29/06/2011
The Asian Network of Major Cities 21 (ANMC21) website carries several best practice case studies from member cities, including Tokyo. The Tokyo case studies have been updated to include urban greening through the Umi-no-Mori (Sea Forest) Project and crisis management through Flood and Storm Surge Control Measures. ANMC21 is an international network of Asian capital and […]
27/06/2011
From 28-30 June the Local Government Association Conference and Exhibition 2011 will be held at Birmingham ICC. As a Bronze Sponsor of the event, the Japan Local Government Centre will be manning a stand all three days at the ICC so come and visit us on R9. We hope to see you there! LGA Conference […]
24/06/2011
Insights into Japan: tourism on the web
You can now download a PDF map guide to all of Japan’s 47 prefectures and their tourism websites, banded together by region. Thanks to our Singapore office for assembling this.
21/06/2011
Govenor Ishihara and several prefectures issue statements post March 11
Last week several prefectures as well as the Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, published messages in English to the world in response to the disaster on March 11. Thanking the world for its support and seeking to reassure businesses and tourists alike, Ishihara wrote to the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 to say thank […]
20/06/2011
When most British people think of Middlesbrough their first thoughts tend to be of chemical factories or its unemployment, crime or life expectancy rates. In Japan however, the town’s reputation is that of the UK’s most prominent hub for manga and anime, with an annual Animex festival at Teesside University, while last weekend saw the […]
20/06/2011
City generic top-level domains (gTLDs) such as .tokyo came a step closer today as the global registry for domain names ICANN approved the biggest shake-up in years at its annual conference in Singapore. The decision, which follows six years of discussions, paves the way for cities and regions to apply to register for gTLDs such […]
09/06/2011
Last night a reception was held by Mr. Takeaki Matsumoto, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to support international exchanges of cities across the country at Iikura House, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. Attended by the members of the Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo, mayors of cities across the country, and other officials, the attendants exchanged […]
08/06/2011
Insights into Japan: training in place
In the UK it’s often said that in a recession the first two spends to be cut in local government are staff training and PR. Interestingly in Japan, investment in both remains steady through the Japan Academy for Municipal Personnel (supervised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), which runs courses year round for […]
06/06/2011
Great East Japan Earthquake Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey
The Great East Japan Earthquake Memorial Service was held at Westminster Abbey yesterday evening. A floral tribute was laid at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial during the Act of Remembrance and sermons and prayers were offered for the victims of the disaster. The service also featured several speeches and testimonies given by those in attendance, including […]
03/06/2011
Sendai City and Kitakyushu City, open for business
The cities of Kitakyushu and Sendai in Japan have both released letters in English to people overseas in response to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in order to ease fears over their local produce and to encourage tourists to return. Kenji Kitahashi, the mayor of Kitakyushi City, thanked those who had sent messages of […]
