ISSUE NO.

60• W

INTER 2007

[JLGC UPDATE] JET Programme 20th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony.................................... 1[SPECIAL FEATURE] How will American Federalism help in Japan’s Goal to Decentralise the Administration of Government? .... 2[GUEST COLUMN] Fellowship gives state, local officials the learning experience of a lifetime. ............. 3[JLGC UPDATE] “THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT” - Citizen Participation in the City of Rye ............................. 4[JLGC UPDATE] Three-Month Study Program Opens the Door to Broad Range of Possibilities............ 6[JLGC UPDATE] THE 2006 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES “CONGRESS OF CITIES AND EXPOSITION” ......... 7[CORE CITY] Welcome to Gifu - A Growing City of Development, Tradition and Comfort ....................... 8

JAPAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTER (CLAIR, NEW YORK)JET Programme 20th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony
Cathy Baranenko (ALT - Saitama Prefecture, Saitama-shi 2000-2003)
J L G CU P D A T E

As the winner of the 20th
Anniversary JET logo contest,
I traveled to Japan on Nov 22
to attend the JET Programme 20th
Anniversary Commendation Ceremony
hosted by the Japanese Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications,
the Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology, and theMinistry of Foreign Affairs and theCouncil of Local Authorities forInternational Relations. More than 600
people gathered at the Okura HotelTokyo to celebrate JET's birthday.
Among the participants were ministers ofthehostorganization,
CLAIR,
ambassadors from over 40 participating
countries, and JET alumni currently
active in various fields both inside andoutside of Japan. Most of all, I wasfortunate enough to meet His Imperial
Highness Prince Naruhito, who waspresent for the bestowment ofcommendations.

The Crown Prince making a speech

I felt very honored to havetaken part in the JET Programme’s
birthday celebration. Looking back, it’s
been almost six years since Japan first
introduced me to its culture. I realized I
have been learning about this country forover a quarter of the JET programme’s
history! And although I am now
JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Center

physically back at home, a tremendous
part of my memories and thoughts are
devoted to preserving the experiences I
had while on JET. I still remember theyear 2000 when I first landed in Narita. I
recall stepping off the plane in the midsummer heat along with 300 others
being escorted into a world very much
unknown to most of us. Six years later, I
returned to Tokyo as a self-assured tour
guide for my family, who came tosupport me at the ceremony.

Cathy receiving her award from CLAIR

Japan has become a second
home to me since JET. The first thing
I noticed upon descending the
walkway from the plane leading to
the terminal was a sign written in
hiragana“okaerinasai(Welcomehome)”. I whispered back “tadaima (I’mhome)”. My association with Japannever stopped beyond JET. Maybe
subconsciously I was always looking for a
way to return the favor of having spent
three rewarding years in Japan. That
opportunity came when I found out
about the JET logo design competition.
Every JET participant has in various
ways made lasting impressions on the
programme, but to literally be able toleave a mark on it…is beyond what I
have ever imagined.
The inspiration for the logo wasessentially my mental representation ofwhat JET stands for. I would say that theongoing theme of my life on JET can besummed up in 2 words: convergence andconnections. “Convergence” means “thecoming together of, the merging ofgroups that were originally different”.
“Connections”, represents the “joiningof, or linkage between culture, people,
and the way of life”.
Our job
description says we are in Japan to act
as Assistant Language Teachers, butmore importantly, we are there toconnect with people of other cultures, toshare our views of the world, to act as
grassroot cultural ambassadors of ourcountries. On the logo, the youth placed
inside the “J” represents Japanese youth
and the adult on the “E” symbolizes thementor/ teacher, i.e. the JET participant.
I hope the logo, simplistic yet symbolic,is able to capture the essence of theexchange programme.

20th Anniversary Logo

The twentieth year marks animportant milestone in the JET history.
I would equate it to Japan’s Coming-ofAge celebration, a period of festivities
honoring JET’s passage into adulthood,
but also a time to reflect upon and assess
the programme’s accomplishment inpromoting internationalization on thelocal level. I hope that with the new
JET logo in place, all present andfuture JETs will be reminded of the
programme’s true purpose.
The
friendships and connections theycultivate today will last them a lifetime.
PAGE 1

How will American Federalism help in Japan’s Goal
to Decentralise the Administration of Government?
Seth Benjamin / JLGC Senior Researcher
S P E C I A LIF E A T U R E

n the eighteenth century, the greatEnglish poet, Alexander Pope, in his
Essay on Man, wrote the following:

For forms of government let fools contest;
Whate’er is best administer’d is best.
Pope was well aware of the thencurrent fight between king andparliament over English parliamentary
supremacy. So, he reminded all, in theend, that government was the result of
the actions of individuals, holding officeas matter of trust. Therefore, it was how
administrators governed that mattered.
It is interesting thatJohn Adams, one of
the most important
American Founding
Fathers, placed thisquote prominently
in his writings on
the new American
President John Adams
state government
constitutions. To this day, Americans aremost concerned with the behaviour of
their political leaders rather than theform of government they live under. So,
how will the American version offederalism help in Japan’s goal ofdecentralising
government
administration?
That is indeed adifficult question to answer simply andin such a short space, but two prominent
aspects of American government canilluminate
whatshouldmakedecentralisation a success.
Authority and Accountability are
the two words that permeate therelationship of governments to thepeople that elect them and to therelationship among governments in theAmerican system: That is, authority to
act and accountability for those actions.
One of the features of theAmerican system of federalism is the dual
sovereignty of the state and federal
governments.
Actually, the federal
PAGE 2government has no original sovereignty,
coming only as it does from the federal
Constitution. As a result of this dual
sovereignty, state governments have anenormous scope to act on behalf of theircitizens. (Indeed, until the midnineteenth century, residents of a state
were citizens of that state first and only
then of the United States.) So, states
have the authority to act on a wide range
of issues, without any need to getapproval from a ‘central’ government.
The only limits on their activities
essentially are to be found in the federal
Constitution. One important piece ofstate government authority is the power
to tax its own citizens: Not only thepower to tax but the ability to determine
what to tax and by how much.
Of course, in today’s world, thatclear delineation of responsibility
between the state and federal
governments is much blurred by thecourse of American history over the past
two hundred plus years and, perhaps evenmore important, the interpretation ofthat relationship by the U.S. Supreme
Court.
Nowadays, many state
programmes are heavily influenced, if notcontrolled, by federal mandates and otherregulations. The U.S. Supreme Court
has swung back and forth between
supporting the states and the federal
government at different times in thenation’s history. The tension between the
two levels of government is always real.
Nevertheless, the taxing authority
is palpable to the average citizen. It has
been, at various times, the source of‘taxpayer revolts’, such as Proposition 13
in California in 1978, or Proposition 2
1/2 in Massachusetts in 1980. Precisely
because of its effects, along with thetaxing authority comes a very keenly felt
accountability. State governments arevery sensitive to the need to be‘accountable’ to their citizens. In New
Jersey, in 1990, for example, after thethen Governor pushed through a large tax
increase, with the willingness of the
majority party in the State Legislature,
the citizens responded at the next election
by voting out virtually every member ofthe majority party who did not hold asuper-safe seat. The recent uproar by
citizens all across the country over the
Kelo v. City of New London ruling of the
U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 has led
many states to curtail the authority of
their local governments to use ‘eminent
domain’ procedures. Even competition
among the states for economic
development is vibrant, despite the recent
attempt to ‘harmonise’ sales tax regimes.
All in all, it’s the authority of thestate governments and the concomitantaccountability that gives American stateand local governments their vitality,
ingenuity, innovation and prospect for
future progress. It is true that Japan’s
prefectures do not have the luxury of thatindependent authority. However that
may be, decentralisation will succeed or
fail on how much real responsibility will
be placed on prefecture governments. In
the end, just as in the American state
governments, the ability of the prefecturesto act on their own initiative (and, maybe,‘to make their own mistakes’) and accept
the consequences of their own actions will
determine how they face theadministrative challenges of the future.
What
Alexander
Pope
understood, and American state
governments have had, by and large, isthe need for the very people who
administer government services to be free
to exercise the authority to makedecisions in the interest of those they
serve and then, at the same time, be held
responsible for such decisions. There isno question that the talented staff of theprefectures is ready to assume such a
responsibility.
And, perhaps, theproposed Doushuu law will be thevehicle.
JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government CenterFellowship gives state, local officials thelearning experience of a lifetime
Tim Anderson, Publications Manager, Council of State Governments Midwest
G U E S TT

C O L U M N

he population is aging and someof the young people are leaving.

Meanwhile, the financiallystrapped local government is looking for
new, innovative ways to invigorate theeconomy and bring attractive jobs to thearea.
Sound familiar?
It probably does to the many stateand local government officials in the
United States and Canada dealing withthose issues.
But as officials who participatedin the 2006 CLAIR Fellowship Exchange
Program found out, the same types ofdemographic trends and economic
challenges are driving policy decisions
thousands of miles away from home - inthe picturesque Japanese prefecture of
Shimane.
I was honored to be a part of thatgroup of U.S. and Canadian officials who
traveled to Shimane and Tokyo as part of
the CLAIR Fellowship.
For all of us, it was the learning
experience of a lifetime, bothprofessionally and personally.

Delegates visited Panasonic Center

In Shimane, we saw first-handsome of the unique ways that government
leaders are trying to build the region's
economy. We visited a prefecture-led
research park, for example, where thegovernment itself is developing products
for use by local businesses. That samefacility also houses “small-businessincubators,” which allow budding
JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Center

entrepreneurs from Shimane to get acompetitive head start.
In our face-to-face meetings withprefecture leaders, we learned about new
initiatives to market Shimane's local
products to consumers throughout Japanand around the world. Those products
include a unique type of oyster from the
Oki Islands and the fish from stunning
Lake Shinji.
We also had discussions with themayor of Shimane’s largest town, Matsue
City, a municipality working to provide
essential local services during a period inJapan marked by tight budgetary
constraints and changing politicalconditions.

Mr. Hidetaka Matsuo Vice Governor of Shimane
Prefecture greeted delegates

In Tokyo,we visited thecity'soldesttemple, toured the National Diet Building
and spent time at a traditional Japanesegarden.
In Shimane, we stayed at aJapanese-style inn (which included a
traditional communal bath), walked tothe top of a nearly 400-year-old castle,
and got an up-close look at Matsue City as
we traveled by boat along the castle’smoat.
And then, there were the homestays.
For part of a weekend, we spenttime visiting and staying with a local
family in Shimane. By opening theirhomes, and showing us such kindness,these families left us with indelibly warm
memories of Japan and its people
No CLAIR Fellow’s home stay was
the same, but we all returned to the groupenriched by the experience.
The same goes for the entire trip.
We were treated to a host of marvelous
opportunities, all of which were managed
flawlessly by the extraordinarily helpful
and friendly CLAIR staff.
Our visit to Japan lasted a week
and half.
We’ll remember it fondly for the
rest of our lives.

In Tokyo, officials in the nation’s
capital talked to us about some of thosechanging political conditions, which
include a restructuring of the relationshipbetween the federal and local government.
But
the
CLAIR Fellowshipwas much morethan a lesson inpolicyandgovernment
institutions.
The most
unforgettable partof the learning
experience, in fact,
was getting toknow the culture
and people ofDelegates tried to make Japanese traditional sweets “Matsue Wagashi”
Japan.
PAGE 3

“THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT” Citizen Participation in the City of Rye
Stephen Fasano / JLGC Senior Researcher
J L G CU P D A T E

The Japan Local Government
Center held its New York Fall
Seminar at the Whitby Castle inthe beautiful city of Rye, New York on
November 14, 2006. The seminar event,
held annually, provides an opportunity
for local Japanese government officials
living and working in the United States
and Canada to learn about public
administration
and
how
local
governments make policy and administer
services to their constituents.

residential community in a bucolic
setting nestled along the shore of Long
Island Sound in Westchester County,
New York. The oldest permanent
settlement in Westchester County it
merged with other settlements in 1665
and took the name Rye after ancestors in
Rye, England. In 1788, the New YorkState Legislature officially established the
Town of Rye boundaries. For two
centuries, Rye remained a secluded
community. Land was cleared for

JLGC Executive Director receives key to the city from City of Rye Mayor Steven Otis.

Each year, the Seminar features aparticular theme and this year’s subject
focused on volunteers in local
government and how citizens participate
in providing essential government
services. The volunteer theme waschosen to emphasize how important it isfor residents to understand how
government works by becoming involvedin the activities of their government.
Policies and major decisions are often
implemented with the input of city
residents. The city of Rye is a model for
citizen participation and volunteers are
the heart and soul of what makes theirgovernment function in an effective andefficient manner.
The small city of Rye is a
PAGE 4farming and grazing and docks were built
on Long Island Sound to support thegrowing oyster industry. In the latenineteenth century, Rye experienced
growth and change made possible by themodernization of transportation. By
1904, there were two schools, fivechurches, a library and a population of
3,500 residents.
The growing community became
dissatisfied with the services of Rye Town
and by special election on September 12,
1904, taxpayers voted to become thevillage of Rye. As the village developed
the residents began to desire complete
independence
from
the
Town
government and city status offered many
advantages. In 1940, the New York State

Legislature approved the Rye City
Charter adopted by residents and on
January 1, 1942, Rye became
Westchester County’s sixth and smallest
city.
In order to fulfill its mission, thegovernment of the city of Rye operates
under the Council-Manager form ofgovernment. An elected mayor and six
council members form the legislative andpolicy-making body of the city. They
adopt local laws and ordinances andcontrol the raising and appropriation offunds. They appoint a full time City
Manager to administer city departments
and carry out their policies. The City
Manager supervises and coordinates thework of the city’s seventeen departments.
Mayor
StevenOtis
andCouncilman Duncan Hennes welcomed
the group of Japanese government
officials. Mayor Otis remarked: “… that
there are over 100 volunteers serving on
various boards, committees andcommissions and although the Mayor andmembers of the City Council are elected
they do not receive remuneration for theirtime, expertise and service to the city.”Councilman Hennes stated: “…
that a large percentage of the everyday
work of city government is accomplishedwith the aid and assistance ofvolunteers.”
Assistant City Manager and City
Comptroller Michael Genito serving as
moderator for the event introduced Rye
City Manager O. Paul Shew who spoke
effusively about the need for citizens to

Our host and facilitator, Assistant City Manager andCity Comptroller Michael Genito

JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Centerensure their conformity
with local laws. He said“… when a community
is designing or updating
a comprehensive plan,
the circle of volunteers is
broader often involving
many
citizens
insubcommittees studying
land use, housing,conservation, recreation,transportation, public
servicesand
othercommunity needs.”
Police Commissioner
Chief Wickham greets JLGC Executive Director Hirai and Deputy Director Niwa.
WilliamConnors
actively participate in their government.
outlined the use of volunteers to assist“We need volunteers to function… andwith traffic and crowd control during
are fortunate to be blessed with talented
festive events and emergency situations.
citizens who unselfishly share their time
City Naturalist Chantal Detlefs briefly
and knowledge with the staff and elected
spoke about the volunteer activity that
officials.”
has helped propel the Rye Nature Center
County Legislator Judith Myers
into self sufficiency and Recreation
spoke about her experience starting out
Commission
SuperintendentBillin government as a volunteer. “Serving
Rodriguez talked about how the youth
as a volunteer, I believe is the bestand senior citizens have assisted in thefoundation for working in government.”
development of recreation programs.
Dr. Brian Nickerson, Director of
the Michaelian Institute for Policy andManagement at Pace University formallyopened the morning session byintroducing Japan Local Government
Center’s Executive Director Shinji Hirai.
Mr. Hirai graciously thanked Rye city
officials for hosting the group of Japanese
government officials and gave some
introductory remarks before exchanging
gifts of friendship with Mayor Otis.
The morning session featured aslide show presentation of thedepartments, boards, committees andcommissions that use volunteers to assist
Rye city with administering local
government services.
City planner
Christian Miller highlighted thevolunteer effort in community planning.
Planning and zoning boards require quite
a bit of volunteer time and effort inreviewing development proposals to
JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Center

After a salubrious lunch served in
the banquet hall of historic Whitby
Castle, the afternoon session featured atour of the Milton Point fire house.
Established in 1903, the Milton Point
fire house has successfully undergone
restoration.
Chief John Wickham
conducted a presentation that described
the organization and structure of the Rye
Fire Department including its use ofvolunteer firefighters. Rye city is uniquein that its fire services are comprised of
paid and volunteer firefighters. The Rye
Fire Department has approximately 50
volunteer firefighters.
Volunteer
firefighters undergo training and fightfires as well as equip vehicles and operate
fire fighting apparatus. They are an
integral and vital component of the fire
department. These brave men andwomen who serve and protect theircommunity exemplify the volunteer
spirit encountered in many locales in the
United States and experienced by
Japanese local government officials in thecity of Rye.

JLGC staff touring the Milton Firehouse in the City of Rye

PAGE 5

Three-Month Study Program Opens the Doorto Broad Range of Possibilities
Shinya Hasegawa
J L G CIU P D A T E

PAGE 6

improve. If my English skills don’t improve,
I will be hesitant to start a conversation.
The keys to breaking this spiral are
to be positive and have confidence. Even
though I don’t have enough confidence to
speak English, it is important to speak tosomeone positively. I tried as much as I
could to speak positively after I noticed thisfact. Such positives encourage me to try to
speak more confidently and confidence
makes me positive.

and recorded for use by CITISTAT to assess
whether the problem was dealt withadequately and quickly by the appropriate
department.
CITISTAT is a combination of thewords city and statistics, and a meeting isheld every two weeks to monitor whether or
not all departments are working efficiently.
Agency or bureau heads have a CITISTAT
meeting with a CITISTAT team which isorganized with the mayor, deputy mayors,
and key councillors. All citizens can share
their views at this meeting.
The bureau or agency has to submit
data to the CITISTAT team days before
each planned meeting. The data covers abroad range of information and input over a
two-week period. If any problems arepointed out, the associated departments are
required to submit a solution and plan at the
In a 311 call center
next meeting.
Secondly, I would like to discuss
To summarize, the chief aim of thelocal administrative systems.
“311” call center is to formulate a policy
What impressed me the most is theand the main purpose of CITISTAT is toprocess of accountability for citizens throughexpedite implementation, monitor and, if
the “311” call center and CITISTAT inneed be, respond to public sector evaluation
Baltimore city. The “311” call center is aand queries.
I was fortunate to visit manysystem that allows citizens to dial “311”organizations in the U.S. besides Baltimore.
when he or she wants to obtain information
Generally, it is difficult to compare which
regarding services provided or to voice asystem is superior or efficient, that of thecomplaint about his or her city. The purpose
U.S. or Japan. But both countries main goalof this system is not only to deal withis to provide a fair and helpful administrativecomplaints from citizens, but also to improve
service to its local citizens. The efforts andservices, to manage administration efficiently
achievements of Baltimore city were
and to increase government transparency andbeneficial for me in this respect. Whether I
accountability.
This
informationiscompiled
With language school classmates
can utilize the experiences andknowledge I acquired in theItinerary of the CLAIR Short-Term International Study Program 2006
U.S. in my next role remains
Aug. 18 ..............................Travel to New Yorkto be seen; hopefully yes.
Aug. 21 - Aug. 22..............Opening session and orientation at Japan Local Government Center in New York
Although my stay in the U.S.
Aug. 23 - Sep. 15..............Travel to Arlington, VA
All-day language training......................................................................................................[ Stay hotel ]has ended, the CLAIR ShortSep. 18 - Oct. 6 ................All-day language training 3 days a week
Term International Study
Meetings and site visits in Washington D.C. area rest of the week ..................................[ Stay host family ]Oct. 10 - Oct. 13 ...............Meetings on state government (Austin, TX) ........................................................................[ Stay hotel ]Programcontinues
andOct. 16 - Oct. 20 ...............Meetings on municipal government (Boulder, CO) .............................................................[ Stay hotel ]hopefully my views and theOct. 21 - Nov. 3.................Individual Internship (2-week internship in municipal government(s)) ..............................[ Stay host family ]Nov. 6 - Nov. 10 ................Independent travel (I went Vancouver, Canada and Oakland, CA) ....................................[ Stay hotel ]information obtained over the(meeting with municipal government(s) or organization about own theme)
last three months will assist
Nov. 13 ..............................Closing session at Japan Local Government Center in New York ....................................[ Stay hotel ]local government authorities
Nov. 14 ..............................Travel to Japanin some way.

wish the term of the CLAIR Short-Term
International Study Program was longer
than three months. It’s my honest
feeling before participating in this program
because if the period is longer I could visit
many more sightseeing spots, however, themain purpose of this program was not
sightseeing but to study English and overseas
local administrative systems.
In terms of language training at a
language school in Arlington, Virginia, I
learned not only English, but also the way
Americans ask a question immediately if they
have doubts and what they don’t understand.
However, it was difficult to ask a question
quickly because I wasn’t used to this custom
and even if I wanted to ask a question, I
couldn’t understand exactly what the teacher
said and I didn’t know how to express myself
accurately using my own words. What I felt
was that there was a vicious circle to improve
my English skills. If I hesitate to start a
conversation, there is a risk of conversation
break-down. If there is a risk of conversation
break-down, my English skills won’t

JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government CenterTHE 2006 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES“CONGRESS OF CITIES AND EXPOSITION”
Stephen Fasano / JLGC Senior Researcher
J L G CU P D A T E

governments are using to create
affordable housing such as tax increment
financing and employer benefit
programs.

“Congress of Cities and Exposition” at Reno-Sparks
Convention CenterThe National League of Cities(NLC ) held its 2006 “Congressof Cities and Exposition” inReno, Nevada. NLC is the oldest
and largest national organization
representing municipal governments
throughout the United States. Its
mission is to strengthen and promotecities as centers of opportunity,
leadership and governance.
The
Congress event serves as NLC’s annual
convention and offers a broad range oflearning opportunities. The conferenceis unique in that it partners with a hostcity to develop educational programs
which allow the city to display its
accomplishments.

NLC President Bart Peterson and JLGC Executive
Director Shinji Hirai

This year the host city was Reno,“The Biggest Little City in the World”.
More than 3,500 attendees representing
JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Center

1200 cities, 48 states, the District ofColumbia and Puerto Rico were treated
to an array of lectures and discussions onimportant and timely municipal issues.
The opening general session
featured Henry Cisneros as the keynote
speaker. Mr. Cisneros served as the
Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development during President Clinton’sadministration. A former mayor of San
Antonio, Texas and past president of the
NLC, Mr. Cisneros is recognized as thefirst Hispanic-American mayor of amajor U.S. city. During his tenure as
mayor; he helped rebuild the city’s
economic base and spurred the creationof jobs through massive infrastructureand downtown improvements. Mr.
Cisneros currently serves as Chairman of
CityView, a community building
company dedicated to producing
workforce homes in the central
neighborhoods of America’s urban areas.
Focusing on why affordable
housing is important to restoring the
economy, Mr. Cisneros stressed that it isa basic function of local government toprovide affordable housing. He statedthat cities need to think comprehensively
about implementing housing initiatives
and to concentrate on “smart growth”.
He listed many tools that city

Mobile workshops were an
integral part of the convention andReno showcased a number of recent
achievements and success stories. Reno
rediscovered the value and beauty of the
Truckee River which runs through theheart of downtown and built an aesthetic
and commercial oriented river walk. The
Reno Transportation Rail AccessCorridor (ReTRAC) program lowered
the old railroad tracks into a 33 foottrench and created new rail lines andoverpasses to move people and vehicles
more quickly through the downtown
area.
Regional collaboration was
exhibited through the creation andoperation of the Regional Public Safety
Center and the preservation of Lake
Tahoe, Nevada’s “Jewel of the Sierra”.
The restoration and revitalization of
Virginia City is underway thanks to theefforts of the Virginia City Convention
and Tourism Authority partnering withsmall businesses and large corporations
to market tourism.
Continuing a history andtradition dating back to the early years of
this century, the 83rd Congress of Cities
reinforced the concept that the NLC is avital organization that serves its member
municipalities with information to assist
mayors and council members to lead
their communities in an ever changing
complex world.
PAGE 7

Welcome to Gifu - A Growing City ofDevelopment, Tradition and Comfort
Keitaro Tanaka / Assistant Director of JLGC
Logo of Slow Life Promotion

C O R EC I T Y

Panoramic View of the City of GifuT

he City of Gifu, capital of Gifu
Prefecture, is located at thegeographic center of Japan. A
former castle-town known in the 1500’s
as Inokuchi, it came under the rule of thewarlord Nobunaga Oda who popularized
its name as “Gifu”. In 1995, the City ofGifu became a Core City (Chukaku-shi).
Core City status gave the City of Gifu
additional power. In 2006, the City ofGifu merged with the Town of Yanaizu.
This unification increased Gifu’s
population to over 420,000 and
expanded its size to approximately 203
square kilometers.

EGifu City Tower 43- A New City Landmark
Gifu’s landscape is now changing
dramatically. “Gifu City Tower 43”, is a
new 43-story building that is going up
next to Gifu station. It is scheduled to becompleted by autumn of 2007. Gifu
City Tower 43 will be
a complex structure
thatfeaturescommercial
andresidential facilities,
includingseniorhousing. The roof
will have a public
space so everyone can
Gifu City Tower 43
enjoy the 360 degree(completion drawing)panoramic view of Gifu City.
The tower will become a newcity landmark.
In addition to Gifu
City Tower 43, various
projectsarecurrently
underwayaroundGifu
station, including elegantpedestrian elevated walkways
andnewcommercial
buildings that were completed
recently. Revitalizing the areaaround Gifu station will
create a new and charming
identity for the City of Gifu.

ECormorant Fishing (Ukai)- A Historic Tradition
Cormorant fishing on the Nagara
River has a history of over 1,300 years.
Cormorant fishermen skillfully handle
the 12 cormorant birds that catch ayu
fish with their sharp beaks. The sight of
the Cormorant fishermen at work on theriver creates a profound visual image.
Gifu fishermen are specially certified by
the Imperial Household Agency, andevery year they present the first catch of
ayu fish to the Emperor.
Besides Cormorant fishing, Gifu
is rich with traditional crafts, such as“Gifu Chochin (lanterns)”, “Gifu Wagasa(Japanese umbrellas)” and “Gifu Uchiwa(fans)”. These traditional crafts remain
important to the City of Gifu.

itself as a “SlowLife City” similar
to the lifestyleconceptsof“Slow Food” innorthern Italy
and “Lifestyles of
Health
and
Su
s
t
a
i
n
a
b
i
l
ity
Gifu Chochin (lantern)(LOHAS)”
popularized around the northern Pacificarea in the United States. The “Slow Life
City” program is not just about “SlowFood” which encourages some changes in
the local diet and promotes enjoying longmeals with family and friends, but also
incorporates the concepts of “SlowIndustry” which encourages residents to
pay attention to and cherish traditional
crafts using natural materials andcraftsmanship; “Slow Education” whichemphasizes spiritual well being andlongevity; and “Slow Tourism” typified
by Cormorant fishing, a practice which
presents tourists with a historic andseductively timeless example oftraditional Gifu culture.
With its new diversity andeclectic charm, visitors can experience arich and hospitable city in which all canenjoy the development, tradition andcomfort of Gifu.
For more information:
Gifu City Government
http://www.city.gifu.lg.jp/c/1911010
6/19110106.html
Photo credit/Gifu City Government

Cormorant Fishing

ESlow Life City - Creating Value
The City of Gifu is promoting

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PAGE 8JLGC NewsLetter No. 60 • © 2007 Japan Local Government Center