The General Account Budget for FY2013 Is ¥63 billion

No. 192

May 1, 2013

http://www.city.urayasu.chiba.jp Published by the City of Urayasu

1-1-1 Nekozane, Urayasu-shi, Chiba 279-8501 047-351-1111

Population: 162,155 Male: 80 ,613 F em ale: 81,54 2 H ousehold s: 7 2,7 58 F oreig n R esid ents: 3 ,0 63

( A s of March 3 1, 20 13 )

Population and No. of Households in Urayasu

In compiling the budget for FY2013, we selected and concentrated city measures and programs

with a greater awareness of cost than ever before, while giving top priority to efforts related to

reconstruction and recovery from the G reat E ast J ap

an E arthq uak e and carefully considering the

q uality of city resident services.

In addition, we compiled the budget so as to include measures our city will need while k eeping a

long- term perspective so that healthy inancial administration can be irmly maintained into the future.

O ur program also includes addressing the needs of c

ity residents and city administrative issues and

resolving pending issues that the city has.

In this issue, we will introduce the main city measures and services of iscal 2013 while outlining the

starting budget for the year.

The General Account Budget for

FY2013 Is ¥63 billion

Reinforcement of Reconstruction/Recovery Programs

and Disaster Prevention Measures

● Road reconstruction programs (continuing expense): ¥2,353,279,000

S pecial sewerag e account:

Public sewerag e reconstruction prog ram ( continuing ex pense) : ¥7,259,097,000

● Recovery subsidy programs

◆ Main road liq uef action counterm easures prog ram : ¥1 ,8 51 ,052,000

◆ U rban area liq uef action counterm easures prog ram : ¥1 50,000,000

◆ C onsultation prog ram f or earthq uak e resistance im prov em ents to ex isting build ing s and build ing tilt correction: ¥4 ,28 0,000

◆ S pecial sewerag e account: S ewerag e f acility liq uefaction counterm easures prog ram : ¥26 0,000,000

L iq uefaction countermeasures to mak e the flow of traffic possible for emergency vehicles even in a maj or earthq uak e will be conducted for main roads, such as S ymbol R oad, which serve as the roads for transporting emergency supplies, and for the plaz as in front of S hin- U rayasu S tation and Maihama S tation. A lso, liq uefaction and earthq uak e resistance countermeasures will be tak en for sewer systems and manhole

facilities that are underneath these main highways so that the systems and facilities can continue to function.

● C o n s t r u c t i o n o f H i n o d e B r a n ch (tentative name) (continuing expense): ¥1 4 6 ,34 7,000

T o improve and reinforce ire brigade forces to handle the demand for ambulances and fire brigades as the population in the S hinmachi area increases, H inode B ranch Fire S tation ( tentative name) will be constructed on the property nex t to H inode K omink an ( P ublic H all) .

Child-Raising, Health, and Welfare

● N ek oz ane N ursery S ch ool maj or repair program (detailed designing): ¥1 7,301 ,000

D aiei Inc. proposed to the city that a facility that will include a community- based supermark et and a licensed nursery school with a temporary childcare facility and a C hild S upport C enter be built on the former bus terminal property of

O riental L and C o. , L td. in K ita- Z ak ae 3- chome, which U rayasu C ity currently owns.

J udging that this proposal not only contributes to the securing of financial revenues but also

solves the issue of rebuilding N ek oz ane N ursery S chool, which has been a serious issue for many years, and mak es the area signiicantly more convenient for the neighborhood residents, a tentative contract concerning the property was made with D aiei.

A fter the completion of the facility by D aiei, U rayasu C ity will temporarily transfer N ek oz ane N ursery S chool to the facility and work on the detailed designs for a maj or renovation of the ex isting nursery school.

● P ark gol f ground expansion program (detail ed design, etc. ): ¥7,8 76 ,000

● P ark gol f ground expansion program: ¥51 ,555,000

● S ogo P ark mul tipurpose pl az a construction program: ¥94 ,000,000

T o promote the health of city residents through sports, an additional nine holes will be constructed in the park golf ground located in Tak asu K aihin P ark . T his will enable the golf ground to handle various types of events and accept a larger number of users. In addition, construction work is currently underway on S ogo P ark ballpark ( located on the west side of the park ) where people will be able to enj oy soccer, rugby, and light sports. L ighting will also be installed to meet the needs of city residents who would lik e to use the ballpark at night.

Developing City Resident Culture and Vitalizing Local

Community through Friendly Resident Gatherings

●U rayasu T ourism and C onvention A ssociation subsidy: ¥55,500,000

●U rayasu L ocal A ctivities P romotion C ouncil operation expense subsidy: ¥70,000,000

U rayasu C ity will work on various programs based on the tourism promotion plan, including C afé T errace in S ak aigawa R iver and invitational activities to bring international conventions, cooperating mainly with the U rayasu T ourism A ssociation and also with relevant institutions such as the U rayasu C hamber of C ommerce and the U rayasu T ourism and C onvention A ssociation.

Furthermore, while it has become dificult to secure land for a launching location for the irework s show, which has been conducted every

year so far, because the irework s show is one of the biggest events that many city residents look forward to and because it has become a summer tradition of U rayasu, the city is considering continuing this event while discussing with the U rayasu L ocal A ctivities P romotion C ouncil about the possibility of launching firework s using the beachside.

U rayasu C ity has also seen increased activity

on the private citiz en level as well, including the sponsoring of a 24 - hour relay marathon. T hese activities add new value to the city and improve its image.

Environment-Friendly City Planning

seaw al l ) j oint devel opment program subsidy: ¥3,91 7,000

U rayasu C ity will continue to promote the construction of U rayasu K iz una- no- Mori, a green z one along the coast that uses the gravel that gushed out due to liq uefaction, as a j oint program with A E O N E nvironmental Foundation.

● Recovery rel ief f und program

◆ R oad lood ing counterm easures prog ram : ¥1 4 9,725,000

U rayasu C ity has work ed on the development of temporary rainwater storage facilities until now to handle the localiz ed torrential rain that has accompanied the abnormal climate of recent years. P artly because of subsidence due to the earthq uak e, the situation is even more urgent than before, so the city will promote a plan to install a rainwater storage facility in the B enten area and also start designing an installation plan for a facility in the H igashino area.

M ain F Y 201 3 P rograms and B udget

Hello to all!

No. 192 May 1, 2013

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Recyclable Waste Disposal Schedule for May

Collection Area

Nekozane, Kitazakae, Todaijima Every Tue. Every Mon. Horie, Higashino, Fujimi, Maihama Every Wed. Every Sat. Kairaku, Mihama, Irifune, Hinode, Akemi Every Thu. Every Mon. Tomioka, Imagawa, Benten, Tekkodori, Takasu, Minato, Chidori Every Fri. Every Sat.

* Please put out your garbage between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. It is against the rules to put it out earlier or later than this designated time as it could become a nuisance in your neighborhood.

* Bulky items will be collected separately on request by phone. Call the Bulky Items Reception Center, 305-4000. For inquiries, contact the Garbage-Free Section.

(ext. 1665)

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Urayasu International

Friendship Association

(UIFA) Orientation

Meeting for Recruiting

Members

Date and Time: May 12 (Sun.), 2 to 4 p.m.

Location: International Center (inside Shin-Urayasu Il Mare)

Eligibility: Those 18 years of age or older who are interested in volunteer work related to international exchange; 60 people on a first-come, fi rst-served basis

Program: Introduction to the volunteer activities of UIFA; recruiting of members

Note: Please call for more information.

Application: Call or send an e-mail (giving your name and telephone number) to the UIFA Offi ce (Tel: 381-5931; uifa@uifa-urayasu.jp).

Inquiries: UIFA Offi ce (Local Network Section)

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International Center

Exhibition: Republic of

Indonesia

Date and Time: May 10 (Fri.) through 30 (Thu.)

Location: International Center (inside Shin-Urayasu Il Mare)

UIFA provides a Japanese language program. It’s a once-a-week, 90-minute private lesson for beginners. Tuition for one term of six months (April to September or October to March) is ¥1,800 paid in advance at the time of application. A new registrant who wants to start in the middle of the term should pay a monthly-calculated tuition (¥300 a month). Application forms are available at the Local Network Section on the fourth fl oor of the Urayasu City Hall. Current vacancies are shown below. Sign-ups are on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis.

For up-to-date information, please look at the UIFA homepage or contact the City Hall.

Classes and Vacancies (as of April 9, 2013)

Class Location Time Vacancy

Monday morning Urayasu International Center 10:00–11:30 a.m. 2

Monday night Tomioka Kominkan (Public Hall) 7:00–8:30 p.m. 1

Tuesday night Todaijima Kominkan 7:00–8:30 p.m. 1

Wednesday morning Urayasu International Center 10:00–11:30 a.m. 1

Wednesday afternoon Urayasu International Center 1:00–2:30 p.m. 3

Thursday morning Urayasu International Center 10:00–11:30 a.m. 2

Thursday night Urayasu International Center 7:00–8:30 p.m. 2

Friday morning Urayasu International Center 10:00–11:30 a.m. 1

Friday night Urayasu International Center 7:00–8:30 p.m. 3

Note: Urayasu International Center is located on the second fl oor of Shin-Urayasu Il Mare.

Invitation to Japanese Language Program

Program: Exhibition of folk items and ethnic clothing of the Republic of Indonesia

Inquiries: International Center, Tel: 306-5181

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Wampaku Sumo

Urayasu Tournament

Date and Time: May 11 (Sat.), from 9:30 a.m.

Location: Sports Park Gymnasium

Eligibility: Elementary school children who live in or go to school in Urayasu City

Note: The application form is currently available at all schools in Urayasu City. You can also apply via the Junior Chamber International Urayasu website (http://www.urayasu-jc.net). Please call for more information.

Inquiries: Mr. Horinouchi (Junior Chamber International Urayasu), Tel: 050-3666-4155

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Concerning Vaccinations

With revisions in the preventive vaccination law, vaccinations for Haemophilus influenzae

type b (Hib), pediatric pneumococcus, and cervical cancer prevention have become routine vaccinations. In addition, the eligible age for BCG vaccinations has been changed from 3 months to under 1 year of age. Please call for more information.

Inquiries: Health Promotion Section

While it is easy to ride a bicycle in Urayasu City because it has many flat roads, there are also many cases of bicycle theft. In this issue, we will describe bicycle theft prevention measures. With the goal of completely eliminating bicycle theft, let’s strive to prevent bicycle theft by keeping in mind the importance of protecting one’s own bicycle.

●Four Theft Prevention Measures

1. Don’t let your guard down

Have you ever left your bicycle unlocked, thinking, “it’ll only be a few minutes”? A theft can happen in a surprisingly short time. You must be careful when you leave your bicycle, even in cases such as when you are just going to buy a few things. Even though it may be troublesome, you should always lock your bicycle. In addition, theft also occurs when owners park their bicycles on a bike rack with a front-wheel lock. Do not let your guard down. Be sure to lock your bicycle when you park it.

2. Lock your bicycle with two locks—“double-lock”

Most bicycles that are stolen are either left unlocked or only have one lock. Thus, double-locking your bicycle is eff ective for preventing bicycle theft. Let’s do our best to avoid becoming a victim of theft by double-locking our bicycles.

3. Park in designated areas

Illegally parked bicycles on the street or in areas that are not designated for parking invite theft. Further, illegally parked bicycles can block streets and be an obstruction to traffi c and emergency vehicles such as fi re engines. Do not park your bicycle on the street. Use a bicycle parking lot.

4. Complete anticrime registration

When you purchase your bicycle, be sure to complete anticrime registration. Registering your bicycle will make it easier to fi nd it if it should become stolen. Note: Anticrime registration is obligatory.

C h erry B l ossoms in A l l T h eir G l ory

O n Friday, March 22, the Meteoro-logical A gency officially declared the full bloom of the cherry blossoms in T ok yo. T he cherry trees at Yasuk uni J inj a S hrine, which serve as a standard for T ok yo’s full bloom declaration, blos-somed 10 days earlier than usual. T he Meteorological A gency’s full bloom declaration this year was the second earliest ever, following the declaration in 2002. T he record- break ing cold of this year’s winter seems lik e it was j ust a dream, and the world seems to have be-come instantly transformed into spring. O ne newspaper article noted that per-haps the reason why February is only 28 days long is because everyone wants spring to come as soon as possible, and calendar mak ers cleverly responded to that wish; this idea impressed me. O n the other hand, I am concerned that it is said that the cause of this early blooming is global warming, due to which the A rc-tic and A ntarcrc-tic ice are melting. W hile the A rctic and A ntarctic ice have served as an air conditioner to moderately cool down the earth throughout the four sea-sons, their cooling effect has weak ened because the ice is melting and cold waters are flowing into warm currents such as the J apan C urrent in large q uan-tities, leading to this abnormal, unstable weather.

If natural disasters are interpreted as screams of the earth, perhaps the great earthq uak e is an ex ample. W hen the G reat E ast J apan E arthq uak e struck two years ago, the city was covered by a

pure white dust storm of spouted earth and sand caused by liq uefaction. W hile people were desperately work ing on emergency repairs for reconstruction, I

still clearly remember seeing the daz -z ling cherry blossoms of our city, calmly blooming in full glory. I was deeply im-pressed by the work ings of nature.

S peak ing of the cherry blossoms of our city, the G arden C ity U rayasu A sso-ciation—a group that conducts activities to mak e U rayasu a garden city that city residents can be proud of—published a book let titled Urayasu Hanadayori ( U rayasu Flower B ulletin) . T he first page is graced with a haik u of Matsuo B asho, “S amaz ama na K oto O moidasu S ak ura K ana” ( the cherry blossoms bring back various memories) , and there are descriptions of various cherry blos-som sites in U rayasu C ity, as well as ex planations of 17 varieties blooming in our city. It is a book let well- worth read-ing.

W ith work being done on emergency repairs and reconstruction, some cherry trees had to unfortunately be cut or re-moved. A lthough the full bloom is not as glorious as past years, I felt lik e this year’s cherry blossoms were cheering us on.

I realiz ed anew how the lovely cherry blossoms really match U rayasu C ity while I enj oyed the cherry blossoms of our city again this year. I am hoping that they will remain in full bloom for as long as possible. H opefully, the cherry blossoms will congratulate the new i rst graders and freshmen with fluttering cherry blossom petals as the students embark onto a new stage in their life in A pril.

Protect Your Own Bicycle