Professor Dr. Masao Mukaidono

I am pleased to announce that the 2nd Vision Zero Summit will be held in Japan 2022 with our great honor and pride. The aim of the Vision Zero activities is to eliminate the occupational accidents and to promote the safety, health, and well-being of workers by the top management through working hand-in-hand across boundaries with global organizations. There are reasons to have the Vision Zero Summit in Japan.

Firstly, following the 1^st Vision Zero Summit held in Finland, which I also participated in, Japan will take up the baton and contribute to the development of Vision Zero activities internationally.

Secondly, there is the significance of holding Vision Zero Summit for Japan. Although the Zero Accident Campaign started in Japan in 1973 and continues to be active and effective in the field, there are still very few companies in Japan that participate in Vision Zero with active involvement of top management. It is our hope that this opportunity will help Japanese companies to understand its importance, and that it will encourage many more companies to participate in these activities. It is hoped that this will be the start of a link between the bottom-up Japanese approach and the top-down Vision Zero.

In particular, the concept of collaborative safety from Japan has been utilized in accordance with technologies,　such as robots, AI, mobility at the working space. It certainly allows to integrate such technologies into OSH with giving an impact on the Vision Zero activities.

Also, the Vision Zero Summit Japan 2022 will be evaluating safety, health and well-being from some points of SDGs since well-being has been highlighted as an important factor in measuring the value of management in the workplace. An opportunity will be presented for companies to contribute to the SDGs, with aiming for well-being for the workers all over the world.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vision Zero Summit Japan 2022 will be held as an online event based on the support from all people involved in. There is the advantage of being able to participate from all over the world, regardless of location and time, as video will be delivered later on demand. I would like to open up the positive aspects of this summit for the new normal era and take it as the great opportunity. Through the web event, I wish that it will be a true global place where people from many fields can actively discuss Safety, Health, and Well-being for all workers around the world.