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Awards Entry

2016 Asia-pacific Conference
Educating how the country is founded-Natinal
Foundation Day of JapanJCI JAPAN
Best Local Growth & Development Program

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Entry Information
Award Program: 2016 Asia-Pacific Conference
Category: Best Local Growth & Development Program
NOM Information
National Organization: JCI JAPAN
Shigenari Yamamoto
E-mail: japan@jci.cc

National President:

LOM Information
Local Organization: JCI Sagamihara
President: mitsuo iida
President Email: willmokun@yahoo.co.jp

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Basic Information
Duration : February 11, 2016 (Thu.) 1:00 p.m. ~ 4:3
Staff : 89
Sponsors : Mr. Takatoshi Kitagawa, President, Sazareishi Japan
Budget : \\670,038 (US$6,700.
Profit / Loss : NoneIn which UN MDG bestfit (if apply): ?:Citizens, including elementary/junior-high school students in Sagamihara
Who is benefited ?:City
Objective : (1) As a first step towards enhancing national history education, we haveset our project objective of educating children who are the tomorrow’s
principals about Japanese history, in the recognition that such education
is of critical importance. (2) To create and foster people’s attachment tolocal communities and their home town, while at the same time effectively
communicating about the National Foundation Day of Japan andincreasing interest in national history
Overview : (1) Animation movies and lectures regarding myth, presented by
Sazareishi Japan (2) Entertainer Mr. AMEMIYA’s live performance on thetopic of national history and foundation, in which participants can sing,laugh and learn
Results : - According to the questionnaire survey, 85% of the participants said thatthey “remembered the National Foundation Day,” and/or “becomeinterested in the history of their own country.” Some children said thatthey “want to know the history of Gods that are believed in othercountries,” or “want to know the Japanese history even more deeply.” We had the feeling that the children had not a little interest in the national
history in the first place, but they were given little opportunity to learn it. Many of the children knew the names of Gods because, for example, theyappear in the games the children play on a routine basis as characters inmyth. - It was verified using the questionnaire survey results.
Actions Taken : September ~ December 2015: Planning, proposals, and research
January ~ February 2016: Mobilizing the participants to various youth andjuvenile associations October 21, 2015: Discussions with the director of
the Youth Learning Center October 21, 2015: Discussions with theadministrative agency
Recommendations : According to the questionnaire survey, 85% of the participants said thatthey “remembered the National Foundation Day,” and/or “becomeinterested in the history of their own country.” Some children said thatthey “want to know the history of Gods that are believed in othercountries,” or “want to know the Japanese history even more deeply.”
Based on the results, we could determine that the children had greatinterest in the history but they were not given enough opportunities.
Moving forward, we would like to provide as many opportunities as
possible so that children can learn at their own initiative. We could help
the children learn spontaneously about rather difficult topic such myth andnational history by using animation movies.

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Award Category criteria
Strategic Plan

What were the We need to place emphasis on the concept of mutual
main objectives of understanding in which people of diverse backgrounds
the program?

can understand each other. In so doing, we consider it
essential to understand the perspectives and thoughts on
various issues of other countries, upon which we canexplain that of ours based on the understanding how ourcountry is founded as well as the history of it up totoday. Therefore, we are determined to nurture humanresources with global perspectives.

How does this In promoting the youth and juvenile development
program advance project and creating its framework, we, as the jaycees in
the plan of action
the generation having responsibility, will not simplyof the Local
Organization? depend on the relationships between parents or teachersand children, but create an ever-richer environment inwhich children can grow and support the children,
thereby developing the environment together with thosechildren.

How does this We consider it essential to understand the perspectives
project advance and thoughts on various issues of other countries, upon
the JCI Mission
which we can explain that of ours based on what weand Vision?

learned as the history of our country up to today. As
such, we are going to promote the project by whichchildren responsible for the next generation, who willplay an active role on a global level in the future as
representatives of Japan, understand how our country isfounded. Thus, it is of importance that the members
reaffirm their understanding of the national foundation,
retain the identity as a Japanese national, and pass down
the spirit of the Japanese inherited from the era of myth.

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Award Category criteria
Involvement of Local Board of Directors and Members

By number, howmany members
were involved? 89
By percentage, howmany members
were involved in theprogram? 50
How many Local
Board members
were involved in theproject? 28

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Page 53Award Category criteria
Methods of Implementation

What methods - The children, through questions and answers based on
and/or activities the animation movies in the areas such as myth andwere used to grownational history that they do not usually study, theyand develop theLocal actively learned new knowledge. Through thisOrganization? experience, the jaycees break out the paradigm andacquired the recognition in which it is just natural topass down the myth and the national history of thecountry they were born and grew up.
Whichmethod/activity Not only we the jaycees but also most of people havewas the most
little opportunity to learn myth and national history, iteffective inrecruiting new was a truly good opportunity for the participants tomembers? Why? become interested in such topics.
Which The activity in which we pass down Japanese myth,method/activity history, culture, and tradition and enhance knowledge,
was the mostaiming for succeeding these beautiful Japanese
effective indeveloping current characteristics, contributes to the maintenance andmembers? Why? further development of the Japanese culture was themost effective - this recognition changed the awarenessof each and every one of the members.

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Award Category criteria
Results Achieved

By number, howmany newmembers wererecruited by thisprogram?
Which objectives Children’s interest in the national history increased.
did the program We, the jaycees, utilized this opportunity to reaffirm
achieve?

their identity as the Japanese. We will pass down thespirit of the Japanese succeeded from the era of myth.

What was the most As the adults, we could obtain the recognition thatimportant outcome children could not have interest in the method ofof this program?

learning the history, rather than not having interest in
learning the history of their own country itself. Thanks
to the way of communicating information throughanimation and songs, with which children are familiar,
the children could understand how their country wasfounded, what was the history was like, and nurture thespirit of mutual understanding in which people ofdiverse backgrounds can understand each other.

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Award Category criteria
Long-term Impact of the Program

What is the The children who participated in the project will growexpected long-term as the global human resources who can understand andimpact of thisempathize with the perspectives and thoughts on
project?

various issues of other countries, upon which they can
explain that of theirs based on the understanding how
their country is founded as well as the history of theircountry up to today. The children will grow up andbecome adults who have the firm identity as theJapanese and pass down the spirit succeeded from theera of myth. We expect them to become humanresources who can share the rich and wonderful
Japanese culture with the world.

What changes This project revealed that in the current situation in
would you make to Japan people have little opportunities to learn myth andimprove the results
national history of their country. We, as the jaycees inof this project?

the generation having responsibility, will need to createand support an ever-richer environment in which people
can grow. It is our mission that we will continue to
implement measures that allow children to learn moreeasily about such topics through various ways ofcommunication verified based on the project.

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