No.15 Top 10 News of Inagi City in 2012

(Inagi Newsletter January 15, 2013 issue)

Last year, starting with Taiwan in January and followed by elections and changes of government in many countries including Russia, North Korea, France, the United States, China, and South Korea in December, it was a year of political transitions. In Japan, a change of government occurred due to the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a new governor was elected in the Tokyo gubernatorial election.
As each citizen holds expectations for the new government's policies, concerns about the global economy continue to grow due to issues such as the fiscal cliff in the United States and the debt problems in Europe, while economic growth in various countries remains sluggish. On the other hand, there was a bright topic during the Summer Olympics held in London in July, where Japan achieved a record 38 medals.
Now, let's look back at the events of Inagi City over the past year.

1. Inagi City Health Plaza opened. Anticipated for the health of citizens' bodies and minds, it incorporates solar power generation and LED lighting, and, along with the utilization of waste heat from the Tama River Clean Center, it opened in May as an environmentally friendly facility.
2. A health checkup center has been established at the City Hospital. In addition to expanding health checkup functions such as human dock, collaboration with the exercise therapy at the i Plaza has also begun. Furthermore, as part of strengthening the outpatient department, a linear accelerator has been installed, and radiation therapy has commenced.
3. The system of "Honorary Citizen" was established, and Mr. Shigeyoshi Tominaga was selected as the first recipient. In addition to his long-standing virtuous contributions to the city, he donated half of the vast land of the Inagi Fureai Forest at the end of last year, making permanent use of the campsite possible.
4. The system of the "Citizen Honor Award" was established, and the first recipients were awarded to the players of Nadeshiko Japan who won a silver medal in women's soccer at the Olympics, including Iwashimizu, Sakaguchi, and Iwabuchi from Nippon TV Beleza.
5. Inagi Nashinosuke made its first appearance in the "Yuru-Chara Grand Prix." It ranked 93rd out of 865 nationwide and 6th out of 39 in Tokyo. Along with the issuance of local number plates for regional revitalization, Inagi is being promoted to enhance its national recognition.
6. Promoting initiatives for tourism promotion. The Commerce and Industry Association has started a souvenir recommendation project, certifying five items as the first "Inagi's Seal of Approval." City Hall has established a fixed-term employee recruitment system to hire private individuals with knowledge and experience in tourism projects (recruitment starts this month).
7. Disaster waste support from Onagawa Town, Miyagi Prefecture has been implemented. The Tamagawa Clean Center accepted waste for three months starting in October, and the process was completed at the end of last year. We appreciate your understanding.
8. A partnership agreement has been concluded with the Yomiuri Giants. Aimed at the development of local sports and Sound Youth Development, we look forward to future business developments.
9. Established the Inagi-Fuchu Cemetery Association. A joint project aimed at developing a public cemetery and memorial hall in the Minamiyama area has started, with the goal of commencing use in the spring of 2015.
10. Increase in standard land prices within the city. Due to the prolonged recession, the real estate market remains sluggish, and land prices continue to decline in the central urban areas and neighboring cities. However, in Inagi City, prices are stabilizing, with some areas, such as around the three stations on the Nambu Line, experiencing increases. I believe this reflects the trust in the results of Community Development.

The top 10 news for Inagi City last year are as above. This year, we will continue to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, strengthen the disaster prevention capabilities of our town Inagi, and aim for safety and security.