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Issue No. 50 Summer 2004 SPECIAL FEATURE A Message from JLGC’s New Deputy Director I have been appointed the new deputy two decades. During this period, I was I look for- director of the Japan Local Government assigned to work for Hokkaido Government ward to visiting Center (JLGC), Toronto, Canada, effective as well as Chitose City Hall in Hokkaido a variety of won- March 18, 2004. I have the honor of taking Prefecture. Recently, I also served as Deputy derful places and over from Hayami Fukudome who served for Director and Professor for the Local meeting many different people in Canada three years. I am very pleased to be given the Autonomy College in Tokyo. while cultivating international exchange and opportunity to work in such an energetic and mutual understanding. Even though these tasks distinctive country as Canada. I look forward The JLGC performs many important can be challenging, I know they will be to living and working in Toronto, an engaging tasks. The center’s main mission is to pro- rewarding. international city. mote the exchange and cooperation of activi- ties between Japanese and Canadian local Finally, I would like to thank you for I have worked at the Ministry of Public authorities, supporting the JET Programme welcoming me and for the assistance I know Management, Home Affairs, Posts and and conducting research on local governments I will be given during my stay here. Telecommunications in Japan for more than in Canada. Junichi Sawada JLGC UPDATE Hiroshima City Promotes World Peace at the United Nations by Yujiro Toi TABLE OF CONTENTS Assistant Director of JLGC SPECIAL FEATURE JLGC’S New Deputy Director 1 As a member of the staff of the Japan April 30, 2004. Dr Akiba is the president of JLGC UPDATE Local Government Center (JLGC) in New Mayors for Peace, a Category II UN non-gov- Hiroshima City at the United Nations 1 JETAA ACTIVITIES York and a local government employee of ernmental organization (NGO) that helps Work Experience in Japan 3 Hiroshima City, I was honored to assist Dr. member cities coordinate events to abolish PREFECTURE TODAY Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima City, nuclear weapons. Iwate Prefecture 4 during his visit to New York from April 27 to JETAA ACTIVITIES JETAA CANADA The Preparatory Committee for the NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2004 5 2005 Review Conference of the Treaty on SPECIAL FEATURE the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 2004 New JLGC Assistant Directors 6 JLGC UPDATE (NPT) met on April 27 at the United Nations Overseas Study Program 7 (UN) where Dr. Akiba gave closing remarks CORE CITY advocating the abolishment of all nuclear Yokosuka City 8 Masthead: The sakura, or cherry blossom, is Japan’s The Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT weapons. cherished national flower. Special hanami parties and Review Conference met on April 27, 2004 at the excursions are held during blossom time each year. United Nations. Continued on page 2 Copyright 2004 Published by Japan Local Government Center The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Tokyo JLGC UPDATE Hiroshima City Promotes World Peace at the United Nations Continued from page 1 sentatives of the UN, non-aligned nations, the attending national delegates will convene at European Union, and the People’s Republic the UN in New York in late April 2005 to The general lack of progress in nuclear of China to promote abolition of nuclear review and amend the NPT. In conjunction disarmament and specific emerging threats weapons. with the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb- to the international NPT prompted the ings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the planners Executive Committee of Mayors for Peace During this conference, the JLGC hope to provide a powerful message for world to meet in Manchester last October 2003 staff helped Hiroshima and Nagasaki repre- peace by rallying 1,000 NGO representatives and approve an Emergency Campaign to sentatives set up an exhibition booth in front and 100 mayors of major cities to lead the Ban Nuclear Weapons. The campaign was of the main conference room at the UN effort in pursuit of nuclear abolition. They officially launched at the 2nd Global Citizens Headquarters. After Mayor Akiba departed also want one million people lining the streets Conference last November in for Japan, I did my best to answer questions in New York to demonstrate their Nagasaki City. support of the NPT. This plan envisioned four objec- Mayors are being asked now to tives. First: to mobilize the mayors put “May 2005, New York” on their of twelve major cities to attend the calendars. Grassroots groups around Non-Proliferation Review the world will have representatives at Conference and assist the NGO lob- the NPT Review Conference and bying effort. Second: to mobilize members in the streets. Abolition hundreds of NGO representatives to 2000, an international network of not only attend this conference but to over 2000 organizations in more than lead the lobbying effort in pursuit of 90 countries working for a global nuclear abolition. Third: to organize treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons, thousands of activists to be in New will seek representation from all York City to rally and demonstrate 2000 of its NGOs. During the may- People join in folding Origami at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki on May 1, 2004 and bring world- booth by the conference room. ors’ stay, a massive “Cities World wide media attention to their efforts. Fair and Demonstration” will take Fourth: to encourage all supporting and convey what happened at Hiroshima and place in New York, and on their mayors and NGO representatives to lobby Nagasaki in 1945 by using visual aids and return home, hundreds of coordinated events national governments and encouraging distributing brochures and pamphlets. I also will unfold around the world. The NPT nations that are not parties to the NPT to join demonstrated origami (the Japanese art of Conference and the 2020 Campaign with the and work toward nuclear abolition. folding paper into decorative shapes and fig- aim to eliminate all nuclear weapons by 2020 ures) which helped facilitate conversations will be a world news event. World govern- The first objective was attained when 12 and mitigate the seriousness of the exhibit. ments will be unable to ignore the vast popu- mayors from all over the world attended the When I was in college majoring in politics, I lar support for a nuclear-weapon-free world. Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT dreamed of working at the UN and contribut- Review Conference. Mayor Akiba’s poignant ing to world peace. It was exciting to be a If you would like to know more about closing remarks received resounding applause part of this conference and meet so many UN the activities of the Mayors for Peace, from the attending government and NGO rep- representatives to promote this worthy cause. please visit: resentatives. These government officials and http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/mayors/ NGO representatives would meet with repre- The NPT Review Conference and its english/index.html. JLGC Newsletter 2 Issue 50 Summer 2004 JETAA ACTIVITIES Making Your Work Experience in Japan a Successful One by F. Joseph Sonido ALT, Kobe-shi (1992-1995) One of the great aspects of the Japan In addition to working with ALTs, I Education and Teaching (JET) Programme worked with senior Japanese teachers and is working at the grass-roots level of Japanese city officials at the Education Center. I was society, i.e., within their education system fortunate to be able to work with two very and local governments. Unlike our com- passionate educators who were very astute in patriots working for private businesses, managing relationships with the ALTs and the we are able to live and work amongst the city officials. One of the most important Japanese while they educate and lead their lessons is that communication is critical in populace. In this context, as JETs, we developing, maintaining, and repairing rela- are afforded opportunities to contribute tionships. In my 4 years at the KEC, we directly to the ever-changing Japanese dealt with labor relation problems, the Great society. Hanshin Earthquake and numerous individual The author, Mr. F. Joseph Sonido, former situations requiring flexible minds and excel- ALT (Kobe) I would like to take this opportunity lent people and communication skills. opment experiences. If you to share what I learned during my tenure simply show up and do the as a JET and as a privately contracted Whether an ALT or CIR, one of best minimum during your years on Coordinator for International Relations skill sets that can be developed through the JET, you may find it very diffi- (CIR) for the City of Kobe from 1992–1998 JET Programme is project management cult to make the transition into in order to help others who work or will skills. I found that the following four princi- your post-JET career. work in a similar capacity. ples were essential to managing my work- load: 4) Think in terms of solutions, not I was fortunate enough to work as an problems – life will become Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) from 1) Be organized – Since ALTs much more fulfilling if we 1992 through 1994 in some of Kobe’s inner- and CIRs work fairly indepen- keep a positive outlook and city schools and one suburban school. My dently, it is imperative to man- constantly think of different two full years as an ALT gave me an intimate age our time and other ways of solving problems understanding of the job and prepared me resources effectively. instead of worrying or com- to work as the Assistant Supervisor for plaining about problems.
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