03/05/2011
UK ex-JET participant flies to Japan to help tsunami relief efforts
The Japan Times published a story today featuring trainee accountant Luke Dunn, a former Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme participant from London, who flew out to Iwate Prefecture in the wake of March 11’s earthquake and tsunami to assist with relief efforts. According to the Japan Times interview, Dunn taught English in the town […]
28/04/2011
Visits to Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh
JLGC staff visited Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh in April as part of research into the elections for the devolved administrations on May 5. As well as the electoral authorities, they visited the three city councils for the devolved capitals and in Edinburgh were received by the Lord Provost. Read more about Japan’s links with these […]
19/04/2011
Local Japan: Case Studies in Place Promotion
This week, JLGC has published two case studies on how local government in Japan has used distinctiveness of place in order to revitalize local economies. The first concerns how local governments have used regional produce and PR initiatives in order to market themselves domestically, regionally and internationally (PDF here), while the second concentrates on local […]
19/04/2011
Mayor of Osaka sends out open letter to the world
The Mayor of Osaka, Kunio Hiramatsu, has written an open letter to the world declaring Osaka’s health and encouraging visitors and businesses to support Japan by visiting Osaka: The City of Osaka is moving forward to promote business, culture, entertainment, and tourism as ever before, and I urge you to also help Japan’s recovery by […]
19/04/2011
Inlogov briefs on ‘Hureai Kippu’
The March 2011 Inlogov briefing by Dr Sachiko Nakagawa, Dr. Rosario Laratta and Prof. Tony Bovaird examines the ‘successful’ Japanese initiative of hureai kippu (Caring Relationship Ticket Scheme) and its adoption by ‘Big Society’ advocates for its encouragement of volunteering. The briefing gives an evidence-based history of the scheme in detail and the lessons it […]
15/04/2011
Cool Japan: using pop culture as soft power
Roland Kelts, professor at Tokyo University and columnist for the Daily Yomiuri (and former JET), spoke to Japanese officials at JLGC this week about Japan’s use of pop culture to promote the country and its interests around the world. Roland has also written recently on Tokyo’s city branding for the book City Branding – Theory and […]
12/04/2011
Decentralization, Local Bonds and Large Cities in Japan
The Institute for Comparative Studies in Local Governance (COSLOG) was established within the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) of Japan in 2006 and is associated with our parent body, the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Each year the Project on Comparative Studies in Local Governance disseminates information on research results […]
11/04/2011
JET Programme shows the value of Public Diplomacy
The University of Southern California Center on Diplomacy blog has posted an article by Emily T. Metzgar, journalism professor at the University of Indiana and former JET participant. The article is a considered approach to the role of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme public diplomacy and a look at the value of such […]
11/04/2011
Tokyo to bid for 2020 Olympics
The newly re-elected governor of Tokyo Shintaro Ishihara has announced his intention to make Tokyo the host of the 2020 Olympics as part of Japan’s recovery from the earthquake and tsunami last month. The BBC reports that Tokyo will be submitted along with bids from Berlin, Busan, Cape Town, Doha, Rome and Istanbul for consideration […]
05/04/2011
Donations to North East Japan Earthquake Relief
JLGC has received many requests from UK and EU local government related organisations about how to donate directly and help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in the areas affected. The following links give information on how to make direct donations to the prefectures and local authorities in Tohoku who have set up accounts to […]
