News

15/03/2011

UNISON extends sympathy to Japanese people

The staff of the Japan Local Government Centre would like to thank those who have sent individual messages of condolences following the recent events in Japan, as well as those local authorities which have undertaken specific actions in their own council area to acknowledge the scale of the disaster and its effects on all residents […]

14/03/2011

Welsh Fire and Rescue Services join Japanese relief efforts

Welsh Assembly Government press release of today, reprinted in full: Firefighters from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS), along with service personnel from across the UK, landed in Japan yesterday to join in the monumental international relief efforts currently underway in the wake of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami. [First […]

14/03/2011

UK Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme participants confirmed safe

Our headquarters in Japan, CLAIR Tokyo has confirmed the safety of the 40 JET participants from the United Kingdom who were working in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami last Friday in North East Japan. The past few days have been very difficult as the full extent of the disaster is only now becoming […]

11/03/2011

Statement from the Lord Mayor of the City of London Michael Bear on the Japanese earthquake and tsunami

Press release of the City of London Corporation, reprinted in full: The Lord Mayor of the City of London Michael Bear comments on the earthquake and tsunami in Japan ahead of his visit to Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam on Saturday (12 March). The Lord Mayor of the City of London Michael Bear, who takes a […]

11/03/2011

North East Japan Earthquake – contact information for JET Participants’ families

Contact information has been changed to one central number for people concerned about UK nationals in Japan. Please call the following telephone number for the FCO helpline regarding information on the earthquakes and tsunami: 020 7008 0000 For more information as it is updated, please see the website of British Embassy in Tokyo http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/

11/03/2011

Sapporo recieves grant to become a Smarter City

The city of Sapporo in Northern Japan has been awarded a grant from the IBM Corporate Citizenship’s Smarter Cities Challenge for 2011. The award is a competitive grant which will award $50million worth technology and services to 100 cities around the world over the next three years. According to the award’s webpage, cities who receive […]

08/03/2011

Moving East London Forward

Kevin Whittle, Head of Policy at the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, spoke to Japanese officials at JLGC today about the work of the UDC, in particular its mission to regenerate the London riverscape. The talk addressed the challenges around not only reclaiming brownfield land but also raising educational attainment in East London in order […]

08/03/2011

From Shipbuilding to Software

Participants from around the UK gathered at our 2010/11 Japan Day Seminar and Local Links Conference event held in Rochester, Kent. The event combined both the Japan Local Government Centre’s annual seminar and the Local Links Conference commenced during the Japan-UK 150 year of events organised by the Embassy of Japan in the UK. The […]

01/03/2011

Hitachi is the new Nissan in the North East

The UK Government today announced its intention to proceed with the £4.5bn Intercity Express Programme (IEP) procured through a Hitachi Trains-led consortium. The deal will see the replacement of the UK’s fleet of ageing intercity high speed trains but will also signify a major investment in the North East of England: Hitachi had previously announced […]

01/03/2011

Visit to Middlesbrough

JLGC Assistant Director Yoshihisa Ogawa and Research Manager Andrew Stevens visited Middlesbrough this week, concluding this year’s CLAIR report on local authority policies for tourism promotion as part of local economic development. At Middlesbrough Council, discussions included the council’s approach towards attracting visitors, this week’s launch of its bid for city status as part of […]