EST. 1994 ISSUE 160 October/November 2020 Edition Legend: Contents ity Life is a free English newsletter published every even month by the ☆ events City Notices 2-3 C International Division at the Sakai City Government to provide infor- mation to the residents of Sakai City. It is available at libraries, ward offic- ◆ exhibitions Events 3-4 es and other city facilities, or you can view it online at the Sakai City Gov- ※ important notices ernment English website. Don’t forget to also sign up for emails to know △ campaigns Fun Stuff 5 when each new edition is published! There is more information on the back ☺ child & healthcare page. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Ellen at the ○♣ environment Important Info 6 following email address: [email protected] help lines ASEAN Events With the unfortunate cancellation of the very popular ASEAN Hiroba and other ASEAN week events for this year, the organizing committee has worked hard to still provide some alternative fun events. ASEAN Cuisine Online Recipes Vietnamese and Thai cooking recipes/videos will be released on the Sakai City Government website for a limited time! As we are celebrating the 1st anniversary of the inscription of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofungun as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the cooking will incorporate kofun (ancient mounded tombs) and Director Haniwa will make an appearance in the recipe/ video. Vietnamese cuisine: Summer rolls (including a version like temakizushi where you eat as you roll) and chè (sweet pudding/soup dessert) with kofun- shaped tapioca. The recipe will be available until 10pm on Saturday 31 October (time has changed from last newsletter’s edition!) Thai cuisine: Chicken green curry with kofun- shaped rice, shrimp spring rolls, and a sweet potato in coconut milk dessert. The recipe/video will be available until 10pm on Monday 30 November. Photo Exhibition: Come see an exhibition of roughly 50 works featuring the culture, history and scenery of South East Asian countries! A perfect opportunity to experience different cultures without travelling. Date: Saturday 3 to Thursday 15 October Time: 9:00~21:00 (closes at noon on the last day) Place: 1F Entrance Hall in the Tall Building (高層館kousoukan) of Sakai City Hall 1 October/November 2020 City Notices & Services △Orange & Purple Ribbon Cam- ☺ Vaccinations ☺ Applications Open for those paign wanting to enroll in Afterschool ● Rotavirus Care from April November is Child Children born on 1 August 2020 and Abuse Prevention later are now eligible for a free rotavirus Please hand in application forms between Awareness Month vaccination. There are two kinds availa- 16~30 November. ble and the number of injections or (orange ribbon) and ● Nobinobi Room and Sakaikko Room 12~25 November availability at medical institutions differ (open 15:00~18:30, excluding Sunday marks the End Vio- so please consult a doctor before decid- and public holidays) lence Against ing. Please be aware that costs apply after your child passes the target age. ● Hokago Room (open 16:00~18:00, Women Campaign (purple ribbon). excluding Sunday and public holidays) Hotlines (Japanese only) Reservations can be made directly with ● Nationwide Child Consultation Cen- designated medical institutions. After-School Children Support Divi- sion (9:00~19:00, Sunday and public ter: 189 Rotarix: 2 injections at 6~24 weeks old Rota Teq: 3 injections at 6~32 weeks old holidays until 17:00) DV (Domestic Violence) Consulta- tion: 0570-0-55210 Forms are available from ● Japanese encephalitis the afterschool care centers Vaccinations protect children from seri- If you wish to have a consultation (free of as well as the City Hall ous illnesses so it is an essential and Administrative Information charge) regarding the human rights in urgent outing. Please ensure that your English, please visit the Osaka Legal Centre and Ward Office children receive them. Costs will apply Administrative Information Corner. Affairs Bureau Human Right Consulta- if your child passes the target age. tion Room (2-1-17 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Eligibility: Osaka). Weekdays 9:00~17:00, 10 lan- st 1 period: 6 months to 7 years 5 months ※City & Prefectural Tax Notice guages available. old (3 injections) 2nd period: 9 to 12 years old (1 injection) The phone number (Navi Dial) below is October will be the start of the 3rd ap- available for human rights counseling for Scan the QR code to pointed time for payment for the city and those who are unable to speak Japanese see the PDF list of prefectural tax. The deadline is Saturday fluently. Feel free to consult with them by designated medical 31 October. Please pay at the nearest phone from anywhere in Japan. institutions for these banking facility, post office, convenience (TEL) 0570-090911 vaccinations (in store, Tax Payment Division (City Hall Weekdays 9:00~17:00 Japanese) Mikunigaoka Branch) or by internet or (Closed on public holidays and 29 De- mobile banking. Please make sure to pay cember to 3 January) before the deadline. Languages: English, Chinese, Korean, ☺ Childcare Service Application For those that use automatic transfer, Filipino, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, payment will automatically be deducted Spanish, Indonesian, and Thai. Application for childcare services for on Saturday 31 October so please check Your call will be directed to the nearest next fiscal year (April 2021 onward) will that you have sufficient funds. Bureau to you via a multilingual interpre- be accepted until 17:30 Friday 30 Octo- tation service company. ber at the Child-raising Support Divi- sion (子育て支援課 kosodateshienka) ☺ Sakai City Special Benefit for at each ward office. Newborn Babies ※Semboku New Town Housing *closed on weekends and public holi- Assistance days A special benefit of 50,000 yen is paid to They will also be open late until 19:30 families residing in Sakai with children Sakai City provides rent assistance for on the 12th to 16th. born between April 28 and December 31, young married couple households and Information on usage and application are 2020. Please start your application as families with small children that have available at the each childcare facility soon as you receive your notification. moved into rental accommodation in and Child-raising Support Division. Applications close on February 28, 2021. Semboku New Town from outside of the If you have any questions related to the Town area. The assistance will be up to To use the childcare service, it is neces- application, please call ¥20,000 towards the portion of rent above sary for the guardian(s) to have meet 072-228-7537 (Japanese) ¥50,000 for maximum of 5 years. certain conditions regarding employ- or the Sakai International ment, pregnancy, nursing care, afterbirth Plaza (see page 6 for Enrollment Periods: care, illness/disease or disabilities. more details). ▽3rd period (completed mov- ing registrations by 1 Oct and used as fundamental data for adminis- 2020) = 1~31 October 2020 ※National Census Deadline trative purposes on every governmental Please hand in forms to the New Town level. Region Revitalization Office, 16F Tall The whole country is currently undergoing All persons living in Japan are required Building, Sakai City Hall a national census. The deadline for inter- to participate, regardless of nationality. *closed on weekends and public holi- net submissions is 7 October. The dead- days line for those returning answers by post is Conditions apply. Please go to the Admin- 20 October (postmarked by this date). istrative Information Center (City Hall), The national census is conducted every Administrative Information Corner (Ward five years according to the Statistics Law Offices) for pamphlets or Sakai City web- and is the most important survey for the site for more information (Japanese only). country. Various statistics can be collected 2 Events & Notices October/November 2020 ☆Czech Festival ☆Sophia Sakai (TEL) 072-270-8110 Date & Times: Access: 1426 Fukaishimizu-cho, Naka- Star Gazing Saturday 31 October, 11:00~20:00 Date: October 3, 9, 17, 23, 31 ku Sunday 1 November, 11:00~18:00 Located a 12 minutes walk from Fukai and November 7, 13, 21, 27 *proceed even if rainy Station (Semboku Rapid Line) Time: 19:00~20:30 Place: 6F Astronomical Observatory Place: Portas Sakai (near the Sakai Closed on: Mondays (however open if a Station West Exit on the Nankai Line) public holiday) Why not come see the starry autumn sky Free entry! through largest telescope in Osaka Prefec- Planetarium Show “My Life on Mars” ture! A free event, just come straight to To commemorate 100 years of exchange A program about the latest excavation the venue. No reservations needed. between Japan and the Czech Republic, to Mars and why humans go to space. *may be can- celled due to bad the popular Czech Festival from last year Date: Until 29 November (closed on weather. Decision will be held again! It will be a charm- 13 October and 10 & 17 November) made at 17:00, Time: Weekdays 14:30~15:05 filled event with traditional Czech music, please check the Extra show at 15:30 on weekends and food, craft beer, Moravian wine and tour- website for more ism information. Works by Czech artist public holidays details Alphonse Mucha will also be on display. *please note that the schedule may *primary school change children and Place: Planetarium younger must be Cost: Adult 510 yen, Child (from 4 accompanied years old to junior high school) 250 with an adult yen ©Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., Ltd. ○♣ Disposing Rubbish ※Be Careful of Hornets!! Don’t Provoke Them! PET bottles are recyclable, making them an important resource. Remove the cap Hornets are especially active around now and label, roughly rinse them and make until the end of October so it’s important sure to put them out by 8:00 on the day to stay vigilant.