Japan was the first country outside Europe and North America to make the transition from high fertility and mortality to low fertility and mortality. Its example has given hope to many high-fertility countries in Asia and beyond.

　

APDA was established in February 1982 as a result of a strong request from the participants at the Asian Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (ACPPD) held in October 1981, who felt there was a need to create an institutional basis for supporting parliamentarians' activities on population and development. Since its establishment, APDA has not only supported various parliamentary activities but has also conducted numerous surveys and research projects on population and development in Japan and other countries in Asia. Through its work, APDA has contributed to enhancing health and welfare and promoting economic and social development in Asia.

　

The ACPPD also led to the creation of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) in March 1982. Since then AFPPD has taken on vital issues of population and development in close collaboration with parliamentarians throughout Asia, taking into account the unique situation in each country. At the base of its activities was the pioneering initiative of the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP), which, since its establishment in 1974, has been replicated in other parts of the world as a model for parliamentarians groups on population and development.

　

APDA is both the Secretariat of JPFP and the Tokyo Office of AFPPD. At the same time, it maintains close relationship with United Nations bodies and parliamentary organizations throughout the world, receives the cooperation of the Japanese government and related organizations and countries outside the region, and develops activities concerned with the ever-diversifying population and development issues in Asia and Japan. As such it makes a unique contribution to population and development.

　

UNFPA has proudly worked and continues to work with APDA, JPFP and AFPPD in a collaborative effort to advance the understanding and implementation of population programmes throughout Asia and the world. Together we concentrate on funding and creating an enabling environment for the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo 1994), with a crosscutting focus on gender equity and women's empowerment. We at UNFPA are proud of this important partnership and look forward to future years of collaboration and continued success in the pursuit of the mission we share.