Page 4 Start of a New Residency Management System Tsukuba International Strategic Zone English Bulletin TSUKUBA CITY HALL Globalization and Due to the change of Resident Registration Law and Tsukuba, along with 6 other areas in the nation was February 2012 Culture Division Immigration Control Act, the Alien Registration System will be designated as an International Strategic Zone abolished. Foreign residents will be subject to the same resident Based on the Comprehensive Special Zone Law, the Address:〒305-8555 Tsukuba City, Karima 2530-2 (Kenkyugakuen D32-2) Tel: 029-883-1111 Email: [email protected] registration system as Japanese citizens in July 2012. HP: http://www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/ Editors: Prakash Ronit, Yeow Li Sa What are the main changes from July onwards? prime minister had declared Tsukuba as a 1. A copy of residence certificate (Jyuminhyo) with the Comprehensive Special Zone as a result of the joint The 39th Mount Tsukuba Plum Blossom Festival names of all members in the household stated can now be application by Ibaraki Prefecture and Tsukuba issued. University entitled "Tsukuba International Strategic Date: February 18 – March 20 Transportation Guide the certificate of registered matters will be replaced with a Zone Promoting Life and Green Innovation with Opening Ceremony: 1. By Bus: Take Tsukuba-san Shuttle Bus at Tsukuba residence certificate. In addition, the copy of the residence Integrated Life Science and Technology in Tsukuba". certificate issued will list all the members in the household, Center for 40mins, alight at "Tsukuba-san Jinja entrance" The International Strategic Zone was created for the February 18 (Sat), 11:30 at Tsukuba-san Bairin including households consisted of foreigner and Japanese and walk 5 minutes to Tsukuba-san Bairin. Fare: Adult *Tsukuba-san Jinja if it is a rainy day residents. purpose of developing internationally competitive 700 yen. Children 350 yen. industries as one of the highlights of the government's 2. Issuance of Resident Card (zairyu-card) or Special Perma- Main events: 2. By Car: Parking Fee: car 500yen, 2-wheeled 250yen, nent Resident Certificate (tokubetsu eijyusha shomeisho) growth strategy. From this, not only reduced ･ Ume Tea Service (everyday) large vehicle 2000yen per entrance. regulation but also special measures in tax, banking In place of the Alien Registration Card, mid- to long-term ･ Outdoor Tea ceremony (every Sunday) *Large vehical is prohibited in Parking lot #4. residents will be issued a Resident Card while special and finance system can be taken in an overall manner. permanent residents will receive Special Permanent Resident Tsukuba, along with 6 other areas in the nation had ･ Tsukuba‟s famous Gama no Abura Uri Kojyo 3. By Ume Matsuri Free Tour Bus: Sat, Sun & Holiday, 10:00 – 15:30. Certificate. been designated as a comprehensive special zone. In demonstration (everyday) Bus Route: loops from Bairin → Jinja → Tsutsujigaoka. 3. Change in Notification for Changing Address, State of the near future, a final "Strategic Zone Plan" will be ･ Stage Event (every weekend) Contact: Residence and Period of Stay certified by the Prime Minister after consultation with One year since the Great East Japan Earthquake, this When you change your address to other town, you need to fill in the concerned ministries through national and local charity restoration event (performances of shamisen and ･ Tourism Division a moving-out notification (tenshutsu todoke) to the city hall of conferences. Taiko drum) declares a new start for Tsukuba with ･ Tsukuba Sightseeing Association, Tel: 029-869-8333, your previous residence. After receiving the moving-out blossoms of "smiles". *search "Mount Tsukuba Plum Blossom Festival" for certificate (tenshutsu shomeisho), you are required to send in a The goal of Tsukuba International Strategic Zone is to *events may be cancelled due to bad weather or by homepage. moving-in notification (tennyutodoke) to the city hall of your develop pioneer industries and businesses of the next organizer„s decision. new residence. When you change your status of residence or generation through the integration of world leading period of stay, you will only need to report to the regional science and technology. Being appointed as the Tsukuba City Information about Radiation immigration bureau. International Strategic Zone, necessary improvements Designation as Priority Investigation Area Based on * Depending on the status of residence and length of stay, the will be underway to transform Tsukuba City into an residence certificate (jyuminhyo) may not be issued to current holders Act on Special Measures on the Handling of Radioactive Contamination of alien registration card. international hub capable of organizing national and The Act on Special Measures on the Handling of Radioactive Contamination is now in full force starting January 1 this year, For more details, please visit the homepage of Immigration Bureau international activities. pursuing a long-term goal to keep the additional dose of radiation level below 1 millisievert per year. Based on this law, because and Ministry of Internal Affairs. Contact: the southern part of the city (about 5% of the total city area) has the possibility to have additional radiation exposure of greater Contact: Citizen Services Division Science and Technology Promotion Division than 1 mSv/year, Tsukuba is designated as "Priority Investigation Area". With this designation, decontamination plan will be made in consultation with the national government for regions with radiation exposure greater than 0.23 mSv/hour. Prior to that, How about Talking with the Mayor? Tsukuba Citizen Activity Square the city is conducting measurements and contamination level is being investigated at regular intervals. Note that according to the Municipal District Discussion Gathering (Chiku-kon) http://www.facebook.com/tsukuba.hiroba/ The Mayor of Tsukuba will go to each district and explain about national government and experts, the value of 0.23 vSv/hour, which is derived from 1 mSv/year, is the value within the limit of Building a new community with Facebook the current city government and challenges faced, then have a the level of natural radiation which is used as a guide for protective measure to be taken. It is NOT a value indicating the discussion with the citizens. What is Tsukuba Citizen Activity Square (Shimin boundary of safety level. 25th Municipal District Gathering at Katsudo Hiroba)? Sakura Junior High School District Measurements on Radiation Level of Ingredients for School Meals This is a community page that provides information Date & Time: February 25 (Saturday) 14:00 - 15:30 Tsukuba city has started independent radiation level measurements on food products, including ingredients for school meals in about activities in Tsukuba for people who are Place: Sakura Gymnasium Meeting Room public schools, kindergartens and daycare centers since October 27 of last year. As of January 11, none of the ingredients contain interested in volunteering and building new networks Implementation area: Sakura Junior High School District. but do not know how. Find out the activities available, radioactive substance iodine 131, cesium 134,137 with detection threshold 30Bq/Kg. Inspection of an entire meal using the food Eligibility: Anyone and the participation requirements. mixer is being executed from time to time. Also, from January onwards the inspection system will be further enhanced with Content: Discussion about the city government and issues What does it do? additional measuring instruments. For more detailed results, please visit the city homepage. (Comments and remarks can be made by people who live or It provides notice, report of events with photos and work in the implemented area). videos and everyone can write their feedbacks after Contact: Radiation Countermeasure Office *Please come to the venue on the day of the event if you would participation too. like to join in the Chiku-kon. No reservations required. How do you use it? Information about the Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Funds and Consolation Payment In previous discussions, requests such as the following had 1. Go to Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/) and been made! There are relief funds and consolation payments for people who had suffered damages of home property (more than half make an account. destroyed) or injuries due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Please make inquiries as the guide on relief funds and consolation ･ Parks and facilities which requires entrance fee to be open free 2. Click the “Like” button on 'Tsukuba Citizen of charge several times annually. Activity Square' page. payment differs depending on the degree of damages and injuries inflicted. A part of the consolation payment application due ･ New reservation system for Community Centers. Contact: date is March 31 (Saturday) so please apply soon. Contact: Public Relations Division Tsukuba Community Development Division. Contact: Social Welfare Division Page 2 Page 3 EVENT LIVING INFORMATION Free Library Book Recycle HEALTH Tsukuba Foothill School of Nature The library will distribute unneeded books to the citizens for free. Garbage Collection Calendar Distribution Year 2012 This event will be held on the following dates until all un-needed Preventative Vaccination Village Life and Culture Learning Course: For Fiscal Year 2012, the garbage collection calendar will be books are distributed. On 25 (Sat) only 60 persons are allowed Water Mill Buckwheat Grinding and Noodle Making distributed to all household door to door. Please check your for a shift of 40 minutes, while for 26 (Sun) 20 persons for a 25 Polio Vaccination Yatabe March 12 Experience grinding Gen Soba (buckwheat) with stone mortar at postbox for the calendar. minutes shift. Both days require entrance tickets (The tickets will Time: 13:30 ~ H.C. a water mill, making and boiling the soba! Distribution Period: March 15 - 19 be distributed until the capacity is reached). The entrance ticket (reception time: 13:00 ~ 14:20) Sakura Feb 16, Date/Time: March 4 (Sunday) 09:30 - 14:30 Contact: Waste Management Division will be distributed at 8:30.