The conference was unique as it hosted a special guest from the UK, Mr. James Kitching. Mr Kitching of Wessex Water won the UKSTT’s ‘Young Engineer’s Award’ 2008 and chose Japan for his training course on Trenchless Technology. During his stay, the JSTT invited him to give a speech on ‘Sewer Seal JF’, which was the award winning technology at No-Dig Rome 2007. The title of Mr Kitching's paper was Sewer Seal JF: a modified polyacrylate gel grout to prevent ground water infiltration. The presentation was well received as the new polyacrylate gel has longer life compared to the current gel being used in Japan for sealing infiltration. For a comprehensive report on Mr Kitching’s Japanese visit please turn to page 56

The Conference showcased 25 papers on Trenchless Technology, divided into six sessions:

1. Overseas experience on a Trenchless project 2. Social cost 3. Underground detection 4. Rehabilitation techniques 5. Pipe re-construction techniques (pipe eating) 6. Technologies related to pipe jacking.

The distinctive trend for this year were the many papers on pipe re-construction (also called pipe eating). In Japan many of the old sewer pipes are made of concrete and there has been a demand to re-construct them by pipe jacking. It is sometimes inappropriate to rehabilitate these damaged pipes by lining methods since there are often large gaps or sagging between the pipes, caused by frequent earthquakes. The techniques presented at the conference are able to burst the existing pipe and then emit the pieces to the starting shaft, which means the method does not leave existing pipe segments in the ground.

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The 2009 conference will be the 20th anniversary and the JSTT is planning something special for the occasion.