15 Whitehall office
Visit to Olympic Park and Teesside University London
JLGC had the great pleasure of revisiting the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to discuss regional growth and local partnerships with Teesside University London at their new Here East campus—many thanks to Chris Hayes for arranging this staff study visit. The discussions focused on fostering regional development and strengthening ties between educational institutions and local businesses, highlighting the potential for innovation and collaboration. The new campus at Here East is set to become a hub for creativity and enterprise, further enhancing the region’s economic and educational landscape.
2024 Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme
This July, the Japan Local Government Centre welcomed guests from Japanese local authorities and related organisations, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Sapporo City, Nagoya City, and many international associations, as part of our Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme. The programme featured visits to local authorities, charities, museums, and schools.
Local authorities shared details of their migrant support services. Islington Council discussed their Afghan resettlement project, Ukrainian support services, and asylum contingency work. Other London Boroughs with Borough of Sanctuary status, such as Newham, Hackney, and Greenwich, also participated.
The group visited a playgroup for Ukrainian families run by the Big Red Bus Club and Big Red Kick and spoke with the director of New Arrivals Support, a CIC assisting Ukrainians. Migration Work CIC described its collaboration with local authorities and organisations like EuroCities and the Migrant Champions Network.
A visit to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities provided insights into central and local government collaboration on migration. DLUHC officials shared reports on community cohesion and educational inclusivity efforts.
At the London School of Economics, the delegation learned about research-based policymaking, particularly the Design Lab process, where 11 boroughs shared asylum-seeker needs and tested solutions.
The delegation explored faith-based programmes with the Faith and Belief Forum and visited St Saviour’s school in Walthamstow, where teachers shared their inclusive approach despite a Christian ethos. Students at St Saviour’s have engaged in migration-related projects, such as sponsoring a refugee family and assisting asylum seekers.
At the Migration Museum, the group learned about migration history, especially among healthcare workers, and the museum’s role as a community centre fostering dialogue and integration through initiatives like the People’s Panel and Network Project.
The tour concluded with a visit to the Brixton Business Improvement District, where they heard about local businesses’ efforts to support the community in a diverse neighbourhood.
JLGC thanks all the participating organisations for contributing to the continued success of the Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme. The delegates will share their experiences and insights with local government officials across Japan to help create welcoming communities for all.
Attendance at Audience with Emperor and Empress of Japan
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan visited the UK from June 22-28, 2024, at the invitation of King Charles III. The visit, postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, began with the Emperor visiting Japan House London and meeting Anglo-Japanese community leaders. The Japan Society hosted a reception attended by Mr Akira Matsutani, JLGC’s Director General, as well as alumni of the JET Programme, celebrating the Japan-UK friendship. Dr Michael Rivera King CEO of The Japan Society, also a JET alumni, organised and attended the event.
JLGC Online Seminars
JLGC regularly holds online seminars for local government professionals and audiences in Japan led by experts across various topics related to local governance and finance in the UK and Europe.
In this seminar, we welcomed Ms Asaki Abumi, a Nordic international comparative culture journalist and a Norwegian International Press Association member. She discussed election promotion and voter education efforts in the Nordic countries. The seminar covered how citizens engage with elections and politics, the communication between municipalities and citizens, and how young people from elementary to university level are involved in political and social issues. The session featured rich photographic content to illustrate these initiatives, highlighting the dynamic nature of Nordic democracies. A seminar recording is available for those who missed the live event., can now be viewed here on our office YouTube channel.
Previous expert-led sessions as part of our online seminar series have included pedestrian-centred urbanism, innovation and startups in Finland, urban development in the UK, digital transformation in the Danish government and the role of local governments in the Sustainable Development Goals.
JLGC’s regular online seminars can be viewed here (Japanese audio only; subtitles can be set to display English)
PR Activity
Recent PR support for Japan’s local authorities has included promoting Osaka Prefecture’s new programme for its business and investment appeal globally ahead of Expo 2025. The initiative aims to attract global businesses, boost tourism, encourage company establishment, promote investment, and facilitate business matching. A new video on the prefecture’s website, YouTube, and social media highlights five key reasons to invest in Osaka: Openness, Smart investment, Accessibility, Key to Japan, and Assistance. The campaign includes interviews with foreign companies and local startups. Follow and share Osaka’s social media posts for more details.
For more information, visit: Osaka Prefecture Business Promotion (https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/o020050/renkei/openosaka/index.html).
Our ‘Local Eyes Japan’ continues to introduce regional foods of Japan and recipes and promote regional tourism. Recent posts have given recipes from the 47 prefectures; download the recipe card here.
Posts are all from staff and colleagues in the regions of Japan, off-the-beaten-track tips and information that travellers won’t find at the more well-known destinations. Our PR activities are available on our social media channels on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram, and our website blog.
Toyota City Partnership Board
Our Director General Akira Matsutani was delighted to present to the Toyota City Partnership Board of Derbyshire County Council and local partners in May.
Mr Matsutani gave a talk on Japan’s local governance system to council leaders and directors from the county, city and district councils, as well as Toyota Motor Corporation UK. Discussion topics then included central-local relations and voter turnout in Japan.
Derbyshire and Toyota City marked 25 years as a partnership last year, with the Partnership Board established in 2018, facilitated by Derbyshire County Council, to develop the friendship by bringing together key economic and cultural stakeholders, alongside Derbyshire local authorities.
Research and Impact
The Centre for Cities, an independent think tank based in London, recently published a report on how the UK compares to other G7 nations in terms of urban autonomy and national productivity. For this study, the centre’s researchers collaborated with JLGC on comparative data from Japanese municipalities and ministries. You can read the report, Climbing the Summit: Big Cities in Japan and the UK, here: https://www.centreforcities.org/publication/climbing-the-summit/
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showcases Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) on JET
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications oversees the Japanese administrative system and manages local governments, elections, telecommunication, post, and governmental statistics. JLGC and CLAIR HQ in Tokyo report to the ministry as an agency under its jurisdiction. It is also one of the three ministries involved in managing the JET Programme and oversees many aspects of the project.
Explore the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ latest compilation showcasing extraordinary achievements by Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) on the JET Programme. Dive into this invaluable resource to gain insights into innovative approaches that can significantly enhance the impact of ALTs in educational settings. If you’re in the role of ALT or seeking inspiration to maximise your contribution, this collection of case studies is a must-read.
Explore best practices in ALT utilisation by accessing the English version here:
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000905422.pdf
Or the Japanese version here:
