JLGC NEWSLETTER­Japan Local Government Center ( CLAIR, New York )Issue No.94 / October 2018

1. Introduction of New
JLGC Staff (Page 1-6)
2. 25th Anniversary of the
CLAIR Fellowship Program(Page 7-8）
3. USJETAA’s Fundraising
for Western Japan (Page 9)

１. Introduction of New JLGC Staff
Shoji Onuma, Assistant Director,
Representative of Shiga Prefecture
Hello! I am Shoji Onuma from Shiga Prefecture,
which is located almost in the center of Japan.
In Shiga, there is the largest fresh waterlake in Japan, Lake Biwa, and we call it“Mother Lake”. The lake is one of the sites
included in the Ramsar Convention, whichaims to preserve internationally important
wetlands and their creatures.
Based on our relationships with our lakes,
Shiga has a Sister State relationship with Michigan, andthis year is the 50th anniversary. Lake Biwa, located in thecenter of Shiga, has 4 million years of history, and occupies
about 1/6 of the prefecture. It supplies water for not only
agriculture and wildlife, but also 14 million people in theKansai region (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, etc.).
We see about 60,000 water fowl visit
annually, and the lake contains about 50
species of fish and 40 species of shellfish.

JAPAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTER
3 Park Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10016-5902
212.246.5542 office • 212.246.5617 fax
www.jlgc.org

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Shiga Prefecture started the “World Lake Conference”, hosted thefirst conference in 1984, and continues to serve as the group’ssecretariat. Every two years, researchers, governments, NGOs, andcitizens gather somewhere in the world to discuss lake and basinissues. As an environmentally-friendly prefecture, Shiga has beentrying to think deeply about the health and wellbeing of lakes
worldwide.
Hikone Castle was completed in 1622, and it has neverbeen deconstructed nor reconstructed, so it is one of theoriginal castles in Japan. The mascot character “Hikonyan” is very cute.
Koka, located in the southern part of Shiga, is the home of the Ninja(Koka Ninja), and nowadays you can visit “Koka Ninja Village”, where
you can experience various Ninja training. All generations can enjoy
this.
Biwako Terrace is in Biwako Valley, where we usually enjoy
winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding. But we can also
enjoy the summer season at the Terrace. The area is surroundedby beautiful mountains, and you can see the great lake in front ofyou. You can also bask in nature while enjoying fresh local foods.
Among these, Omi Beef is one of the top threewagyu (Kobe Beef, Matsuzaka Beef, Omi Beef) inJapan. Although it is not as internationally famous
as Kobe Beef, Omi Beef is very highly valued
because the process of raising cattle in Shiga takes
more time than that for other wagyu. And its
history dates back more than 400 years, which isthe longest among the top three. You can enjoy
Omi Beef in 2 ways, Shabu-shabu (left) andSukiyaki (right)!

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Takahiro Korenaga, Assistant Director, Representative of Wakayama Prefecture
Hello, my name is Takahiro Korenaga from Wakayama Prefecture,
Japan. The climate of Wakayama is mild and it is one of the leading
fruit “kingdoms” in Japan. There are also two World Heritage sites,
plenty of hot springs, cycling courses and experiential oceanadventures .
Do you know where Wakayama is? There are probably few people who can answer accurately.
Facing the Pacific Ocean, Wakayama Prefecture boasts a dramatic
coastline spanning more than 600 km. Located on the Kii Peninsula –the largest peninsula in Japan. Delicious fruits are produced inseason. For example, persimmons, ume plums, mandarin oranges,peaches and more.
For persimmons in particular, exports to the US
have increased since last year, and we are looking
forward to future leaps. In addition, Japanesepeppers are highly valued, mainly in Europe, andare also used for hidden flavor in cocktail
ingredients and sweets.

Persimmon

Japanese pepper
The two World Heritage sites are Koyasan and Kumano. For a culturally
illuminating encounter, stay overnight at one of the 52 Shukubo temples. Each temple has its
own atmosphere, temple services, cultural assets, gardens, and shojin ryori. To enter thequietude, there are activities such as calligraphic sutra copying practice (shakyo). Shakyomeans handcopying scriptures (writings that record the rules of faith), and is one of themonks’ ascetic practices. Focusing on copying by hand relaxes
the heart. Shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) at
Koyasan is completely free of meat, fish ,and strong-smellingvegetables. The importance of cooking methods, seasonings,and color balance is emphasized. Take this rare chance torelish dishes passed down through the ages, including Ko-ya
tofu and sesame tofu specialities.
Shojin-ryori

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Wakayama Prefecture and Galicia State, which is located in the green andlush northwestern corner of Spain, are officially sister states, as both havepilgrimage roads. They have established a permanent friendship asregions with world historical and cultural heritage, "Kumano Kodo" in
Wakayama and " Santiago de Compostela " in Galicia. Both ofthese ancient roads developed historically as pilgrimage routes
around the same time, and share a similar historical andcultural heritage as the basis for spiritual culture. In fact, manypilgrims walk both roads, recognizing this spiritual connection.
If someone accomplishes both the pilgrimage of the “KumanoKodo” and the “Santiago de Compostela”, we will present alimited edition pin badge recognizing these "Two Road Pilgrims".
The Dual Pilgrim logo is a combination of a shell and a threeNachi Waterfall
legged crow (Yatagarasu). The colors are shades of orange, often
seen in beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
This year, the "World Tsunami Day 2018 High School Student Summit" was held inWakayama Prefecture, which is closely related to the "World Tsunami Day". In December
2015, a resolution jointly proposed by 142 countries including Japan on establishing a World
Tsunami Awareness Day, with the objectives of enhancing people’s awareness of tsunami andstrengthening tsunami countermeasures, was adopted by consensus at the Plenary Meeting of
the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The proposed date is based on an anecdote and example of agood practice known in Japan as “Inamura-no-hi” (the burningof rice sheaves) which took place on the 5th of November 1854.
Hamaguchi Goryo saved the lives of many villagers by setting
his rice sheaves on fire as a warning when a tsunami hit hisvillage following a major earthquake.
Inamura-no-Hi no Yakata
That achievement has continued to be handed down as a symbol of tsunami disasterprevention still applicable today. Hirokawa Town in Wakayama Prefecture has the“Inamurano-Hi no Yakata”. It consists of the Hamaguchi Goryo Archives and Tsunami Educational
Center , in order to learn from and hand down the achievements and spirit of Goryo.

Also, another famous historical incident in Wakayama is the sinking of the Ertugrul in 1890.
The Ertugrul encountered a typhoon and the vessel ultimately broke up on rocks off the islandof Kii Oshima in the present-day town of Kushimoto. Oshima islanders braved the typhoon,making frantic efforts to save 69 members of the vessel’s contingent. This incident triggered
the friendship between Wakayama, and the nation of Japan, and Turkey.

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The most symbolic event was in 1985, about a century after the Ertugrul accident, when thelran-Iraq War was escalating and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein announced that hismilitary would begin targeting even commercial airliners overIran. Then, in response to a request from Japan, the Turkish
government sent two airliners, ferrying Japanese nationals tosafety.
At the top of a hill on Kii Oshima overlooking the site of thedisaster stands a monument to the lives lost there. The town ofKushimoto holds a memorial service there every five years inhonor of the victims.

Turkish Memorial Hall

In 2015, the joint Turkish and Japanese film "Marine Accident 1890" was screened, and on
November 29 this year, a concert featuring the story of the Ertugrul will be performed at New
York’s Carnegie Hall.
I would like to let more people know about how special my home, Wakayama, is while I am
here in NY. If you have any questions about Wakayama, please feel free to ask me! Also,
please take a look at the Wakayama Travel Guide: https://en.visitwakayama.jp/Thank you.

Satoshi Kuroki, Assistant Director, Representative of Hiroshima City
My name is Satoshi Kuroki. I’ve been working for Japan Local
Government Center since this April. I’m on dispatch to JLGC fromHiroshima City Hall.
Hiroshima is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Japan. What
does Hiroshima remind you of? The Atomic Bomb Dome or Itsukushima
Shrine on Miyajima Island? Both ofthem are on the World Heritage list by UNESCO, so thatmakes them the most famous must-see places inHiroshima. According to “Trip Advisor”, the Atomic BombDome (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum) andItsukushima Shrine got 2nd and 3rd place in the “Top 30
Attractions in Japan by International Travelers 2018”,
respectively. I definitely recommend that you visit both ofthem. Here, however, I would like to introduce some otherplaces you could see or experience in Hiroshima.

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Streetcars
Hiroshima’s streetcars are a common way for citizens to movearound the city. They have been running for more than one
hundred years and they were the first public transportation torestart after the atomic bomb. Actually they are sometimes
slower than bicycles and often jiggle, but have been loved bycitizens for a long time. It’s convenient for tourists to dosightseeing and a tourist pass allows you to access the Atomic
Bomb Dome and Miyajima Island.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Cheering for the local sports team must be something common to all countries. Hiroshima has aprofessional baseball team named the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and virtually everyone in
Hiroshima loves this team. Mr. Hiroki Kuroda, who was a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers(2008-2011) and New York Yankees (2012-2014), belonged to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp before
and after his career in the US.
In the 2016 season, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp won the league
championship for the first time in 25 years and have kept winningthe league 3 years in a row. So all fans in Hiroshima have been
excited like never before, and their winning has contributed amajor economic benefit in Hiroshima of about $300 million everyyear. Their home stadium, Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium, is locateda 10 minute walk away from Hiroshima Station. You must feel
their enthusiasm if you visit the stadium during league season.
Okonomi-yaki
Okonomi-yaki is a local specialty in Hiroshima. It’s cooked on an irongriddle like teppan-yaki. Okonomi-yaki consists of layers of ingredientslike egg, Chinese noodles, pork, spring onions, bean sprouts, sliced
cabbage and very thin flour dough. However, “Okonomi” means “as youlike”, so you have a variety of choices for toppings and ingredients, likecheese, shrimp, oysters, mochi rice cake and so on. You can even havedouble noodles or change them to udon noodles. Finally, it’s seasoned
with a thick sweet sauce and dried green seaweed. If you get a seat infront of the griddle counter, you can enjoy the savory taste of Okonomiyaki directly from the griddle after watching your order being preparedwith special skill.
For more information about Hiroshima, please look at our official site:
https://www.hiroshima-navi.or.jp/sightseeing/

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2. 25th Anniversary of the CLAIR Fellowship Program
Kumiko Takayama, Assistant Director, Representative of Hanamaki City
On September 8th, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the CLAIR Fellowship Program atthe Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Since 1993 we have been honored to host a groupof North American government officials in Japan to see how we work as prefecture and localgovernments. The goal of the seminar is to build networks and promote mutual understanding
between local governments in Japan and overseas.
In our 25th anniversary celebration, past participants Valerie A Lemmie (1994), Jim Brown(2005), Cahl Pominville (2013), and Joshua Franzel (2016) gave speeches of congratulations
and also talked about their experiences in Japan. We should like to offer a big thank-you tothem for their openness and willingness to share their stories.

Valerie A Lemmie

Jim Brown

Cahl PominvilleJoshua Franzel

Also, we were very glad to hear that the participants had such impressive experiences during
their time in Japan. This was so, even to the extent of taking advantage of those experiences
back in North America. One, for example, has improved safety in his own city. Another tookthe opportunity to reconnect with his host family after many years.

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We invited Miyagi and Tottori Prefecture staff for the purpose of talking about theirexperience as hosts for the officials from North America. Miyagi was damaged by the terrible
earthquake and tsunami disaster on March 11th, 2011. So, Miyagi Prefecture staff also talked
about their work of “Creative Recovery”. On July 18th of this year, governors from Vermont
and Tottori met in Montpelier, Vermont’s capital, to sign asister state agreement. Tottori Prefecture staff spoke abouta past participant who went to Tottori from the State ofVermont, which set the stage for this relationship. Also, ourExecutive Director, Mr. Akagi, talked about our mission:
Promoting relationships at the local or grassroots level formutual understanding and friendship between our nations.
And he encouraged both Japanese and North America
officials to continue to deepen our exchanges, strengthen
our ties, and widen our networks at every opportunity for
JLGC executive director explaining our mission
good relations at the local and grassroots level.

We prepared Japanese fare including ‘Aji Fillet’ which is a specialty of Tottori, and Sake fromMiyagi and Tottori. We also enjoyed Nen Daiko, a local taiko group giving an enthusiastic andimpressive performance.
For this celebration, we got a lot of heartwarming messages and beautiful bouquets frompeople who were not able to attend. We are thankful for your kind remarks.

Nen Daiko performance

Outside the Old Ambassador’s ResidenceThis year, the CLAIR Fellowship Exchange Program is held in Tokyo and Okayama Prefecturefrom October 28th to November 6th. The theme is Industry of Okayama. Participants aregoing to the Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture. Also they will discuss andexchange opinions about government administration with staff from Okayama Prefecture.
We hope that, as the program continues, it initiates a new chapter in the enduring
relationship we now have, building on past experience to make an even better future for North
America and Japan.

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3. USJETAA’s Fundraising for Western Japan
Satoshi Kuroki, Assistant Director, Representative of Hiroshima City
From June 28th to July 8th, 2018, historic heavy rain attacked western Japan. The amount ofrain during this period was 2 - 4 times the average precipitation for all of July. According tothe Disaster Management Agency in Japan, 224 people died and more than 51 thousandhouses got damaged because of floods or mudslides caused by this record-breaking rain (as ofOctober 9th, 2018).

(Photos by Institute of Scientific Approaches for Fire and Disaster)In response to the damage caused by the heavy rain, USJETAA mobilized JET alumni andfriends of JET to raise funds for those in the affected areas. They started fundraising July13th, less than one week after the deluge. This fundraising immediately became well known
through Facebook and other channels. Thanks to all the JET alumni and friends of JET, theyraised $7,508, which exceeded their original goal of $5,000. These donations supported Japan
Platform, which is a central association for humanitarian response NGOs based in Japan. This
result showed the deep-rooted connections that JET alumni have to these regions and withpeople in the affected communities.
On August 1st, the Sankei Shimbun reported on their efforts to give backto Japan. The column said the JET Program is the greatest achievementof Japan’s soft power, quoting one of the alumni as saying, “Japan has
given me a lot in my life. It’s my turn to help Japan.”
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to USJETAA and to all theJET alumni and friends of JET who always care about Japan.
https://usjetaa.org/9