot Twin (40m2) ¥17 325 (one)
¥23 100 (two)
D
3. Navios Yokohama

Shinko-cho, Naka-ku,
Yokohama, 231-0001 Japan
Tel: 81-45-633-6000
Fax: 81-45-633-6001

10 minutes on foot Single (19m2)

Twin** (29m2)

¥7 900
¥9 450 (Fri & Sat)

¥14 175
¥16 065 (Fri & Sat)

E

F

N.B. Tariffs include service charge and tax, but exclude breakfast.

*Please indicate room codes on the hotel reservation and notification of arrival form (Annex A)

**Number of rooms is limited. A different type may be substituted despite your request.