Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT) started a new national Research Project for Sustainable Coexistence of Human, Nature and the Earth, titled "Advanced Prediction System and Counter Measures of Regional- and Meso-scale Water Cycle "(Global Water Cycle Project: GWCP). Purpose of this project is to make a master plan for the improvement of desert environment. This project will continue from March 2002 until March 2007. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of main contractor organizes an interdisciplinary project team with Frontier Research System for Global Change (FRSGC), National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NRIESDP), Kyoto University, Tottori University and Sophia University in Japan. Frontier Research System for Global Change (FRSGC) studies the mechanism of rainfall in coastal desert to understand and predict desert climate variability using a global circulation model on the Earth Simulator. National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NRIESDP) and Kyoto University develop the integrated regional hydrological cycle model and predicts hydrological cycle and its variability. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) develops the new technology for water resources by sustainable energy, such as solar power. Tottori University develops water recycling-based reforestationAcreation of residential space, development of biological production system. Sophia University evaluates environmental impacts introduced by environmental improvement of coastal desert and its impact on human life

The following results were obtained from the studies of this project for 2002 and 2003. 1) The tropical climate variability from the Indian and Pacific Oceans, viz. the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), dominantly influence the rainfall patterns through the atmospheric teleconnections. Besides, the changes in the Mediterranean Sea and the variabilities originating from the extra-tropical regions are found to influence the rainfall anomalies of the Asir region. 2) The most high-speed computer in the world, called the "Earth Simulator" in FRSGC provides us a scope to resolve complicated terrains and complex surface conditions in supper-high resolution (1kmx1km) in Arabian Peninsula. The results of preliminary simulation indicate that there is a possibility of rain enhancement by greening the desert area of 5,625 square kilometers with low grass.