THERE is an urgent need for faster reform and greater funding around water security in the region, says Asia Development Bank President Masato Kanda. Speaking at a symposium marking Japan’s Water Day, Kanda said water is central not only to public health but also to food systems, energy supply and broader economic growth. In a world unsettled by conflict and volatile energy markets, he added, “the link between water and energy security has rarely mattered more.” “Water security is not merely a resource issue. Japan established Water Day and Water Week in 1977, reflecting what Kanda described as a national commitment to shared responsibility for water.