Issue No. 46

Spring 2003

DESIGNATED CITY

Hiroshima

Hiroshima
City Symbol

A City of World Significance
Situated on the Otagawa River Delta andfacing the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima is known
as “the City of Water.” Beginning with the construction of Hiroshima Castle in 1589, the city
has flourished as a center of politics, economics,
and culture for the more than 400 years.
In 1945, the first atomic bombing in history
reduced Hiroshima to rubble. With courage,
determination and generous support from both
local sources and abroad, Hiroshima has emerged
as a vibrant city of over 1.13 million that continues to grow and develop into an ideal model forthe 21st century.

human rights, environmental destruction, andother problems that threaten peaceful coexistence. The mayor of Hiroshima delivers thePeace Declaration at the Peace Memorial
Ceremony on August 6 every year and regularly
issues messages in response to nuclear tests andother related world events.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are also working
to implement Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study
Courses in universities around the world. The
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Courses are designed tobroadly and systematically convey the experience of the atomic bomb to young people in an
academic setting.

Peace Promotion
Hiroshima’s Ideal Business Environment
Driven by its experience of the atomic
bombing, Hiroshima constantly pursues diverse
Hiroshima is also serious about business.
ways towards lasting world peace and the aboliBy developing an ideal environment for bothtion of nuclear weapons to prevent the repetition domestic and international business, Hiroshimaof such a tragedy. One of Hiroshima’s major
has maintained a balance between the wholesale
peace efforts, the Mayors for Peace Conference,and retail industries and manufacturing, chiefly
is an international league of cities
led by Hiroshima and Nagasaki
with 543 member cities in 105
countries and regions around theworld, including 50 cities in the
United States. Mayors for Peace(www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/mayors/english) offers cities a way totranscend borders and pursue
world peace by addressing starvation, poverty, refugee welfare,
An aerial view showing how Hiroshima is truly “The City Of Water.”
Copyright 2003 Published by Japan Local Government Centerin machinery and metals. Manufacturers
account for 13.1% of Hiroshima’s gross municipal product, a relatively high figure comparedto other regional hub cities similar toHiroshima.
Hiroshima’s knowledge and experiencein manufacturing have allowed new industries
to build on existing strengths. HiVEC, theHiroshima Vehicle Engineering Company, isa new automotive design firm that will draw
on Hiroshima’s wealth of knowledge in theautomobile industry to innovate and invigorate
automotive design and engineering. The new
firm will make Hiroshima’s expertise broadly
available to car manufacturers internationally.
continued on page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTSDESIGNATED CITY

Hiroshima
JLGC’s New Deputy Director
PREFECTURE TODAY

Saitama Prefecture
JETAA ACTIVITIES

U.S. Mid-South JETAA

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2
3
4

JLGC UPDATEThe Oversea Study Program
U.S. Local Government Service
American NPOs
Diversity of the Community

5
6
7

GUEST COLUMN

Summer Internship in Mino, Kagawa 8
Masthead: The sakura, or cherry blossom, is Japan’scherished national flower. Special hanami parties andexcursions are held during blossom time each year.

The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Tokyo

DESIGNATED CITY

Hiroshima
A City of World Significancecontinued from page 1
In the field of research, Hiroshima is working to create a research institute for new formsof energy, tentatively named the Future Energy
Research Institute. The aims of the instituteinclude developing the means to meet regionalenergy needs in an ecologically responsible
manner and integrating new technologicalknowledge in Hiroshima. New technologies willlead to the development of related industries andsupplement the city’s economic strength.
Furthermore, one of Hiroshima’s main projects is the ongoing construction of Hiroshima
Seifu-Shinto, an area in northwest Hiroshima.
By combining business, industrial, living, andeducational facilities, the Seifu-Shinto area isideally situated as a potential distribution centerfor the entire Chugoku region and is one ofHiroshima’s key target areas for business place-ment. Overall, Hiroshima is an attractive citythat offers a high quality of life as well as theinfrastructure necessary for globalized businesswithout the congestion and high costs associated with traditional business centers in Japan.
City-Level International Affairs
Hiroshima has six sister and friendship
cities around the globe: Honolulu in the UnitedStates; Montréal in Canada; Chongqing in
China; Taegu in Korea; Volgograd in Russia;
and Hanover in Germany. Many of these affiliations are based on shared tragic war experiences; others developed out of friendshipexchanges in fields such as culture, sports, andbotanical gardening. Hiroshima has also reinforced friendship relations with economic seminars to build concrete business ties between
companies in Hiroshima and sister cities.
Additionally, Hiroshima is currently look-ing forward to hosting the 1st Japan-U.S. Cities
Summit (www.juscs.org) in November 2004.
The new summit is built on the framework of
the Japan-America Conference of Mayors andChamber of Commerce Presidents, a conferenceof cities that has had a leading role for morethan 50 years of U.S.-Japan relations. The
Japan-U.S. Cities Summit will bring together
city leaders from the United States and Japan toprovide a valuable opportunity for Japanese andAmerican cities to tackle common challenges
and renew mutual ties. There will also be
forums for building new economic links andbusiness opportunities. Above all, the JapanU.S. Cities Summit will be vital in defining therole of cities in U.S.-Japan relations for thiscentury.
For further information on the diverse
activities of the City of Hiroshima, please visit
www.city.hiroshima.jp.

A Message from JLGC’s New Deputy Director
I have been appointed the new deputy
director of the Japan Local Government
Center (JLGC), New York, effective April 1,
2003. I have the honor of taking over from
Sunao Kakehi, who served here for two years.
I have worked for the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government in Japan for morethan two decades. Most recently I served as
the director of planning and publicity for the
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History
and Culture. I am very pleased to have been
given the opportunity to work here in New
York, which is one of the most energetic andculturally oriented cities in the world.

JLGC Newsletter

Some of the important tasks our center
performs includes promoting the exchange
and cooperation of activities between
Japanese, American and Canadian local
authorities, supporting the JET Programmeand conducting research on local governments in the United States and Canada.

Finally, I would like to thank you forwelcoming me and for the assitance I know
I will be given during my stay here.
Mieko Sato

I look forward to visiting a variety
of wonderful places and meeting many
diverse people in the U.S. and Canada
while cultivating international exchange
and mutual understanding. Even thoughthese tasks can be challenging, I know
they will be rewarding.

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Issue 46

Spring 2003

PREFECTURE TODAY

Saitama Prefecture
Cultivation of Individuals with International Perspectives

Saitami Prefectural
EmblemSaitama is a dynamic and energetic prefecture blessed with a wealth of resources. It
is conveniently situated along the northernborder of the greater Tokyo metropolitan area.
Its population of 7 million currently ranks 5th
in the nation. The average age of the population is 39 years old, the second youngest inJapan. Local industries benefit from the sizeand vitality of its labor force as well as theadvantages of being close to a major metropolitan area. Last, but not least, Saitama is
blessed with an abundance of natural
resources whose beauty is enhanced byseasonal changes.
Saitama Stadium 2002, which boasts aseating capacity of 63,000, was the venue forfour matches of the 2002 FIFA World CupTM.
Large numbers of international visitors wereattracted to Saitama for this global event. Oneof the matches in the stadium was the breathtaking semi-final between the tournamentchampion, Brazil, and Turkey. Saitama utilized this splendid opportunity to carry out
numerous public relations activities andencourage international exchange
amongst the visitors.
Saitama is aggressively promoting the“cultivation of a society that actively participates in international exchange and cooperation programs” in order to foster international
understanding. To this end, the prefecture
facilitates a myriad of opportunities for its
citizenry to interact with the peoples of theworld. Hosting matches of the World CupTM
was one such occasion – many residents took
interest in and decided to become involved
with international activities as a result of having direct contact with people from around theworld.

JLGC Newsletter

International Understanding Support Program for Children Promotion Project: Teaching children about
foreign countries.

It is extremely important for people toacquire an international way of thinking froman early age, so Saitama is sponsoring thefollowing programs.
 The Promotion of International
Understanding amongst Children
Program
Foreign nationals, people involved in
non-government organization (NGO) activities, former members of the Japan Overseas
Cooperation Volunteers, among others, support and sponsor events to promote international understanding at elementary and juniorhigh schools, etc. They teach children about
the life and culture of foreign lands (including
language, traditional costumes, and music)
and relate their experiences with international
cooperation activities. In the fiscal year 2002,
a total of 180 schools within Saitama
Prefecture took advantage of this programproviding their students with prodigious
opportunities to open their eyes to the world.
3

 The Cultivation of Children Growing
up in a Global Community ProgramThis program goes one step further thanthe one mentioned above by offering highschool students an opportunity to actually
get involved in NGO sponsored activities.
The students volunteer their time during
their summer holidays, etc. to participate
in international exchange and cooperation
activities. It is hoped that they will cometo view Japan as part of a global communityand develop a desire to be actively involvedin the field of international cooperation laterin life.
Furthermore, NGO volunteers compile
booklets containing information on international exchange and cooperation activities
that are age appropriate for each locality
and/or school. They then distribute thebooklets to elementary and junior highschool students in order to promote greater
participation in such activities.

Issue 46

Spring 2003

JETAA ACTIVITIES

U.S. Mid-South JETAA
Books, Flicks, and Chopsticks: Workshops for Children
by Jean-Francois Mannina
Mid-South JETAA President
Books, Flicks, and Chopsticks is a major
event for the U.S. Mid-South Chapter of theJapan Exchange and Teaching Program
Alumni Association (JETAA). This successfulprogram was developed to introduce elementary school aged children to Japan, and it has
been presented in the classroom, at public
libraries, and at the Japan-Louisiana Autumn
Festival.
JETAA members and children alike love
Books, Flicks and Chopsticks. The hour-longpresentation begins with introductions byhappi-clad JETAA members. To get started,
we pose questions to the kids about Japan:
Where is Japan? What do you know about
Japan? Give an example of Japanese food.

We then teach some basic terms like“konnichiwa,” “sayonara,” and “Watashi wa_____ desu.” They practice their new greetings, complete with bowing.
After the language portion, we show a
10-minute Ministry of Foreign Affairs video
entitled, “Elementary School Life in Japan.”
The video illustrates a typical day of aJapanese elementary school student. We ask
the children to pay attention to the similarities
and differences between their lives and thoseof the Japanese students. Many are surprisedthat the students clean their schools, and someeven think it’s a good idea.
Everyone loves to be read a story, andwe’ve found that kamishibai stories in particular thrill the kids. Kamishibai stories are
depicted on picture cards that are displayed ina small stage-like framed box. The text iswritten on the back of the picture cards for thereaders. JETAA members often dress up as
characters in the story to give the reading amore theatrical feel. We have collectedkamishibai cards for a number of Japanesestories, including Momotaro, The Bamboo
Princess, and How the Years Were Named.
To round out the program, we bring traditional Japanese toys (in part to show American
kids that there’s more to Japanese games than
PlayStation). We show the kids how to use thevarious toys such as kendama, hanetsuki, anddaruma otoshi and thenallow the audience members
to try for themselves. We
also demonstrate how to
use chopsticks.
At the end of our workshop, we tell our new friends“sayonara” as we distributesmall prizes such as magnets, bookmarks, and stickers to all the attendees.

Children attending the U.S. Mid-South JETAA Workshop are enchanted by the kamishibai stories.

JLGC Newsletter

4

Books, Flicks andChopsticks is a great
introduction to Japan foryoung Americans. And
U.S. Mid-South JETAA
members love the program
because it allows us torelive our cross-cultural
teaching experiences.

Issue 46

Spring 2003

JLGC UPDATEThe Local Government Employee Overseas Study Program
Education through Internationalization
Understanding diversity to enhance local government service
By Hisako Nagai (Niigata Prefecture)
I thought it was interesting that the legthem with important features on new programs
The CLAIR One-year International
islative council would hire a specialist in puband services, including public sector job
Study Program was a good opportunity forlic management to operate city government. I
opportunities.
me to learn English, study about the adminwas also impressed with the City Manager’s
istrative and financial systems of local govThroughout my time in the United States,
leadership ability. I paid special attention toernment and most importantly to underher management skills. She exhibited a strong, one thing became crystal clear: that publicstand Japan from another point of view.
administration is not only theory but a profoundcalm and maternalistic presence in the workThe classes, lectures and programs coordiand interesting practice. There can never be aplace. The flexibility of my job assignments
nated by Pace University were excellent
perfect solution to a local government problem
gave me time to learn about practical governand well organized. I was able to learn the
because situations can change quickly. Often
ment administration from the viewpoints ofbackground and basic knowledge of public
public managers are required
administration in the United
to find the best and most cost
States. Most rewarding were
efficient means to remedy a
the field trips to local governproblem. This is truly meanments and non-profit organizaingful work that benefits curtions where I was able to experent residents and allows forrience constituent service inthe future betterment of theaction. I traveled tocommunity.
Washington D.C. and Albany,
the capital of New York State,
Overall, I came away with
where I participated in briefina sense that good research andgs, listened in on lectures andan understanding of the local
observed the practices of federissues will result in good work.
al and state executive agencies.
Societies in general and local
I had the good fortune to beneighborhoods in particularplaced in short-term internThe author, Ms. Hisako Nagai (left), visited the Adult Care Center in White Plains, NY.
are influenced by history
ships in Westchester County
and culture. Therefore,
government offices and thedifferent city departments. I also helped atunderstanding diversity and the uniqueness
Planning Department for the City ofcommunity events and volunteered at theof cultures will enhance government service.
White Plains.
Animal Service Center: a particularly
joyous adventure.
Finally, a hearty and grateful thank you
For my long-term internship, I choseto all the people who took the time and energy
the City of Tallahassee, Florida for two reaConstituent service is given high priority
to assist and support me during my stay insons: First because the Council-Manager
in Tallahassee and public access to government America; Pace University faculty and staff,
system, which is a popular form of governservices and information was advanced, fleximy colleagues at the Japan Local Government
ment in the United States, does not exist in
ble and current. The City’s twenty-four hour
Center, NY, my friends and co-workers in theJapan. Second, the City Manager was acable television channel highlights programs of City of Tallahassee and everyone in my homewoman and women are rarely in leadershipinterest to Tallahassee residents, providing
office in Niigata City, Japan.
positions in local government in Japan.

JLGC Newsletter

5

Issue 46

Spring 2003

JLGC UPDATEThe Local Government Employee Overseas Study Program
Trying to find solutions for local government by looking at American non-profit organizations
by Norio Uehara (Nagano Prefecture)

I was very interested in participating in
be applied to my local government in Japan.
the structure, functions and administration of
the Overseas International Study program for
American non-profit organizations (NPO).
3. To expand my global perspective by inteLocal Government Officials so that I could
Hopefully, my studies would culminate in
grating and assimilating into a different culture finding the right kind of NPO system thatbroaden my knowledge of government adminand work on improving my English language
istration in the United States and to master thewould help out local governments in Japan. I
skills.
English language. In
was fortunate to work withJapan, most government
the American Red Cross
officials transfer from one
and The United Way. I also
department to anotherattended several businessevery three to four years
meetings and visited otherand so do not become speNPO’s such as the Family
cialists in any one area.
Service Center, theAlthough we study English
Neighborhood Healthduring our early school
Center, the Hispanic
years, our English speakCoalition, and the Childing and listening skills
Care Center.
deteriorate when we enter
the workforce. When the
Although my duties
mayor of my small town,
were limited to mostly
Tobu in Nagano Prefecture
observation, I learned thatannounced the opportunity
although the NPO system
to study abroad, I set out
directly services the specifto improve my English,
ic needs of constituents,
applied for the program
funding can be uncertain
The author, Mr. Norio Uehara (far left), enjoys a break during one of the many enlightand unbelievably was chosince it is often based onening seminars that are a part of the Local Government Employee Overseas Program.
sen to participate. I wouldintergovernmental grants
be going to America!
and private fundraising.
Over the last ten years, Japan has been
My plan was to try to attain in some small mired in a deep recession that has affected
When I began to compare the local govmeasure the following goals:
ernment systems of Japan and the United
both the private and public sectors. In an
States, I discovered that the American system
attempt to attain more effective and efficient
1. To acquire knowledge about the structure
local government, the national government has of NPO’s is more integrated and more finanand operation of American public administracially secure than the system in Japan. It
strongly encouraged local government mergtion and government so as to compare it withwould be encouraging if Japan could suffiers. My hometown decided to merge with thethe system of government in Japan.
ciently fund their NPO’s so that they may
neighboring village, so I wanted to bring backwork in tandem with all levels of Japanesesome useful ideas about the American system
2. To understand the concepts of decentralgovernment to address and solve some of theof local government.
ization, greater local autonomy and home rule
more pressing difficulties being experienced
using American case studies and how it may
by local community residents.
For my internship, I wanted to research

JLGC Newsletter

6

Issue 46

Spring 2003

JLGC UPDATEThe Local Government Employee Overseas Study Program
Diversity creating strength in the community
By Hiroshi Tanimoto (Mie Prefecture)

As a young Japanese government
official living and working in America for
one year, I had the opportunity to learn agreat deal about local government andculture in Japan and the U.S. Although
there are similarities between the twosystems of government, there are a few
obvious differences on the regional level –states in the U.S. and prefectures inJapan.
Prefectures in Japan are extensionsof the national government and local
governments generally implement policy
according to the national framework.
Structurally, Japanese prefectures do
not have the uniqueness or distinct“personalities” prevalent in each of the
50 states in America. Although an integral
part of the federal system often allows
local governments greater autonomy, inJapan there are limitations to such provisions between the national government,
its prefectures and local governments. I
learned first hand about the power andautonomy of state and local government.
As a participant of the International
Overseas Program, I was placed as anintern in the city of Tampa, Florida. I
became interested in the historic district
known as Ybor City, a section of thegreater metropolitan area that comprises
Tampa. Ybor City has a rich and storied
history. Founded by Vicente Martinez Ybor,it developed into a diverse and multi-ethnic
community where English was the second
language. The two largest ethnic groups
were the Spaniards and Cubans. Together

JLGC Newsletter

they dominated the cigar making industry,
eventually out producing Havana, Cuba as
the manufacturing center for quality handrolled cigars. By 1900, Ybor City had
become widely known as the cigar capitolof the world. Unfortunately, a few decades
later, several factors including the Great
Depression, the increased consumption ofcigarettes and improved machinery forrolling cigars, contributed to the declineof the cigar industry and Ybor City.
In order to revitalize this diverse
community, the Florida State Legislaturedesignated Ybor City as an historic districtin 1975. Soon after, the city became aregistered National Landmark District.
Building upon its rich history and culture,
Tampa’s mayor and city council recognizedthat Ybor City had the potential to become astrong tourist attraction and made economic

development a top priority. The supportof the diverse ethnic community has contributed to the area’s steady growth while
maintaining its cultural and historical
identity.
I witnessed citizen participation andstrong local government advocacy playleading roles in the drive to better thequality of living for Ybor City residents.
More importantly, the diversity of thecommunity made it possible to achievethese results a lot easier than in Japan
where most communities are homogenous.
I found this to be a stimulating and interesting experience and I have become abeliever in the “melting pot” society.
As a visiting local government official,
it opened my eyes to the possibilities
available when you put yourself into the
dynamic flow of the world.

The author, Hiroshi Tanimoto (third from right), learned about strength through diversity first hand withthe staff of Tampa Bay Economic Development Corporation where he had an internship.

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Issue 46

Spring 2003

GUEST COLUMN

Summer Internship 2002 in Mino, Kagawa
Advancing International Relations through People-to-People Diplomacy
By Mike McCartt
As a graduate student in International
Affairs, I have focused my studies on the useof various forms of public diplomacy to cultivate positive international relations. My personal belief is that international exchange programs are among the most effective ways toaccomplish this goal and foster mutual understanding between individuals as well as
nations. It is this interest in “people-to-people
diplomacy” that led me to participate in theSummer Internship Program sponsored by theJapan Local Government Center.
In the summer of 2002, I spent elevenweeks as an intern in the International
Exchange Association of Mino Town, a small
agricultural community of approximately
10,000 residents in Kagawa Prefecture.
Despite its relatively small size, Mino has aremarkably active and successful International
Exchange Association. Its mission is to promote internationalization and to create a senseof excitement about global inter-dependence
among town residents by providing activities
such as foreign language classes, cultural
demonstrations, and overseas study tours. As aresult of the Association’s efforts, Mino’s residents have developed a remarkably high levelof enthusiasm and interest in international
activities as well as an appreciation of foreigncultures and people.

I visited local schools and answered students’ questions about life in the United States.
I also participated in a series of “International
Understanding Panel Discussions” in which
the town’s residents and foreign guests came
together to share and discuss our perspectives
on various topics. I was also interviewed on
Kagawa’s prefectural radio show, assisted in
the implementation of a home stay programfor elementary school students from Virginia,
and participated in the Mino Town International
Exchange Association’s 10-Year Anniversary
Party.
Although my independent researchand responsibilities as an intern were enlightening, the most educational and enjoyable
part of my program was, unquestionably,
the time I spent with my host families.
Throughout the summer, I stayed with threedifferent host families in Mino, each for three
to four weeks. With them and other people
whom I met in town, I attended BBQ parties,
participated in the town’s tug-of-war competition, held a weekly volunteer English conversation class, went to several festivals throughout Shikoku, spent an afternoon working at
an egg farm, and even won 30,000 yen at myfirst Pachinko outing.

I spent the summer researching the organization and management of Mino Town International Exchange Association in order to gain
an understanding of Japanese local governments’ approach to developing and implementing international cultural and educational programs. In addition, as a rare foreigner, I wasoften at the heart of some of these activities.

Since returning to the United States, I
have kept in touch with many of the friends I
made in Mino. I have also incorporated muchof what I learned about Japanese local government into my studies, and have shared thisinformation with my professors, other students, my family, and friends. As a result of
the JLGC Summer Internship Program, a positive and enduring link has been establishedbetween this small community in the country-

JAPAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTER
666 FIFTH AVE., NEW YORK, NY 10103-0072

TEL: (212) 246-5542
FAX: (212) 246-5617

The author, Mr. Mike McCartt (right), participatedin the Mino Town International Exchange
Association’s 10-Year Anniversary Party.

side of Shikoku Island and the community I
represent in the United States.
My experience as an intern in Mino has
been – and will continue to be – highly valuable as I work to build a career in public
diplomacy and U.S.-Japan relations. Moreover,it has reinforced my deep conviction thatexchanging ideas and culture on an individuallevel is not only highly effective, but essential
to fostering positive international relations.

Featuredin thisissue:SAITAMA PREF.
Seto Inland
Sea

Tokyo

HiroshimaCity

KAGAWA
PREF.
Mino Town

E-MAIL: info@jlgc.org
WEBSITE: http://www.jlgc.org