JLGC UPDATE

United States Conferenceof Mayors’ Annual Meeting, 2005
by Seth B. Benjamin
JLGC Senior Researcher

This year, the United States Conferenceof Mayors (USCM) held its annual
conference in Chicago, the ‘Windy City’,
from 11th June to 14th June. We werewelcomed by some of the hottest days thecity has experienced this year. As usual,many of the nation’s mayors from cities
with a population of over 30,000 attended.
Chicago was an excellent host and provided
those attending with many fine events
to enjoy the city’s heritage and culture,
not least of which was the city’s annualBlues Festival. It seemed as though half
the country had descended on Chicago forthe event.
As usual, the Conference covered
many issues that America’s larger cities
face. Apart from plenary sessions that hada single theme, there were many workshops
and topic specific committee meetings. This
year guests from overseas included themayor of Cheongju City in South Korea,
who is also the vice president of the Korean
Association of Mayors. From Japan, themayor of Osaka City came. He was invited
as a special guest of the mayor of Chicago,
Osaka’s sister city.
In the plenary sessions the big subjects
were addressed. The secretary of the
U.S. Housing and Urban Development
Department spoke about the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG).
That programme is one of the few where
financial aid is given directly to local
governments from the federal government.
In another plenary session, the mayors of
Seattle (WA), Trenton (NJ) and Sugar Land

(TX) gave a stimulating report on the stateof infrastructure in the nation’s cities. Then,the mayor of Chicago talked about anotherpressing issue that many of the older
urban cities face. These cities often havelost people and jobs to their surrounding
suburban cities and towns. Nevertheless, the‘core’ city and its surrounding region needeach other. One’s prosperity is dependent
on the other. So, regional co-operation
is essential to ensure the health of all thecommunities. The mayor of Chicago andtwo mayors of suburban Chicago described
how they co-ordinated their services.
The mayor of Denver described a similar
approach that has been taken in the large
conurbation around Denver, consistingof almost two-thirds of the population ofColorado. Finally, the mayor of Toronto,
Canada, described the worldwide effort
to think regionally. One of the highlightsof the Conference was the address givenby the secretary of the Homeland Security
Department. He paid tribute to the excellent
work done by America’s large cities inprotecting their communities from attack.
There is no question that the cities are in
the forefront of providing security fromterrorism.
Of course, the Conference was not all
work. The city of Chicago provided several
excellent social events for those attending
the meeting. Everybody had a wonderfultime at the Chicago Navy Pier, including
a boat ride to watch a splendid displayof fireworks. One night the participants
went to Chicago’s famous aquarium.

Copyright 2005 Published by Japan Local Government Center

1

United States Conference of Mayors (USCM)
was held in Chicago in June 2005

Chicago’s new Millennium Park was the
background for a delightful luncheon andin that evening everybody was entertainedby the celebrated Chicago Blues festival.
All in all the Conference was a successful
opportunity to meet officials and discusswith them matters of relevance to cities allover the world.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE

PAGE

JLGC UPDATE

United States Conferenceof Mayors’ Annual Meeting, 2005

1

JETAA ACTIVITIESJETAA Canada National
Conference 2005

2

JETAA ACTIVITIES2005 JET Alumni Association
US Conference
DESIGNATED CITYAn Invitation to Osaka

3
4

JLGC UPDATEThe Local Government Employee
Overseas Study Program
PREFECTURE TODAY

Shimane Prefecture

5
6

JLGC UPDATE

FCM’s 68th Annual Conference
and Municipal Expo™

7

JAPAN TODAYInternational Environmental
Cooperation of Kitakyushu City

8

The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, TokyoJETAA ACTIVITIESJETAA CANADA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2005
by Takao Aharen
Assistant Director of JLGC

This year, the JET Alumni Association(JETAA) Canada National Conference
took place in Montreal, Canada, from May
6 to May 8. Blessed with mild weather
during the conference, every participant
could share ideas to pursue their goals andmake efforts to develop their chapters, aswell as being able to enjoy the city itself.
JETAA Canada has seven chapters: Ottawa,
Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary,
Vancouver, and Northern Alberta. Thisnational conference is held annually inrotation among the chapters.
A total of 19 representatives from every
chapter got together at the conference. In
addition, delegates from Japan Local
Government Center (JLGC), including
Mr. Naofumi Hida, the Director, took
part. The Consulate General of Japan at
Montreal sent Mr. Nobutaka Shinomiya, theConsul General, and other delegates. The
conference was organized and moderated
by members of the Montreal chapter, acting
as the conference host.
Before the opening of the conference,
the Council General of Japan at Montreal
held a cocktail reception on May 6, where
people could get to know each other. This
contributed to the frank opinion exchange
and smooth running of the conference
later on.

by Mr. Hida. Then the
representatives fromeach chapter introduced
themselves and presented
a brief introduction of theirchapters. A lot of topics
were covered that day.
The new Canada Country
Representative began her
official duties and updated
voting procedures for theCountry Representative
The national action plan was talked at the end of the conference.
were adopted. Eachchapter shared reports ofcommunication among chapters, and theychapter activities, where some chapters
decided to improve their current national
stressed their efforts to involve Japanese
webpage. With this, the conference waspeople, the larger community, and older
finally brought to a close.
JETAA members to their events. The
The conference was successful, andkeynote speaker, Mr. Pao Quang Yeh,
all the chapter representatives exchanged
talked about fundraising and sponsorship.
opinions throughout the sessions, andThere was also a presentation on the JET
outside of the sessions as well, which made
Program Today by Ms. Diane Polis, JET
their relationship much stronger. The
Coordinator at the consulate. Finally, allMontreal chapter did a very good job ofrepresentatives unanimously decided onorganizing and managing the conference.
Vancouver as next year’s conference venue.
That day ended with the reception
hosted by JLGC.
On May 8, Mr. Matthew Gillam,of JLGC, and Ms. Dian Polis, eachmade a presentation on fundingby their offices. The next session
discussed how to involve
more members andother people in chapter
activities. Many ideas
were suggested, suchas diversifying events
to attract members andproviding at least two
newsletters per year
to publicize events
effectively. The lastRepresentatives exchanged ideas on various topics. session was devoted toagreeing on a national
On May 7, the opening session started
action plan. Every representativewith speeches from Mr. Shinomiya, followed
agreed on the importance of beefing up
Some of the participants at the conference
JLGC Newsletter

2

JETAA ACTIVITIES2005 JET Alumni Association US Conferenceby Matthew Gillam
JLGC Senior Researcher

The US chapters of the JET Alumni
Association held their 4th annual conferenceat the Consulate General of Japan in San
Francisco on Friday and Saturday, June
3rd and 4th. This year’s conference focused
mainly on strategies for fundraising andcommunity outreach.
The conference began early Friday
morning with brief welcoming remarks by
Tim Morey, one of the conference co-chairs,
and Cerell Rivera, the chapter president.
Then Eileen Sugai, Program Director
with the Japan Society in San Francisco,gave the first keynote speech. She spoke
about several aspects of fundraising andcommunity outreach, including the needto thoroughly research both your potential

membership and your organization inorder to clearly understand what people
want and what you have to offer, as well
as how to develop good relations withyour membership, the community, andthe press.
After the keynote address there weresessions on planning chapter events and on
CLAIR funding for chapters. The chapter
event planning session produced several
ideas for publicizing the JET Program andJETAA, including cooking demonstrations
at Williams Sonoma, a photography exhibit

and calendar, career forums, a Kimono Day
event, and “JET Awareness Day: The Japan
Experience”
In the afternoon, Professor Jennifer
Amyx of the University of Pennsylvania,
who is currently at Stanford University’s
Asia Pacific Research Center, spoke on“US – Japan Relations in the Context ofa Rising China”, giving a comprehensive
overview of the current political, economic,
and security situation in Northeast Asia as
this relates to the United States. Professor
Amyx was on the JET Program in 1991-92,
and has gone on to build a successful careerin academia.
There was a generous reception hosted
by the consulate in the evening.
Saturday morning
began with a final activity
report by the two outgoing
country representatives.
Michael Barrett briefed
everyone on an essay
contest he’s beencoordinating for alumni in
the US, and Jeff Huffman
talked about the new
US JETAA logo. Then,
Millie Linville, fromthe Atlanta chapter, andWarren McAllen, fromthe Heartland chapter in
Conference
Kansas City, were elected
as country reps for the coming year.
The second keynote speaker for the
conference was Mari Ellen Reynolds,
Director of Development for the Community
Foundation Silicon Valley, talking about“Effective Fundraising for Chapters of All
Sizes”. She emphasized the need to makepeople feel passionately interested in thecause for which you are seeking support,
and gave advice on the merits and difficulties
of obtaining tax exempt status, along withstrategies for organizations that do not.
The morning finished up with chapter
3

Workshopreports, with participants speaking on
events and activities in their chaptersthat have proven successful – or not
so successful. Activities have included
informal social gatherings, talks by guest
speakers, fundraising and PR activities,
hikes, and food-related events, on topof the services provided for departing
and returning JETs like pre-departureorientations and job fairs.
Finally, Jennifer Olayon and Tony
McCormac talked about the New York
chapter’s efforts to achieve non-profit, tax
exempt status. This is an extremely complex
undertaking, and has been an ongoing topic
of discussion for years among the larger
chapters that are interested in doing various
forms of volunteer and community service
work along with supporting themselves
through fundraising.
The last event of the conference, on
Saturday afternoon, was “The Ultimate
Challenge – Urban Edition”, in which
conference participants from the chaptersand the Japanese government were split into
several mixed teams and competed in a racearound San Francisco, trying to decipher
clues and complete a series of tasks that
included karaoke singing, three-legged,
four-armed monster making, and eatinga variety of noxious, but non-fatal, foods.
Prizes were awarded and stories swapped at
the CLAIR reception that evening, bringing
the conference to a close.

Issue 54 Summer 2005

DESIGNATED CITYAn Invitation to Osaka
Outline of the city
Osaka City is in the central part ofJapan and has a population of 2.6 million.
The region around Osaka, which includes
Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara, is called Kansai andis the country’s second largest metropolitan
area after Tokyo. With a population of
22 million and GRP of US$ 727 billion,
the Kansai region has an economy larger
than that of Canada and smaller than thatof Italy.
Osaka’s economy
Osaka focuses on three industrial
fields for future economic growth: robot
technology, health and preventive medicine,and IT-related, knowledge-intensive
industries with high added value.
In Osaka, a strong manufacturing baseprovides fertile ground for the developmentof new products utilizing robotics. Osakais home to digital and electric appliances
giants such as Panasonic, Sanyo, and Sharp,
as well as many research institutions andnumerous smaller supporting industries.
Various business support services andsubsidies are also offered. A world-classrobotics cluster is expected to emerge in
the Osaka Station North District, now acargo yard in the heart of the city. The siteof this major project, next to the largest
railway terminal in western Japan withdaily movement of 2.5 million passengers,
will incorporate a research center for thedevelopment of next-generation robots
through collaboration among industry,
academia, and government.
In a rapidly aging society, health andpreventive medicine is also a field of great
potential. The pharmaceutical industry has
been strong in Osaka and the city is making
great strides towards becoming an R&D
center for health and preventive medicine.
IT forms the foundation of nextgeneration industries, including
biotechnology and robotics. A large-scale
JLGC Newsletter

Osaka Castle and OBP Osaka Business ParkIT project with emphasis on infrastructuredevelopment is underway in the city’s bay
area.
We welcome you to take advantageof the business opportunities in Osaka,
particularly in the growing and emerging
industries. Please contact us to find out
more.
http://www.osaka-saisei.jp/eng/index.html
An Attractive Tourist Destination
For those interested in history or
culture, there is plenty to see in Osaka,including Osaka Castle and Shitennoji
Temple, the oldest major temple in Japan.
Economic prosperity in the 17th century
supported the refinement and popularityof the performing arts, such as Bunraku,
Kabuki, Noh, and Rakugo comic story
telling, in Osaka. Bunraku, for example, wasrecognized by UNESCO as an intangible
cultural heritage of humanity.
At one time, known as the “kitchen of
the nation,” Osaka was a hub of domestic
and international distribution of foodstuff.
The variety and quality of ingredientsbrought here from throughout Japanfostered a gastronomic culture that allows
visitors today to enjoy a rich variety ofinternational and local cuisine in countless4

restaurants. Make sure to try sushi, udon
noodles, tempura, and other popular dishes
while in Osaka.
Osaka’s location in the center of
Kansai enables tourists to experience thenumerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in Kyoto and Nara, both of which are lessthan an hour away. We look forward towelcoming you, either for business or forpleasure!

“VisiON NEXTA” New Completely
Autonomous Bipedal Walking Robot
Winner of the Robo Cup 2005 OSAKAJLGC UPDATEThe Local Government Employee
Overseas Study Programby Miyuki Chida (Kanegasaki Town in Iwate Prefecture)

Dr. Brian Nickerson, Lorraine, Director Hida, and JLGC staff
at my graduation ceremony.

My name is Miyuki Chida. I am alocal government employee for the Town
of Kanegasaki in Iwate prefecture. In 2004,
I was given the opportunity to participate
in “The Local Government Employee
Overseas Study Program” during which I
stayed in the United States to study public
administration at Pace University. The year
I spent in the U.S gave me a lot of new
experiences, and through these experiences,
I learned many things, such as the conceptof American federalism and how aggressive
American people are to realize their goals.
However, the most valuable thing I learned
through the program was the importance toview things with an open mind.
Field trips to such places as theCity of White Plains, the New Rochelle
School Board and NPO’s afforded me theopportunity to study American federalism.
I became very intrigued by the knowledge
gained during these excursions, especiallywith the diverse roles that NPO’s play in
American society. I feel that it is wonderfulthat many people can take part in social
activities through NPOs. Furthermore, I
admired the volunteerism exhibited bycitizens involved with NPOs.
Secondly, through my friends andclassmates, as well as field trips, I learned

about the aggressive American approachto realize one’s goals. For example, I
made many good friends who were taking
graduate classes after their work to geta new career. I also met many people
who take an active part in changing theircircumstances by being pro-active. I
thought I would like to copy this model
because I found myself unable to explain
my thoughts and needs clearly.
Finally, I learned the importanceof seeing things from a broad point ofLinda, Ginger, Margie on the last dayof my internship at Colonial Williamsburg.

view. For instance, it was useful for me
to learn the idea of American federalism.
However, it was more beneficial for me tolearn the differences between Japan andthe U.S. in regards to why the U.S adopted
5

My classmates, on the last dayof my first semester.

the federal governmental system, while
Japan adopted a unitary one. I learned thatthese differences were based on history
and what people believed would be themost valuable. I also learned the idea of“so many countries, so many customs”,
whereby various factors lead to different
results. I learned the importance not to bepossessed by a narrow mind.
Now I am working to further develop
the sister-city relations in my town. Aftermy year abroad, I am a strong proponentof cultural exchange between overseas
countries. Therefore, I would like to makegood use of my experiences as it applies tomy present position.
Whenever I remember my time in
the U.S., I am always surprised by the
number of people who gave me a helping
hand. Without their help, I could not have
had such a wonderful experience. I would
like to express my deepest gratitude to
the faculty of Pace University, the facultyof JLGC, Colonial Williamsburg, Grace
Church Community Center, the New
Rochelle School Board, the City of White
Plains and all the people I met through thisprogram.
Thank you very much.

Issue 54 Summer 2005

PREFECTURE TODAY

Shimane, Japan- a place of traditional culture and history
by Hidenori Umebayashi
Assistant Director of JLGC

Shimane Prefecture is located insouthwest Honshu (Japan's largest island),north of Hiroshima Prefecture, facing the
Sea of Japan. Shimane is composed ofthree regions, Izumo (eastern part), Iwami(western part) and the Oki Islands. Every
year, many visitors come to Shimane
Prefecture to appreciate its
natural beauty, in particular
its beaches and hot springs.
Shimane is famous for morethan 50 hot springs sites.
Shimane still retains its richculture from ancient times.
If you want to experience theorigin of Japan, Shimane is thebest place to visit.
History- Ancient Times - Asmany of Japan's myths are
set in Izumo, it is known as “the home of
the Gods”. The excavation in 1984 of 358
copper swords from the Kanba Kojindani
Ruins and the excavation of 39 dotaku(bronze bell-shaped vessels) from the
Kamo Iwakura Ruins have drawn national
attention to the ancient history of Izumo.

Iwami Silver Mine

They say that these ruins corroborate theexistence of an ancient empire.
- Early Medieval Times, “Iwami SilverMine”- From its discovery in 1526, theIwami Silver Mine operated for about 400
years, becoming one of the most prominent
silver mines in Japan. During the 16th and17th centuries, large quantities of silver
JLGC Newsletter

were mined. Silver was exported and it
was said to have accounted for one third ofworld silver production. Iwami Silver Mineappears to have been known in Europe,
designated on a Portuguese map bearing
the words “Silver Mine Kingdom”, Iwami.
Presently, the silver mine at Iwami is being
upgraded as a possible
World Heritage site.
- Modern Times - In1890, Lafcadio Hearn(Koizumi Yakumo)
came to Shimane as an
English teacher at the
Matsue Middle School.
With a passionate interestin Japanese traditional
culture, he used Matsue
as a stage to introduce
Japanese culture to the
Izumo Shrine world through his eloquent
English writings.
Picking up Sightseeing spots- Matsue Castle (Izumo area) - Matsue
castle was built
in 1611. It has afive-storied
facade concealing
six “fighting
floors”.
- I z u m oShrine (Izumo
area) - The shrine
is dedicated to the
God of happinessand marriage.
The giant inner shrine is designated as anational treasure and an atmosphere ofsolemn dignity pervades the grounds.
- Kuniga Coastline (Oki Islands area)- A rugged coastline with breathtaking
scenery. Matengai “Skyscraper” cliffs
plunge 284 yards into the sea. The hugerock bridge Tsutenkyo, “Bridge to Heaven”,
is in the distance6

Kuniga Coastline

Shimane Prefecture, with its abundantnature, eternal history and appealing culture
has resisted advanced development and
prides itself on remaining pristine andtraditional. Shimane does promotes tourism
and remains accessible to visitors whowish to discover the charm of the area.
Local residents volunteer their time andactively participate in showing off theirprefecture.
Additional information regarding
Shimane Prefecture may be found at: http://
www.pref.shimane.jp/section/kokusai/
foreign/kokusai

Matsue Castle

JLGC UPDATE

FCM’s 68th Annual Conference and Municipal Expo™
By Junichi Sawada
JLGC Deputy Director

Every year, JLGC sends several
staff members to participate in theFederation of Canadian Municipalities(FCM) Annual Conference and Municipal
Expo™. Attending as delegates andexhibitors, the conference provides an
excellent opportunity to learn local public
administration, and to spend time speaking
to politicians and administrators across thecountry.
The main theme of this year’s
conference, held in St.John’s,
Newfoundland & Labrador, was “Staying
the Course”, focusing on the fiscal, social,intergovernmental and sustainability
challenges that confront Canada’s
municipalities.
The first two days of the conference
were devoted to speaking with visitors at
our exhibitor’s booth. It was interestingtalking with people active in sister city
programs and whose children taught
English in the JET Program.
Daily work sessions allowed for
discussion and dissemination of information
among the participants. For example
the cities of Calgary and Windsor have
implemented a 311 service. Calgary
uses 311 for non- emergency requests
for city services. It has proven to be a
responsive, efficient and accountablemeans for constituent communication whilemeasuring and locating needs. The 311
service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek and 365 days a year. The number ofinquiries concerning problems and requests
for information increased to 2400 daily,
representing a 50% increase than the year
prior to its implementation.
The City of Windsor implemented
its 311 service in 2003. Mayor Francis
met with senior administrators and thecity council supported 311. It was agreed
that 311 would elevate the level of public
service and properly allocate budget
expenditures where needed the most.

JLGC participated in Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference
and Municipal Expo™ in St.John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador in June,

Although not perfect, 311 responds toproblems efficiently and effectively. Major
challenges remain, including: multi-lingual
capability, and responding to federal andprovincial inquiries.
On Sunday, Paul Martin, Prime
Minister of Canada, spoke about the ‘New
Deal for Cities and Communities’, an
important and vital issue for local Canadianmunicipalities.
Prime Minister Martin summarized
the major points of the “New Deal”, a
program that has received favorable andunfavorable reviews. Its main thrust is toform cooperative partnerships between
provincial and local governments in
Canada in an effort to relieve the fiscal
problems that many local governments areexperiencing, while devising strategies onspending money intelligently on national
issues such as immigration and health carethat impact local communities. The New
Deal is the national movement that will
provide a safety net where municipalities
can expect national financial resources
to pursue quality of life issues. The New
Deal emphasizes ways to increase financial
resources, but more importantly it raises a7keen awareness of how to wisely spend theincreased revenues. According to Martin,“It is important for local leaders to havethe power and the right to speak to theFederal Government. I have confidence ineach generation of Canadian people and weshall continually support our project called‘Canada’”.
In concluding, the broad economic ties
between Canada and Japan, the growing
number of JET alumni in Canada, andongoing sister city relationships continue
to generate mutual interest between Japanand Canada. Attendees to FCM who visited
our exhibit booth were encouraged to seethat the Japan Local Government Center,
Toronto remains actively interested in
Canadian affairs, working to keep JET
and sister city initiatives healthy andstrong. Speaking with many people andanswering their questions about Japan was
satisfying for me. Initiating, renewing andstrengthening the links and bonds between
the two countries are an important functionof my purpose as Deputy Director of theJapan Local Government Center, Toronto.
I anxiously look forward to attending the2007 FCM conference in Montreal.
Issue 54 Summer 2005

JAPAN TODAYInternational Environmental Cooperation of Kitakyushu City
By Atsushi Fukuda
Manager
Office for International Environmental Cooperation, City of Kitakyushu(Former Assistant Director of Japan Local Government Center)

Kitakyushu City is locatedin northern Fukuoka Prefectureon the island of Kyushu. In 1963,
the five cities of Moji, Kokura,
Wakamatsu, Yawata and Tobata
merged to form Kitakyushu City.
The present city contains sevenwards. The development of the
Chikuho Coalfield and the formationof the Yawata Iron and SteelWorks (Nippon Steel Corporation)
provided the impetus for industrial
development in the area.
During the 1960s, Kitakyushu
City experienced rapid economic
growth spearheaded by the steel
and iron, chemical, ceramics, machineryand electrical appliance industries. The
downside of this spurt in economic growth
was severe pollution. In 1965, Kitakyushu
City suffered from record “dust falls”, and in
1966, serious water contamination in DokaiBay. Dokai Bay located in the center of thecity, became so polluted it became known as
the “Sea of Death” Virtually all sea life wasexterminated from the pollutant dischargethat contaminated the water.
Kitakyushu began a long process toovercome serious environmental pollution
by partnering with “multi-stakeholders”,
residents, companies, universities andlocal government. During the process,advanced technologies focusing on pollution
control and energy efficient production
were researched and implemented. In 1971,
Kitakyushu embarked on generating policy
initiatives and adopted local laws, such as the
Kitakyushu City Pollution Control Ordinanceto strongly support these measures. An
Environmental Bureau was created toadminister local laws and regulations even
before the national government established
its Environmental Agency. In addition,
the city has promoted a large scale urban
greenery development project under the“Green Kitakyushu Plan”. The city’s polices
on strict pollution control and environmental
conservation are endorsed and supported by
Japan Local Government Center
666 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10103-0072

the private sector. These joint efforts have
improved substantially the environment ofcentral city and its environs.
Recognizing that a clean environment isessential to quality of life, Kitakyushu City
continues to elicit and conduct international
cooperation in the area of environmental
protection. Today, Kitakyushu City is
actively working to promote international
cooperation in the environment by conducting
training programs for foreign officials
and holding international conferenceson the serious environmental issues that
affect all industrial countries. International
environmental cooperation is among
Kitakyushu’s major policies set out in the
Kitakyushu Renaissance Master Plan, which
delineates the city government’s basic vision
for the future.
International Environmental
Cooperation
Trainees visiting Kitakyushu

cooperation have won internationalrecognition and reputation, including
the United Nation’s Global 500
Award, presented in 1990 by theUnited Nations Environmental Plan
(UNEP), and the United Nation’s
Local Government Honors, awarded
in 1992 at the United Nations
Conference on Environment andDevelopment in Brazil.
In 2000, Kitakyushu City
hosted the 4th United Nation’s
Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Ministerial Conference on
Environment and Development.
ESCAP adopted “the Kitakyushu Initiative fora Clean Environment”, which uses inter-citycooperation as an effective implementation
system and encourages local initiatives inpartnership with national governments anddonor organizations.
Kitakyushu’s determination to contributeto the creation of sustainable societies
worldwide through close cooperation with theUnited Nations and the International Council
for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
continues to bear fruit for the planet and its
inhabitants.

Featuredin this issue:(as of March, 2005)

4052 trainees from 145 countries
1319 environmental trainees
from 96 countries
Experts dispatched from Kitakyushu(as of March, 2005)

129 experts to 34 countries
98 environmental experts
to 25 countries
Our efforts to overcome pollution andto promote international environmental
8

SHIMANE
PREF.

OSAKA
CITY
KITAKYUSHU
CITY

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