IIA News No.77, which is scheduled to be issued in September, hasbeen postponed to be issued in another month because of drastic
decrease of news and events due to the spread ofCOVID-19.
However even under this circumstance, each committee shareswisdoms and tries to restart activities using ICT communication
tools such as ZOOM.
We, public relation committee, decided to launch "Mail Magazine” toinform IIA members of current situation or news updated as promptly
as possible. There will be some defects on configuration or contents
at the initial stage of publishment but we will alter them step bystep. Another reason why we launch Mail Magazine is the high mailingcost of IIA News. The budget for this FY was built on aiming thedecrease of deficit as much as possible but the reduction ofcontracted projects from the city because of COVID-19 increased
the deficit. We need to save any cost as much as possible and theutilizing the internet communication tools may help cost reduction.
The first Mail Magazine was sent to the members who approved toreveal their mail addresses to IIA and we would like to encourageother members to follow them.
We expect you to give us your strong support and understanding
for this Mail Magazine.
If you do not need the Mail Magazine in the future, please inform
us at info@iia21.jp. (PR Committee)

Gardena City Committee
I found a word "Safer at Home" on official web site of the City ofGardena. This is a slogan of LA county’s order against COVID-19
which includes many measures against novel coronavirus
In Japan, "Stay Home" request has been lifted and theinfection is spreading again. USA has not yet come to end of thepandemic of COVID-19 and California is not excepted.
Under this situation, we expect the exchange projects with Gardena;
dispatch of Ichikawa youth delegation in 2021 and the interactive
visits of official/citizen group commemorating the 60th anniversaryof the affiliation of the Sister City in 2022. I sincerely hope
those projects will come true.
The committee has not been able to plan specific activities under
the current situation but we are now studying how to operate theonline lectures or workshops so that the members can join at theirhomes. We will inform you of the concrete program if it came togood shape.
“Safer at Home” will be still in effect in couple of month to comeand best wishes for the heath of each one of the members, we remain.

Leshan City Committee
The committee's Chinese language class restarted in June for thefirst time in 3months.
It was our great pleasure to have two new members in our classalthough the novel coronavirus is still spreading.
Since many of the members in our class are very knowledgeable invarious fields we could have a fun time with them chatting a fullvarieties of subject. Some of them has an experience of Chinarelated works and some has worked with Chinese people in volunteer
activities.
The next class will open in September as it is closed in August insummer holiday season.

Medan City Committee

Some events planned at the beginning of the year were canceled fromthe perspective of preventing novel coronavirus infections.
So far the situation is not changing in better way but we will look
for any event that the members can join with rest in peace andrelease any topics with regard to Medan.
Please look forward to having them and also give us your opinions.
This time, we will introduce you the video of Medan which Mr. Haruo
Umeda, who was very helpful to us when we visited Medan City, sent
to us. Those who visited Medan can remember the townscape, Indonesian
foods, and friendly Indonesians in this video film and those whohave not visited yet will be able to feel fresh with those pictures.
Please enjoy yourself. http://www.iia21.jp/folder/medan20.mp4

Rosenheim City Committee
Ichikawa citizen group visited Rosenheim City last October andreceived a great welcome from the people of Rosenheim. This year
we ought to reciprocate their hospitality when people of Rosenheim
visit Ichikawa. The committee is conducting German language classalmost every month so that we can well communicate with them but
unfortunately, their visit was postponed to next year and on.
Now is the time for us to learn German step by step avoiding
the exposure of novel coronavirus and look forward to having theirvisits from Rosenheim in near future.

Issy-les-Moulineaux City Committee
Our committee is running a French language class almost everymonth. In September, we will have the class on Saturday 19th from12:00 to 14:00 at Zennikkei Hall. Every time in the class, we talkabout “What have I done in the last one month”. Monsieur Samuelencourages us to speak French. If you want to learn French, join
us and onyva! ( let`s go!)Interpretation & Translation Committee
Our translation and interpretation activities had been restrictedwidely by Covid-19. The interpretation services have been graduallyrestarted with measurements to prevent infections of the virus.
"Ichimail"- an email service for foreign residents in Ichikawa is providing useful news about Covid-19 and related information
in English and in “easy Japanese”. To register “Ichimail”,Japanese Language Committee
Japanese language classes in Ichikawa City are forced to reduce
their activities by Covid-19. While regular face-to-face lessons
are taking measures to prevent infections of the virus, online
lessons are introduced in some classes. If you are interested inlearning Japanese, please contact coordinators of the classes andget the latest information. To contact classes, please refer tothis website.
http://www.iia21.jp/e/jpnschool.html

Home Stay,Visit Committee
Last year, as a result of asking for all the members to hostexchange students, many responded positively and went very smoothly.
However, it is very disappointing to face dramatically different
situation due to the global pandemic.
I sincerely hope that everything will return normal but until then,we will exchange opinions.
We sincerely hope for your cooperation when homestay program resumes.

Cross Cultural Exchange Committee
Our activities this year are moving forward slowly and surely under
this severe circumstance. without losing sight of our original
goals and philosophies of activities.
I like to explain the targets and activities in this year.
・Reduction of the budget: We challenge to reduce the communication
expenses which shares 1/3 of our total budget. I hope you tocommunicate using e-mails.
・A bus tour for foreigners: We will consider this, depending on
the service status of the Ichikawa City Training Bus. (Currently notoperating)・Culture Lessons among members: Online lectures and social
gatherings using Zoom tele-communication system. We are looking forthe lecturers and leaders to coordinate these events.
・To support International understanding education class, requestby elementary and junir high schools and public halls.
・To support "Chef teacher" project requested by Ichikawa City
Various activities have to be postponed or canceled, but we go
forward step by step carefully, paying the utmost attention toprevent infection. We look forward to your ideas and information.

Foreign Residents Committee
We performed two times of Yogas and Zumba dance exercise using
tele-communication systems “Zoom” , co-sponsored by Cross Cultural
Exchange Committee, though many people felt uneasy aboutface-to-face activities under the corona disaster. Everyone could
easily participate at home and had a free talk without having towear a mask. I'm so glad to see my IIA friends on PC screen after along time.
We hope we can do various online activities during ourself-restraints. The next online events are
Tai Chi on August 22 http://www.iia21.jp/folder/rmttaichi.pdf
Yoga on September 26. http://www.iia21.jp/folder/rmtyoga.pdf
We are planning a field trip such as a mini tour around fall.
Also borrowing the facility of Ichikawa Japanese Language Institute,
the Talk RoomSalon will be launched. It will be very useful forforeign residents to exchange information and create a place to enjoy.

Youths & Students Committee
I am newly appointed chairman Koizumi.
Our true mission is to actively discuss future prospects for theYouth and Student Committee and support students to be dispatched.
Unfortunately, with the corona pandemic, all of those are halted
and we are facing to endure this harsh reality.
On top of that, contactable number of OBs and OGs is extremelylimited.
However, I am positively thinking to move toward a bright future.
I have already participated twice in the IIA board meeting, andall the senior executives are playing active roles in various
scenes, and it helps me a lot.
I am looking forward to seeing all the OBs and OGs I haven’t
met yet in the future.

IVIS（Ichikawa Volunteer Interpreters’ Society）
Our current activities in the corona pandemic are as follows.
(1) The regular meetings to improve our interpretation andtranslation skills have unfortunately been reduced to twice

a month (once on Wednesdays and once on Saturdays) due to thecorona pandemic. We use larger rooms to avoid the 3Cs. The
frequency of the meetings will vary depending on the future
status of the corona infection. To make up for the decreasedin person meetings, we currently hold online meetings irregularly
about three times a month.
(2) Foreign residents' assistance desk at the city hall has been
opened as usual at present despite the corona pandemic(3) It is unclear whether the English Open Seminar will be heldin February as usual, but a venue will be secured.
(4) The bus tour has been suspended due to difficulties under
the current situation, but we are considering if we can dosomething in a different manner.
(5) Year-end party is highly likely to be canceled this year.
We hope that the corona epidemic will end soon and we can resume
our normal activities.

Buddies
It is scheduled to resume activities in September, but we areconsidering gathering outside the Disaster Prevention Park.
We also are looking for ideas from members to review future
activities.