CBS, in collaboration with JICA, is hosting a commemorative symposium on
Japan–Bhutan 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations: Hamada City & Ama Town – Bhutan Cooperation and Exchange Commemorative Symposium
Friday, 9 October 2026
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Zhichenkhar, Center for Bhutan & GNH Studies
We warmly invite you to join us for the symposium.
Register Now: https://forms.gle/4dagGz57gp8CNgZA6
Objectives:
- To explore how local communities can become more attractive through youth education and human resource development.
- To examine community and nation building with “happiness” as a key concept.
- To reflect on the relationship between Japan and Bhutan toward sustainable local societies.
About the Speakers:
Mr. Kazuhiko Ohe
Mayor, Ama Town, Shimane Prefecture, Japan
Kazuhiko Ohe is the Mayor of Ama Town, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Born in Ama Town in 1959, he graduated from Shusei Technical College and worked for a construction company before joining the Ama Town Government in 1985. Over his tenure at the town office, he held several key positions, including Director of the Local Production and Local Commerce Division and Director of the Industrial Development Division, before resigning in March 2018. He was elected Mayor of Ama Town in May 2018 and re-elected for a second term in May 2022.
As Director of the Industrial Development Division, he was selected in 2003 as a member of the third group of “People Passionately Promoting Regional Industries,” a program launched by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to recognize individuals making significant contributions to regional economic development. He played a leading role in creating new industries and expanding markets for local products, including seaweed aquaculture, dried sea cucumber, Haruka oysters, and Oki beef, while actively supporting entrepreneurs relocating to Ama Town through Japan’s “I-turn” migration initiatives.
Under the slogan “Building an Island Together with One Heart, Led by All,” Mayor Ohe continues Ama Town’s long-standing policy principles of Independence, Challenge, and Exchange, while pursuing sustainable transformation and preserving the island’s traditional semi-farming, semi-fishing culture and community bonds.
Mr. Hiroki Miura
Mayor, Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan
Hiroki Miura is the Mayor of Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Born on January 29, 1980, in Hamada City, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University. He began his career in July 2004 as Secretary to Members of the House of Representatives Ryutaro Hashimoto and Gaku Hashimoto, and went on to serve as Deputy Executive Director of Japan Results (December 2009) and as a staff member and later Board Director of Tegonet Iwami (2012–2025).
From April 2014, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Shimane Promotion Co., Ltd. He was elected to the Hamada City Council in October 2017 and re-elected for a second term in October 2021, before assuming office as Mayor of Hamada City in October 2025.
Mayor Miura’s hobbies include flowers and DJing. He counts Ryutaro Hashimoto as the person he admires most, and lives by the personal motto “Mujisho” (non-self nature / emptiness).
Mr. Karma Wangdi
Chief Research Officer, Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS), Thimphu, Bhutan
Karma Wangdi is currently the Chief Research Officer at the Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS), Thimphu, Bhutan. He has been actively involved in advancing research on Gross National Happiness (GNH) and wellbeing in Bhutan. He coordinated and led the 2010 GNH Survey and co-authored the survey report with three other colleagues. He also served as the Chief Coordinator for the 2015 and 2022 Nationwide GNH Surveys.
Karma is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Bhutan Studies (JBS), a biannual publication of the Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies. He also served as a member of the Research Ethics Board of Health (REBH), the Institutional Review Board of the Ministry of Health, Bhutan, from 2013 to 2021.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Sherubtse College, Bhutan, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Canberra, Australia, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Development Management from the Royal Institute of Management, Bhutan.
Mr. Norbu Wangchuk
Curriculum Specialist, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Bhutan
Norbu Wangchuk is a Curriculum Specialist at the Curriculum and Support for Curriculum Development (CSCD) division, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Bhutan. With over 30 years of experience in teaching, school leadership, district education administration, curriculum development, and education programme management, he currently leads curriculum development in the Social Sciences — including Geography, History, Social Studies, Economics, Health & Physical Education, Art Education, and Values Education — and is closely involved in aligning Bhutan’s National School Curriculum with international standards benchmarked to Cambridge.
Over his career, he has served as Chief Programme Officer at the Department of Curriculum Research & Development, District Education Officer in Samdrup Jongkhar, and Principal or Vice Principal at several schools across Bhutan, including Chapcha, Gedu, and Jigme Sherubling Higher Secondary Schools. He has developed numerous textbooks and curriculum frameworks, including Geography textbooks for Classes VII–VIII and IX–XI, and has led national teacher orientation and professional development programmes, including training under the new Cambridge-aligned curriculum.
He holds a Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies from the University of Newcastle, Australia, an M.A. in Geography (Geomorphology) from the University of Pune, India, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the National Institute of Education, Samtse, and a Bachelor of Arts from Sherubtse College, Bhutan. He was conferred the Civil Service Award for Dedicated Service by His Majesty the King in both 2013 and 2023.