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JET alumni have been deeply engaged in supporting Japan after the multiple disasters of march 11, 2011. Here is a far from somprehensive roud-up of these activities in the United States and Canada.
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A New and Controversial Municipal Tax on Vehicles Crossing the Bridge
～ One Aspect of Japanese Municipal Tax System ～
On April 11th, 2012, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) approved a controversial tax by the City of Izumisano, Osaka.
The city will impose a 100 yen tax on every vehicle which crosses the bridge connecting the mainland to Kansai International Airport (KIA) Island. The tax is in addition to an existing 800 yen toll on the national bridge.
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Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced on March 5, 2012 that its traffic control policy has been updated significantly. Almost one year has passed since the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, when the central part of the Tokyo metropolitan area experienced heavy traffic congestion with people trying to return to their homes. As a result, there were instances when emergency vehicles could not arrive quickly to places where people needed them.
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The National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Japan-America Society of Washington DC have invited 13 students from the Yamakiya Taiko Club in Fukushima to perform at the centennial celebrations for Japan’s gift of flowering cherry trees to the United States. The students will travel to Washington from their new, post-evacuation homes in Japan, after being forced to leave their hometown of Yamakiya, part of Kawamata Town in Fukushima Prefecture, in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The Yamakiya drummers meeting with Ambassador John Roos before leaving for Washington.
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- Tokyo Metropolitan Government supports the overseas study and training of 10,000 youth.
In December 2011, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) issued its long term comprehensive vision titled “Tokyo Vision 2020”. The plan is to show the residents of Tokyo how to move forward and tackle many kinds of urban issues after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
This plan addresses “8 Goals”; including becoming a disaster- resistant city, creating a highly efficient and independent energy system, stimulating industry, transportation, welfare and education. As well as the “8 Goals”, the plan also describes “12 Key Projects” to achieve the goals. Among the “12 Goals”, you can find an interesting project called “Let Your Child Experience the World”.
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- Comments from CLAIR’s Exchange Program 2011 Participants
- JETAA International Meeting and Rikuzentakata Volunteer Trip
- The New York Times Travel Show features Japan’s Tohoku Region( March 2nd ?4th, at the Javits Center)
Click the image
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Report on the Fellowship Program 2011 updated.
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In November, Sakai City announced the open recruitment for the Mihara Ward Mayor. It is said to be the first case that a designated city accepted candidates for ward mayor from anywhere in the country.
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The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (BOE) conducts bus excursion tours for young people for a reasonable price. These bus tours are unique because the sites visited are not the usual sites such as; the Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace, or the aesthetic water front area, but the city’s schools!
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Nowadays, the increase in traffic accidents involving bicycles is one of the biggest problems in Tokyo. Cases of bicycle collisions with pedestrians, causing serious injuries to the pedestrians, and of bicyclists riding recklessly and being killed by cars are both occurring frequently.
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Now European countries are discussing joint issuance of government bonds. But Germany, needless to say the most financially stabilized country, is against the proposition partly because Germany can issue its government bond for itself at less expensive cost. This is quite a similar situation seen in Japanese local government bond market.
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Speaking of sightseeing in Tokyo’s downtown (Shitamachi), some popular spots are Ueno, Asakusa and Ryogoku. Public transportation in Tokyo is so convenient that you can travel all across Tokyo by railway, subway and bus. However, they are all operated by different organizations such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metro Company, JR East and so on. Some travelers from foreign countries feel a bit of confusion when they calculate fares or change trains. So the Tokyo Shitamachi Bus could be the solution, since it connects all of the above-mentioned downtown sightseeing spots.
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In September 2011, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (BoE) and Fukushima Prefecture Board of Education signed an agreement so that the Tokyo BoE could conduct the recruitment exam for Fukushima.
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The March 11, 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and catastrophic tsunami is an event no one will ever forget. In one split second, we lost our family, friends, employment, property and memories. Smiles vanished from our faces. Anguish and despair overran our emotions.
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～Ganbaro, Iwate! Let’s stick together, Iwate!～
We will slowly but surely proceed towards reconstruction, such as building temporary housing in the affected areas.
Here we will introduce the current state of Iwate, step by step towards reconstruction.
*The newest one: No.16 (March 15th, 2012)
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