No.1 Six Months Since Taking Office

(Inagi Newsletter November 15, 2011 issue)

Hello, I am Mayor of Inagi City, Katsuhiro Takahashi. I was elected as the 4th Mayor of Inagi City in the unified local elections this April. Time flies, and it has been six months since I took office. I have decided to start a regular column in the city newsletter. I will return to my original intentions and feel the weight of my responsibilities as the mayor.
Since joining Inagi City Hall in 1985, I have worked for 26 years in local administration close to the community. During this time, we have made a significant shift from a centralized administrative system to a decentralized one, and I have been working on the front lines of citizen services to pave the way for a decentralized society.
I believe that in order for Inagi City to further develop towards the future, it is important to preserve nature and greenery, create beautiful landscapes, promote volunteerism and citizen collaboration, revitalize local communities, and regenerate the bonds among citizens. Generally, there is a tendency for human relationships to become weaker with urbanization, but in Inagi City, there are still areas where traditional connections remain. On the other hand, in areas such as new towns and land readjustment, there are also those who are working towards the establishment of new communities.
I believe that the common issues in the community can be summarized as crime prevention, disaster prevention, environment, and welfare problems. For all of these, the "connections between people and community strength" may be important elements in finding solutions.
In order to develop the city while maintaining sound finances, it is necessary to work on administrative reform and the reduction of unnecessary expenditures, aiming for sustainable welfare, healthcare, and education. Utilizing the "community strength" that is the treasure of Inagi, we will promote municipal management that values the perspective of citizens and strive to build "Inagi, a city surrounded by greenery and filled with friendship" with all our efforts. We appreciate your continued support.