JLGC NEWSLETTER­Japan Local Government Center ( CLAIR, New York )Issue no. 92/ March 2018

1. CLAIR Fellowship Exchange Program
2017 was held from November 6 to 15“FELLOWSHIP PARTICIPANTS WITH RIKUZENTAKATA MAYOR”

This program affords senior state and local government
officials an opportunity to experience Japanese government
administration first hand. 2017, the program was held inTokyo and Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture.

CLAIR FELLOWSHIP EXCHANGE PROGRAM 2017

ISSUE NO. 92 / MARCH 2018

Theme: How local governments can promote town planning
for all residents, even after a disaster, to live a comfortable
and secure life and be proud of their community
Rikuzentakata City was one of the most affected areas by
the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. The city lost over
1,700 people and 3,000 buildings. Nevertheless,
Rikuzentakata is eager to recover and promote itself as a“new” town in which everyone can be proud, feel safe, regain
economic vitality and recapture the spirit of the“old”Rikuzentakata. The renewal efforts are designed toallow all residents, especially the elderly and the young, toshare the benefits of the “new” town.

1. CLAIR Fellowship
Exchange Program 2017
was held from November
6 to 15 (Page 1-4)
2. New York Times Travel
Show 2018(Page 5-6)

Participants exchanged their opinions with officials fromJapan. Also they interacted with local people andexperienced the beauty of Rikuzentakata scenery, andimmersed themselves in the traditional Japanese culture ofthe area.

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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Now we would like to introduce you to some great comments from the participants.

Dr. Michelle Sager
Director, Center for Best Practices, Economic Opportunity
Division, National Governors Association (NGA)
The words conveyed in thissimple thank you message
seem inadequate to convey
my sincere gratitude for theincredible opportunity
provided by the 2017
CLAIR Fellowship
Exchange. The generous
exchange opened my eyes toJapan’s intergovernmental
system, culture and thefascinating contrast ofDiscussing Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Tokyo and Rikuzentakata.
Our hosts and the assembled dignitaries at the national and local levels of governmentand other organizations not only shared their time and expertise but also thoughtfully
responded to our many questions. Every detail of the visit reflected careful planning,
warm hospitality and a desire to contribute to cross-cultural understanding. The visit to
Rikuzentakata provided an unparalleled experience as we learned about thecommunity’s journey from disaster response to recovery. The community’s resilienceand intentionally inclusive approach to rebuilding spoke volumes about the strengthand character of Rikuzentakata’s citizens. My homestay family welcomed me into theirhome and provided a delightful experience as I enjoyed my brief immersion in their
daily life. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is one I will continue to cherish and havealready shared with my colleagues at the National Governors Association.
With gratitude,Michelle Sager

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Mr. Ben Husch
Senior Policy Director, Natural Resources andInfrastructure Committee, National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL)My trip to Japan, and specifically Rikuzentakata, was an experience I will never forget.
It was really amazing to see the town after the disaster, both for how it was rebuilding
and for the different people we met with. From the volunteer fire chief, to the Jr. Highstudents, and the oyster farmer, it really shows that you can never truly know a place
until you go there. I hope to travel back to Japan in the near future with my wife andfamily so they can experience how amazing it was.

Ms. Yvonne RobertPresident, Association of Municipal Manager, Clerks andTreasurers (AMCTO)
Thank you for granting me the privilege of attending the 2017 CLAIR Local Government
Exchange and Cooperation Seminar. Since returning from the amazing trip, I have usedevery opportunity to speak about my experience. Visiting the City of Rikuzentakata
provided me with a look into the resilience and determination that a City can display
when facing the worst possible circumstances. Seeing their progress following the 2011
tsunami, speaking with people from the area and witnessing what they have accomplished
to date will stay with me for a very long time and assist in guiding me when faced withchallenges though none could be as devastating.
I thank all of the people involved beginning with CLAIR for their organization, attention
to detail and the invitation to attend. To the representatives from the Ministries ofForeign Affairs and Internal Affairs and Communication; my thanks for meeting with us
and the open dialogue. To those in Rikuzentakata, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting withyou. Thank you for your openness and willingness to share your stories.
Finally to our team who lead us through this exchange, thank you for keeping us on trackand making sure we saw and did as much as possible during our time with you. Yourassistance was wonderful as was your care for all of us.

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CLAIR Fellowship Exchange Program4

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2. New York Times Travel Show 2018
Kotaro Kashiwai, Assistant Director, Representative of Matsue City
The New York Times Travel Show was held at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City
from January 26th to 28th. There were over 560 exhibitors’ booths including travel agencies,
hotels, and national tourism boards representing more than 170 destinations. There were also
panels providing travel tips and tricks from travel industry speakers and experts, some
cultural presentations from around the world, and international food tastings. JLGC staffmembers also attended this event and introduced their home areas at the booths of the JapanPavilion.
Most visitors to our booth are planning tovisit Japan or are simply interested inJapanese culture. Their main interest inJapan was usually focused on famouscities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. AsTokyo will hold the next Olympics in 2020
and it’s the most famous place in Japan,
many visitors took Tokyo’s visitor guidesand maps. However, as many of them were
not first time visitors to Japan or would
like to spend more time there, I had achance to introduce my home area,
Shimane Prefecture, with the theme“hidden Japan”. Shimane Prefecture issituated in the northern region of WesternJapan, and because the main mode oftransportation to Shimane Prefecture is byairplane (there is no Japanese bullettrain), it is unfamiliar for even Japanesepeople. However, Shimane's history is sovast and deep that mention of it first appears in Japanese mythology. There arevarious legends and folklore foundeverywhere in Shimane, and the culture
and traditions related to those legends arestill alive in people's daily life.

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When I introduced famous things inShimane, such as shrines, temples, acastle, hot springs, food, Japanese
sweets and teas, many people becamevery interested in visiting.
Most of our staff members worked at theJLGC booth, but some of our members
had their own booths and introduced
their home areas independently. One ofour staff members, Tatsuya Matsumoto,introduced his home town, Saitama City,
which is famous for Bonsai, and he set
up a Bonsai performance where an
American Bonsai artist showed off hisskills at the booth and on the stage.
Another staff member, Kaori Ito,
introduced her home area, Shiga
Prefecture, which is famous for Japanesetea, and she served Japanese tea thatwas grown there. At both booths,
JETAANY members helped to promote
our areas, and we would like to express
our gratitude for their help.
During the event, a lot of visitors
dropped by our booths and not only was I
so impressed that so many people areinterested in visiting Japan but I also
felt we need to solve some problems likethe language barrier and a lack of Wi-Fi
access. I hope I can utilize this experience to help solve the problems in myhome area when I get back to Japan nextyear.

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