Sinotech Engineering Services, LTD.  is commissioned by the Department of Chemical Management, Ministry of Environment, to implement the “2025–2026 International Conventions and International Exchange Program on Chemical Substance Management.” Under this program, from November to December 2025, the company assigned Ms. Li Yi-Hsin, Senior Project Manager of the Circular Economy Division, and Engineer Mr. Liao Yu-Hsien to accompany staff from the Department of Chemical Management to Japan, assisting the Ministry of Education’s “Youth Overseas Dream-Building Fund – In the Shadow of Mercury: From Minamata to the World” study visit.

The visit focused on in-depth exchanges with the Minamata City Government in Kumamoto Prefecture, the Minamata Environmental Research Institute, and Kumamoto Prefectural University. Through on-site visits to local governments, private enterprises, research institutes, and universities, the delegation gained a deeper understanding of the development of Minamata’s mercury contamination remediation, health care for victims, and environmental monitoring systems. The group also visited local environmental museums and the Eco Park to learn how historical memory, environmental restoration, and community participation can be effectively integrated.

In addition to supporting the smooth implementation of the exchange activities, our colleagues actively shared Taiwan’s experience in chemical substance and hazardous pollution management with Japanese counterparts, while drawing on Japan’s practical approaches to risk communication, environmental education, and sustainable development. The observations and outcomes of this visit will serve as an important foundation for SES to further expand international exchanges, continue supporting the government in strengthening the management of mercury and other chemical substances, and promote more in-depth cooperative initiatives at both domestic and international levels.