2019 marked the 25th anniversary of Japan Study Tour, JLGC’s annual programme for senior public sector professionals with an event on 1 March 2019 at Japan House London in South Kensington.
JST is an opportunity for local government colleagues to exchange best practice and invites senior executives from overseas local governments to Japan for about a week, visiting local government in Japan and the current inspection and exchange of views. The headquarters, overseas office and local government of the inspection site cooperate and carry out.
As JLGC is often required to connect with UK and European local governments, to facilitate survey requests and activities from local government in Japan, JST aims to strengthen the relationship with UK public sector professionals as participants and support professional links and ongoing interest in Japan. JST alumni events are often held and senior local government staff have the opportunity to network with similarly minded colleagues with an international perspective on public policy.
Around 50 guests gathered for the event which was chaired by Editorial Director of The MJ (and JST 2005 to Aichi participant) Mike Burton. The first presentation on this year’s tour was a report and opinion presentation by John Rooney, Assistant Director – Information Customers & Communities in Rochdale Borough Council and Cécile Poullain, Senior Regeneration Officer at the Greater London Authority.
The remaining JST Miyagi 2019 group joined Cécile and John on stage to reflect on learning from the tour. All participants who visited Miyagi Prefecture on JST this January were astonished at the scale of the disaster in the Great East Japan Earthquake and were moved by the tragedy of the people living there. All also commented that the benefits of a new perspective and having a connection with Japan, and that sharing of such experiences in the UK workplace had also broadened the perspectives of the staff around them.
After a break, Clare Jones, Senior Occupational Therapist in Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV), gave a presentation on professional links that have been established after taking part in JST Shizuoka 2018, and sharing best practice with health professionals working in supporting patients with early onset dementia and Alzheimer’s, an issue facing both countries which JLGC has been contacted about on numerous occasions and hopes to support a network of professionals working in the field wanting to know more about best practice in Japan and practical use of technology for assistance and therapy.
Another panel discussion followed with a range of participants from years 2004 to 2017 discussing sustainable links and what the JST alumni community can do to support better networking and stronger links with Japan regarding local government connections.
The following reception was a chance for JST colleagues to network with each other and colleagues from some of the other Japan government agencies in London, as well as enjoy sake from the regions together with some obligatory sushi and chicken kara-age.
Many thanks to John, Cécile and Clare for the presentations, to Mike for chairing the event and for all panellists and audience members for their contributions.
