平成31年1月のメッセージ（英語表記あり）

Happy New Year. I wish you health and happiness for 2019.

This year we continue to have two catchphrases: “settlement that comes from exchange” and "Kamikawa - the best place to live!". To achieve this, we are increasing the area’s charm, additional support for the elderly, the disabled, education, child rearing and towards migration/settlement policies. The town’s administration will continue to work our hardest towards these aims and we welcome your continued support.

Looking back on 2018; in international affairs, there was a historic US-North Korean leaders meeting summit in July. The denuclearization of the North Korean Peninsula was discussed. I feel that efforts towards easing the tensions on the Peninsula have only begun. On the other hand, the US-China trade war is currently on standby. But even now we can’t predict the situation. My hope is that the issues of Japan’s Asian neighbours will be resolved and lead to a peaceful world.

In Japan there is a chosen kanji (Chinese character) to represent every year. In 2018 the kanji chosen was "disaster" （災）. 2018 had heavy snowfall in Hokuriku region in February and northern Osaka had an earthquake in June.  Furthermore, July saw monsoonal rain across western Japan and finally September dealt another earthquake to Hokkaido. It was also a year of record typhoons landing in Japan. Last year Japan saw the violence of natural disasters. Kamikawa Town had a total of 700 mms of record rainfall with most of the damage occurring in the Okawachi areas. I recognize how important disaster prevention is for our town. Also as each typhoon came, we issued the appropriate warnings. Fortunately no one from town was injured, but we must continue to prevent damage and injuries from natural disasters.

In the National Diet, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won reelection in September 2018. This is the 4th Abe Administration. To counter the ageing population and falling birth rate, a new immigration law was passed. From April this year more foreign workers will be accepted into Japan. Also this year from October the consumption tax will be raised to 10 per cent.

In sports, the Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games was held in February. Japan won a record total of 13 medals. Japan performed especially well in the Men’s Figure Skating, Women’s Speed Skating and Curling. In summer the Soccer World Cup was held in Russia. Young people were a force in sport in 2018. In 2019 the Rugby World Cup will be held in Japan and in 2020 the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held.

In 2021 the World Masters Games will be held in Kansai area, Japan. Kamikawa Town will host the orienteering event at Mineyama Heights. Also in 2022 Beijing will host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2025 the World Expo will be held in Osaka. Kamikawa Town feels central to all of this sporting action. We will not waste the opportunity to promote our town.

Onto Kamikawa Town news. At Mineyama Kogen Resort “White Peak”, the ski season closed on March 11. More than 60,000 people attended for the season. Also in summer the resort is known as “Green Peak” and the "glamping" attraction opened. The “tic!tac! climb MINEYAMA” that utilized a lift was very successful.

On July 1 2018 the first Kamikawa Hill Climb bicycle race was held. The whole length of the course was 17.3 kms with an altitude climb of 773 m. 473 cyclists raced with the amazing winning time of 39 minutes. Alongside the course many people cheered together. Thanks to the support from everyone, the cyclists were able to overcome their obstacles and speed up the mountain. After the race, participants were able to visit the “Summer Story” along the Ochi River Meisui Road and the open-air market in front of Teramae Station. They could enjoy the nature and taste of Kamikawa Town. We are planning for this year’s race and are waiting to receive your applications.

On July 30 2018 the new supermarket had its grand opening in the Teramae area. The store’s name is “town lights”. Please let’s work together to make this area a light in our town.

From November 24-25 2018 the first anniversary of the roadside station “Gin no Basyamichi, Kamikawa” was celebrated with a harvest festival. More than 170,000 people have visited the roadside station since it opened. Let’s try to increase the visitors to the roadside station.

From last year the town started an international exchange project. I went to Cambodia in April and The Philippines in July. In The Philippines, Kamikawa has concluded a "friendship town" with Digos City. On September 9 three government representatives from Vietnam, The Philippines and Cambodia visited Kamikawa Town and we held an Asian International Exchange Forum. The topics discussed included population decline, welfare service and tourism. We are working to make Kamikawa Town more attractive for foreigners.

On August 22 2018 Mr Takahashi Morio was appointed a Kamikawa Town Heart Ambassador. During the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, Mr Takahashi was in charge of press/public relations of the Hyogo Disaster Countermeasure Headquarters. Now he is the representative of the Hyogo Volunteer Plaza Association. We thank him for the advice and support he provides regarding disaster prevention in Kamikawa Town. On November 6 2018 Ms Fujiwara Hiro, a shojo(female)-manga artist from Kamikawa Town, was also appointed a Heart Ambassador. She is going to draw illustrations of Kamikawa Town.

Kamikawa town could strengthen information dispatch power through the roadside station “Gin no Basyamichi, Kamikawa”, Mineyama Kogen Resort “White Peak”, the Heart Ambassadors, social media such as Facebook.
Furthermore, we need to refine the charm of Kamikawa Town and think that it is extremely important that we strengthen wide area cooperation.

Also Kanzaki Municipal General Hospital's north building reconstruction is going smoothly and its grand opening will be in the spring of 2020. It’s establishes the urology department in this October and will try for the improvement of function as a nucleus of a community medicine and the welfare more.

The big projects in Kamikawa town such as the Kanzaki Municipal General Hospital's north building reconstruction work and the provide high-speed Internet service will settle down once. In order to become the “a shining town in the middle of Hyogo”, we need to work against population decline and continue to rejuvenate the region.

I will do my very best to work harder at connecting Kamikawa Town to important international connections and spread the word about our town. Let’s make 2019 and peaceful and safe year. I wish you all the best for 2019.