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Awards Entry

2016 Asia-pacific Conference
Innovation! For more attractive Sendai
JCI JAPAN
Best Local Community Empowerment Program

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Entry Information
Award Program: 2016 Asia-Pacific Conference
Category: Best Local Community Empowerment Program

NOM Information
National Organization: JCI JAPAN

National President:

Shigenari Yamamoto
E-mail: japan@jci.cc

LOM Information
Local Organization: JCI Sendai(Miyagi)
President: Katsutoshi Yoshida
President Email: st-yoshida@sst.co.jp

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Basic Information
Duration : From Jul. 26 to Oct. 24 of 2015
Staff : 210 member
3 administrations/14 universities/10 organizations/601 companies/1
Sponsors :media
Budget : $17,000
Profit / Loss : 0
In which UN MDG bestfit (if apply): ?:1.05 million citizens of Sendai city[1.04 million Japanese citizens andWho is benefited ?:0.01 million foreign citizens]
Objective :• JCI Sendai, by sharing differences of culture and sense of values,
motivate Japanese citizens and foreign citizens to work together
on globalization of Sendai city.
• JCI Sendai provide citizens opportunity to work together to makeSendai attractive city.
< Reasons>
For the following reasons, it is necessary that changing citizens way of
thinking and creating attractiveness of Sendai city.
1. After The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, number oftourists visiting Miyagi prefecture (Sendai is a capital City of Miyagi
prefecture) have not yet recovered.
Number of tourists:2010 61.28 million
2013 55.69 million

Overview :2. Although 80% of foreign citizens are satisfied Sendai city, but
numbers of foreign citizens always fall below 1% of population ofSendai city. So far, globalization of Sendai city have not mademuch progress.
• United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction heldin Sendai city as an opportunity, Sendai city is aiming to increase
the numbers of tourists and develop economy to be aninternational city getting attention from all over the world.
• JCI Sendai made Japanese and foreign citizens to project teams,
and provided opportunities to understand each other thedifference, such as sense of values.
• Each project team examined a problem and did survey andresearch, this could be opportunities to mutual understanding ofJapanese and foreign citizens.
• JCI Sendai summarized research and results of project teams,
and published 10,000 copies guidebook of new attractivenessof Sendai both in Japanese and English. The guidebook was
distributed widely to 20 organizations, 100 places and also
put on JCI Sendai official website so that motivated many
citizens to be positively interested in Sendai city, they live.
• Project teams held Global Imoni to widely publicize new
attractiveness of Sendai to Japanese and foreign citizens andshared the difference of food culture.
Global Imoni was broadcasted 3 times by Japan Broadcasting
Corporation as local topic news.
Possible viewer: 9.6 million households of Miyagi prefecture
23.3 million people
Global Imoni
Imoni is a traditional local dish of Sendai city, miso flavor
potato hot pot dish with pork. Project teams developed Imoni
so that more people can eat regardless of religious reasons or

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dietary restrictions.
• JCI Sendai, collaborated with publisher, distributed free paper
introducing our program and new attractiveness of Sendai city,such as Global Imoni. Also this free paper was put on website inEnglish. We provided opportunities that a lot of citizens got
interested in own local city and widely publicized further
attractiveness of Sendai.
Free paper
Circulation: 50,000
Distribution place: More than 680 places in Sendai city

Results :• JCI Sendai presented results of program and organized panel
discussion by experts, such as deputy mayor of Sendai city, andprovided opportunities that citizens realize potential of Sendai city.
*Panel discussion was equipped with simultaneous interpretation.
1. Project teams worked together actively to find new attractivenessof Sendai city, as a results they made guidebook of attractivenessof Sendai city and created new tourist attraction, Global Imoni.
2. JCI Sendai provided circumstance that Japanese and foreign
citizens can act positively to make Sendai city more attractive.

3. Citizens were provided opportunity to share the attractiveness ofSendai city and successful case of other city, problem and future
prospect of Sendai city by hearing panel discussion by Japaneseand foreign 3 experts, such as deputy mayor of Sendai city. And
they are motivated to act for globalization of Sendai city.
Actions Taken : Jan. 2015
JCI Sendai did interviews from 50 administrative people, 30 educators,
Japanese and foreign 10 experts, 200 Japanese students and 100
foreign students.
< Resalt>
They want to make Sendai attractive, international city, but they do nothave many opportunities that citizens exchange each other and think
about it.
It is necessary to motivate citizens for globalization of Sendai city andprovide opportunity to make Sendai city more attractive, so JCI Sendai
started program.
May 28, 2015
Started to collect participants for the program, Innovation! For more
attractive Sendai.
Target: Japanese and foreign citizens of Sendai city
Collecting method: Posters and leaflets, JCI Sendai official website
Distributed 500 Japanese and English posters and 5,000
Japanese and English leaflets to administration, companies, universities,
colleges, various organizations and associations.
Jul. 26, 2015
Started project teams.
Participants: 220 Japanese citizens 290 foreign citizens 210 JCI Sendai
members
Hold the first meeting.
Each project teams decided the themes of survey and research.
• Differences of food culture between Sendai city and foreign cities.
• Well city planning of Sendai city, such as large, but blessed withnature.
These themes decided by comparing each others culture and sense ofvalues.
Project teams did survey and research about their themes for a month.
Aug. 23, 2015
Hold the second meeting.
Project teams summarized results of survey and research to widely

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publicize as new attractiveness of Sendai city.
Aug. 27, 2015
JCI Sendai requested deputy mayor of Sendai city and Japanese andforeign experts for cooperation to the project and they accepted.
< Japanese and foreign experts for cooperation>
1. Ms. Sarah Marie Cummings
She is au fait with Japanese culture and expert of promoting city.
She participated ASPAC Sendai, 2002 as a panelist ofentrepreneur special symposium.
We got advice about culture of Sendai city and creating
attractiveness of city from foreigners perspective.
2. Mr. Ryotaro Sakurai
He organize various training for transmitting attractiveness ofJapan to the world, such as Hospitality training of how to welcome
foreigners, original method of English training for service.
Entrepreneur, born in Sendai city.
We got advice about transmitting attractiveness of Sendai city tothe world.
Sep. 10, 2015
JCI Sendai decided to organize presentation of the program.
Sep. 25, 2015
JCI Sendai published 10,000 copies guidebook both in Japaneseand English for transmitting new attractiveness of Sendai, anddistributed widely.
Oct. 4, 2015
Project teams held Global Imoni which approx.500 people joined
tasting event to transmit new attractiveness of Sendai city to
Japanese and foreign citizens and shared the difference of foodculture.
Imoni, local dish of Sendai city, became new attraction for tourists from allover the world and more people can eat regardless of religious reasonsor dietary restrictions.
Oct. 24, 2015
JCI Sendai presented our program results and organized panel
discussion by experts, such as deputy mayor of Sendai city, and citizens
are motivated to act for globalization of Sendai city.
Participants: 410 Japanese citizens 190 foreign citizens 210 JCI Sendai
members
Recommendations : JCI Sendai achieved objectives as below.
1. Project members reconsidered Sendai city and found new
attractiveness and values of Sendai city and changed to be active
and interested in local community.
According to questionnaires, 92% of project members answeredthat they want to find more attractiveness of Sendai city.
Actually, they created new community and continue to publicize
Global Imoni widely.
2. By guidebook we made, media and official website, JCI Sendai
provided opportunity not only project members but also many
citizens to realize new attractiveness of Sendai city.
->After the program, visitors to website increased to 5000
than 2000 before the program.
->Japan Ground Self-Defense Force served Global Imoni to 24
military attaches from 21 countries when they visited Sendaicity.
->Sendai city government request JCI Sendai to introduce
Global Imoni at G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank
Governors meeting will be held on May 20 to 21, 2016, andcurrently under discussion.

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3. JCI Sendai organized presentation of program results and panel
discussion to present new attractiveness of Sendai city to citizens.
According to the result of questionnaires, 80% participants
answered that their recognition for Sendai city had changed
positively.
*Examples of positive opinion: "Understood the difference offoreign culture and changed mind to deal with foreigners." "Menu
written in English is necessary for foreigners." "Hold an exchange
meeting to abandon hesitation of talking with foreigners." "Study
culture and history of Sendai city as the first step to becomecosmopolitan."< Improvement plan>
Increase of visitors to website and Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces
action show that we could create opportunity, and we are still working on
to verify if whole citizens of Sendai city changed to be interested in theirlocal community.
To improve this, we have to implement a conscious survey on website
and verification with local government.
*Verification with local government: Regular awareness survey of citizens

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Page 3Award Category criteria

1

Objectives, Planning, Finance and Execution

What were theobjectives of thisprogram?

• JCI Sendai, by sharing differences of culture andsense of values, motivate Japanese citizens andforeign citizens to work together on globalizationof Sendai city.
• JCI Sendai provide citizens opportunity to work
together to make Sendai attractive city.

How does this <Impact / Motivate>
program align to JCI Sendai continues to provide opportunities to be
the JCI Plan ofactive citizens.
Action?

< Collaborate / Connect>
To expand movement of creating attractiveness ofSendai city, JCI Sendai connect active citizens,sponsors and administration.
Was the budget an
effective guide forthe financial
management ofthe project?

• JCI Sendai did public relation energetically toexpand this program to many citizens.
• JCI Sendai made clear that this program wasorganized by JCI Sendai through public relation.
• By coverage request from JCI Sendai, media
understood the importance of our program andbroadcasted.
• Panel discussion motivated citizens to work
together on globalization of Sendai city.
< Breakdown of budget>
Public relations expense: $10,000
Venue arrangement expense: $4,000
Lecturer expense: $3,000
Total budget: $17,000

How does this <Vision>
project advance Through our program, JCI Sendai encouraged citizens
the JCI Mission
who had changed to be interested in more aboutand Vision?

attractiveness of Sendai city to influence others.
< Mission>• JCI Sendai provided opportunities for citizens torealize and create attractiveness of Sendai city.
• JCI Sendai provided opportunities to motivate
citizens to work together on globalization of

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Sendai city, in cooperation with sponsors andadministration.

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Award Category criteria

2

Membership Participation

By number, howmany members wereinvolved in thisprogram? 18 members
By percentage, howmany members of
the Local
Organization wereinvolved in thisprogram? 97%
Describe the main
roles of theparticipating
members in thisprogram.

• Planning / Management 18 members• Arrangement with administration, sponsors,
media and schools 16 members• Coordination of lecturer 3 members• Venue arrangement 16 members• Public Relations 18 members• Distribution of guidebook 200 members• Official website management 2 members

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Award Category criteria

3Community Impact

How did the Local Media reported importance of our program, so we could
Organization measure objective evaluation.
measureJapan Broadcasting Corporation broadcasted ourcommunity impact
for this program? program as local topic news 3 times, so we could

expand objectives of our program to many citizens.
(Possible viewer: 9.6 million households of Miyagi
prefecture / 23.3 million people)->Example of impact of media reports
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force watched thereports, and served Global Imoni to 24 militaryattaches from 21 countries when they visited Sendai
city on Nov. 4, 2015. Also it had been featured inpublic relations magazine.
Describe the actual
community impact
produced by thisproject.

• Citizens who had changed to be interested inlocal community, started to innovate Sendai city
to be more attractive.
• By involving to this program, administration,universities, medias, various organizations andassociations had changed positively toglobalization of Sendai city. Circumstances ofactive citizens are expected to be improved.

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Award Category criteria

4Impact on Local Organization

How did the Local
Organization
benefit fromrunning thisproject?

• JCI Sendai provided opportunities that a lot ofcitizens got interested in local community. As aresults, local medias broadcasted our program
and we could expand movement of JCI in localcommunity.
• In cooperation with Japan Ground Self-Defense
Force, JCI Sendai could introduce new tourist
attraction that we created in our program to 24
military attaches from 21 countries.
• By collaboration with administration andsponsors, JCI Sendai could build close
relationship of trust with them. They promised
future cooperation with us.
• JCI Sendai members will use all the experience
they have gained through this program to ownbusiness and CSR.

How did theprogram advancethe JCI Mission?

• JCI Sendai provided opportunities for citizens torealize and create attractiveness of Sendai city.
• JCI Sendai provided opportunities to motivate
citizens to work together on globalization ofSendai city, in cooperation with sponsors andadministration.

How did the project
advance the JCI
Vision?

• Through our program, JCI Sendai encouraged
citizens who had changed to be interested in more
about attractiveness of Sendai city to influenceothers.

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Award Category criteria

5Long-term Impact of the Program

What is theexpected long-term
impact of thisproject?

• We can build attractive Sendai city filled withactive citizens through causing citizens interest in
local community continuously.
• We can maintain independent activities of active
citizens, supported by administration,universities, medias, various organizations andassociations.

What changes
would you make toimprove the resultsof this project?

• In cooperation with other chapters and sister
chapters, JCI Sendai provide opportunities
that citizens can understand culture andattractiveness of other area, we can expect
positive change of many citizens.
• JCI Sendai open website that citizens can postnew attractiveness made by citizens toimprove awareness to local community.
• JCI Sendai consider a scheme of transmitting
new attractiveness of Sendai city to the world,by matching attractiveness posted by citizens
and sponsor company and commercialize.
• In cooperation with administration andsponsors, JCI Sendai support community
made by project teams so that their activities
will be sustainable.
• JCI Sendai organize new community which
members are Japanese students and foreign
students living in Sendai city, to motivate
citizens to work together on globalization ofSendai city. In cooperation with shopping
district association and publisher, we support
to publish free paper regularly to cope withthe globalization of Sendai city.

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