Time%20Out%20Jan%202013 by iia iia

Time Out Inside this issue… Festivals & Events

Entertainment Guide

Hospital Information

Japan Today

IIA Events& Information from the City Government

IWAKIANS Events & Other On November 27, the IIA “Introductory Seminar on Japanese Legal Systems especially for Foreign Residents” was held at Latov, with 16 foreign participants. The aim of this seminar was to reduce the disadvantages that foreigners are prone to have while living in Japan because of “not knowing” the Japanese legal systems, and for the participants to play the key role in the community and share the findings and knowledge gained in the seminar with other foreign residents. These efforts, the IIA believe, will further contribute to building a city where everyone can live safe and secure lives. This seminar focused on “international marriage/divorce”, which is one of the most common issues to be brought to the IIA for consultation. Here are some of the points explained in the lecture. First of all, when someone is thinking about an international divorce, he/she has to consider which of the Japanese or of the home country’s laws he/she wants to follow. If he/she tries to get divorced following the Japanese system, the procedure will be “Consultation→Negotiation→Arbitration→Lawsuit→Execution”. “Arbitration” is the negotiation conducted at the court. At the “Lawsuit”, the cause of the divorce (significant reasons to explain why the marriage cannot continue any longer) should be presented clearly, and the two parties will dispute over the “marital cost” (livelihood cost necessary in the marital life), separation of the shared assets made during the marital years, compensation money, child support, and rights of the parent without custody to request to let him/her meet the child(ren) to the other parent with custody, etc. For the marital cost and child support, a half of the salary can be seized continuously, and a quarter of the salary for the compensation money. (There is a simplified chart showing the average amount possible to request according to the salaries of the husband and the wife. Please contact the IIA if you wish to see the chart.) (The Arbitration can be carried out by the individuals alone, while the Lawsuit is difficult to carry out by an individual and therefore asking for a lawyer will be necessary.) A variety of organizations are here to help out the foreigners living in Japan. Please contact the organizations listed below if you want to know more about the details or have inquires. The lecture was given by a lawyer, Mr. Watanabe. Contact: Hou Terasu (Japan Legal Support Center) 0570-078374 (toll-free) http://www.houterasu.or.jp/en/index.html Special Law to support the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake (Special legal support project for the disaster-related issues) 050-3383-5334 (General Affairs Division, Hou Terasu Headquarters)

General Notices

January Events Calendar

Time Out is produced by Division of Coordination and Citizenry Affairs Iwaki City Hall 21 Aza Umemoto, Taira, Iwaki City Fukushima Prefecture 970-8686 Tel: (0246) 22-7415 Fax: (0246) 22-7609 Email:shiminkyodo@city.iwaki.fukushima.jp kwon-n@city.iwaki.fukushima.jp The Division of Coordination and Citizenry Affairs and the IIA are open to the public. Please feel free to drop by, call, or e-mail us anytime. Website: http://www.iia-fukushima.or.jp; http://www.city.iwaki.fukushima.jp/gaikokugo/english/

いわき市役所市民協働課〒970-8686 福島県いわき市平字梅本 21 電話: (0246) 22-7415 FAX: (0246) 22-7609 E-mail: shiminkyodo@city.iwaki.fukushima.jp kwon-n@city.iwaki.fukushima.jp 市民協働課及び財団法人いわき市国際交流協会は皆さんを歓迎します。お気軽にお立ち寄り下さい。お電話、 e-mail をお待ちしています。

Festivals & Events Festivals & Events

Your guide to what’s happening around Iwaki City and beyond this month

January 4th: Overseas @ Est Est, from 8pm. This is a monthly event held at Est Est on the first Friday of each month. Free darts, foosball and pool. Inquiries to Est Est: 0246-25-6723. January 10th: Yumoto Kotohira Shrine Festival @ In and Around Yumoto Kotohira Shrine. From early morning to late night. This is an annual festival held at Kotohira Shrine, Yumoto. Kotohira Shrine is one of the three greatest Konpira Temples in Japan which originates from worshipping the Konpira god, believed to be the guardian of the sea, well-being of households, prosperity of businesses and traffic safety. On the way to the shrine from the station there will be around 450 stalls selling good luck charms such as daruma dolls and bamboo rakes. To get to the festival, it is recommended to take the train to Yumoto station, the shrine is about a 10-15 minute walk from the station. If you are taking your car to the festival it will be best to park in the 21st Century Forest Park in Joban and then take the free bus to Yumoto. For more information and inquiries please contact Kotohira Shrine: TEL: 0246-43-1001. Website: http://kotohira-iwaki.jp/index.html January 14th: Okunitama Shrine Festival @ Okunitama Shrine, Taira. This is a festival dedicated to the Dainiku god, which is the main god of Okunitama Shrine. On the day prayers for prosperous businesses and safety of families will be given. Yamato dance and Chigo dance which are designated as Iwaki’s intangible folklore and cultural asset will also be dedicated. For more information and inquiries please contact Okunitama Shrine: TEL: 0246-34-0092. January 14th: Numanouchi Water Festival @ 35 Shinmachi Aza Numanouchi, Taira. This is a traditional festival that has been held in the Taira-Numanouchi district for around four hundred years. It is also known as the “Water Pouring Festival”, wherein cold water is poured upon newlywed men in a ceremonial ritual. This festival has been designated as an intangible folklore and cultural asset in Iwaki City. This ceremony and the festival serve as a prayer for good health, safety, bountiful catches of fish and a rich harvest. For more information and inquiries please contact the Iwaki City Board of Education. TEL: 0246-22-7540. January 20th: The Third NHK Symphony Orchestra Iwaki Regular Concert @ Alios Main Hall. From 3pm. Tickets: S Seats: Sold out. A Seats: Sold Out. B Seats: 6000yen. C Seats: 5000yen. D Seats& Wheelchair Seats: 4000yen. Student Tickets: Half Price on any seats. For more information and inquiries please contact Alios: TEL: 0246-22-5800. E-mail: info@iwaki-alios.jp January 26th NHK Charity Concert Family Concert with Mother @ Alios Main Hall. From 11am and 2:30pm. Tickets: A Seats: 2800yen. B Seats 2200yen. C Seats: 1600yen. For more information and inquiries please contact Alios: TEL: 0246-22-5800. E-mail: info@iwaki-alios.jp February 2~4th: Tsurushibina Festival @ Nakanosaku-Kawagishi area. Tsurushibina (or the Japanese Traditional Hanging Dolls) Festival will be held for the ninth time this year. Many colourful hanging dolls in the forms of flowers, fish and other items which are considered to be lucky charms decorate the eves of private houses along the old streets of Nakanosaku. For more information and inquiries please contact Mamaya TEL: 0246-55-6280.

January 7: Nanoka-dou Hadaka Mairi @ Enzouji (Enzo Temple) Kikukoudo, Yanaizu Town. Around 10 minutes walk from JR Aizu Yanaizu Station. From 8:30pm. In this festival over 300 nearly naked men run through the snowy town and up to the temple, and then fight to climb the rope to the bell in front of the temple. The festival has been held for over 1000years, and is a prayer for the good health of the young men, and now also honours the dragon deity. For more information and inquiries please contact Enzo Temple: 0241-42-2002. January 12th: Strange Festival: Takada Giant Rice Straw Bale Pulling Festival @ Aizu Misato Town. Around 20 minutes walk from Aizu Takada Station. This is a festival is held annually on the second Saturday of January. It prays for rich harvests and will start after sunset. It is said that if the red team wins businesses will prosper, and if the white team wins there will be rich harvests. There will also be 365 small straw bags of rice given out wishing for sound health. For more information and inquiries please contact Aizu Misato Town Tourism Association: 0242-56-4882. January 12th& 17th: Hometown Kitakata Market Festival @ Kitakata Fureai Dori (on the 12th), Street in front of Izumo Shrine (on the 17th). Both around 15 minutes walk from JR Kitakata station. From 9am-8pm. There will be 150~160 shops in this lively festival selling Japanese traditional lucky charms, New Year lucky charms and festival food. There will also be stalls selling local products. For more information and inquiries please contact Aizu Kitakata Chamber of Commerce& Industry: 0241-24-3131.

Jan 1

Sleepless in Seattle Tom Hanks

Jan 2

12:40am

TUF

9:00pm

BSP

1:00pm

Jan 14

1000yen. SHS and under: 500yen. FCT

1:44am

Howl’s Moving Castle (Japanese Anime Film)

Jan 19

Takao Osawa

9:00pm

Single Ticket: 2000yen. Pair Ticket: 3500yen.

BSP

11:45pm

Jan 26&27 Dance Relay 2012 Classical Ballet

BSP

Main Theatre. From 6pm on the 26th,

9:00pm

3pm on the 27th. All Reserved Seats: 2000yen. BSP

9:02pm

Free entry for 5years old~ SHS students. TUF

9:00pm

BSP

1:00pm

BSP

11:15pm

BSP

7:30pm

Jan 27

Hiromi Suganami Presents Gospel Live Small Theatre. From 6pm. All Seats: 999yen.

X- Men 2 Hugh Jackman

Jan 28

BSP

Villon’s Wife (Japanese) Takako Matsu

Jan 26

Main Theatre. From 2:30pm. All Seats:

Emma Gwyneth Paltrow

Jan 25

New Year Concert

1:00pm

Aliens Sigourney Weaver

Jan 25

BSP

Jan 20

Toilet Alex House

Jan 23

7:30pm

Recital Hall. From 1:30pm. Free Entry.

X- Men Hugh Jackman

Jan 22

BSP

Center Stage Amanda Schull

Jan 19

9:02pm

Piano Recital

After the Flowers (Japanese) Keiko Kitagawa

Jan 18

BSP

Sister Act 2 Back in the Habit Whoopi Goldberg

Jan 14

Jan 19

The Matrix Revolutions Keanu Reeves

Jan 14

B Seats: 7000yen. C Seats: 6000yen.

8:00pm

Dear Doctor (Japanese) Tsurube Shofukutei

Jan 12

BSP

Croket Concert 2013 Main Hall. From 1pm. Tickets: A Seats: 8000yen.

Crying out Love, In the Center of the World (Japanese)

Jan 6

Let’s Sing Together Choir Concert Main Hall. From 1:30pm. Tickets: Adults:

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki FCT 9:00pm Jan 5

The Fourth Guitar Festival in Iwaki Recital Hall. From 12pm. Free entry.

Doctor Dolittle Eddie Murphy

Jan 4

TUF

Jan 13

Sister Act Whoopi Goldberg

Jan 4

12:55am

The Wings of the Kirin (Japanese) Hiroshi Abe

Jan 4

TUF

Sakuran (Japanese) Anna Tsuchiya

Jan 3

10:40am

The Spy Next Door Jackie Chan

Jan 3

BSP

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle Cameron Diaz

BSP

9:00pm

Alios Ticket Centre: 0246-22-5800

The following is a guide to hospitals open on Sundays and public holidays in Iwaki City during January. Unless otherwise marked, all hospitals operate between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Tuesday, January 1 Kashima Area Kashima Byoin Ueda Area Morino Kodomo Clinic (pediatrics) Nakoso Area Nakoso Byoin Joban Area Seki Seikeigeka Cinic (orthopedics) Wednesday, January 2 Onahama Area Ishii Noshinkei Geka Ganka Byoin (neurosurgery & ophthalmology) Sanuka Area Yabuki Byoin Nishiki Area Midorikawa Naika Clinic Joban Area Soeda Iin Thursday, January 3 Chuodai Area New Town Jin Naika Clinic (kidneys& internal) 9-12 Onahama Area Onahama Seikyo Byoin Ueda Area Yu Clinic Nishiki Area Kureha Sogo Byoin Joban Area Hatano Ganka (ophthalmology) Sunday, January 6 Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery& gastroenteric) 8:30-12 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Taira Area Hasegawa Seikeigeka Iin (orthopedics) 8:30-11 Onahama Area Fukaya Jibiinkoka (otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose& throat)) Ueda Area Kushida Byoin Joban Area Hisa Iin Sunday, January 13 Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery& gastroenteric) 8:30-12 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Taira Area Shiga Seikeigeka Geka (orthopedics& surgery) 9-12 Izumi Area Kumagai Naika Shinryojo Nishiki Area Kureha Sogo Byoin Joban Area Iwaki Yumoto Byoin Joban Area Muramatsu Shonika (pediatrics) 9-12 Monday, January 14 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Onahama Area Ishii Noshinkei Geka Ganka Byoin (neurosurgery & ophthalmology) Sanuka Area Saito Naika Clinic Kusakidai Area Iwaki Kusakidai Sogo Clinic Sunday, January 20 Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery& gastroenteric) 8:30-12 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Onahama Area Kobayashi Ichoka Komonka Iin (gastroenteric& proctology) Nakoso Area Nakoso Byoin Joban Area Kato Naika Clinic Taira Area Watanabe Clinic (pediatrics) 9-12 Sunday, January 27 Taira Area Sakamoto Seikeigeka Iin (orthopedics) 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery& gastroenteric) 8:30-12 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Kashima Area Kashima Byoin Nishiki Area Kojima Jiai Byoin Joban Area Sakamoto Naika Ichoka Clinic (internal& gastroenteric) Taira Area Nagai Shonika (pediatrics) 9-12 Sunday, February 3 Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-12, 2-5 Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery& gastroenteric) 8:30-12 Ojima Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 Onahama Area Iwaki Chuo Byoin Fuzoku Shinryojo Nishiki Area Kureha Sogo Byoin Joban Area Tokiwakai Joban Byoin Uchigo Area Aihara Shonika Iin (pediatrics) 9-12

58-8010 38-7227 65-7755 84-9905 58-3121 63-1818 68-6415 68-6155 46-0606 53-4374 63-1611 63-2181 42-2040 46-1231 24-1811 25-3788 27-6060 25-5691 58-1187 63-3202 43-2313 46-1231 24-1811 25-3788 27-6060 23-5050 56-2133 63-2181 42-3188 72-0707 27-6060 58-3121 77-1001 28-1145 46-1231 24-1811 25-3788 27-6060 53-4466 65-7755 72-0072 25-1170 38-2830 46-1231 24-1811 25-3788 27-6060 58-8010 63-5141 72-2022 28-2535 46-1231 24-1811 25-3788 27-6060 53-3511 63-2181 43-4175 26-5551

Emergency Dental Care All emergency dental care will be provided at the General Health and Welfare Centre (Sogo Hoken Fukushi Senta) in Uchigo. This centre is open on Sundays and all National holidays from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. The reception closes at 3:30pm. For more information please contact the centre on 27-8620.

Kyoritsu Hospital Emergency After-Hours Clinic If you need to see a doctor urgently in the evening on a weekday or on a weekend or public holiday, the Kyoritsu Hospital Emergency After-Hours Clinic is open at the following times: Weekdays: 8pm - 12am Saturdays: 8pm- 7am (next day) Sundays& Public Holidays: 9am- 12am. TEL: (0246) 27-1208

Treatment Available in Foreign Languages: If possible always go to hospitals or clinics which offer treatment in English or your native language. These places are listed in the City’s official list:

“Clinics & Hospitals where Foreign Language Treatment is Available in Iwaki” Even if your language is available, please make sure whenever possible to bring a Japanese-speaker with you Eng = English, Kor = Korean, Thai.

Counselling Centre for Women: Counsellors can assist you in Japanese, Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Tagalog. Available languages differ each day. Ph: 050-1501-2803. Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm. OC NET: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 7pm – 9pm PH: 03-3730-0556 English, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, Spanish, and Thai. TELL Lifeline: TELL is a professional non-profit organisation that provides counselling to English-speaking foreigners all over Japan. The Lifeline is staffed by highly trained volunteer phone counsellors and provides free non-judgemental phone counselling and information 365 days a year from 9am to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm on (03) 5774-0992. For more information check out their website at http://www.telljp.com or e-mail them at admin@telljp.com. Safety and Consultation Centre for Women (Police Box at Iwaki Train Station): For people who have suffered from any crime-related problem or injury. Free. Can only speak Japanese. Ph: (0246) 23-9344 10am-6pm daily.

Living in Japan but don’t have a clue of what’s going on in this country? Never watch the news on TV or don’t understand even when you do? Japan Today will introduce some of the most prominent issues seen on the news lately to keep you updated with the minimum you should know.

LDP flattens DPJ in bruising return to power. Abe set to take prime minister's office for second time since 2007. The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito alliance won 325 seats in the Lower House — a supermajority that would allow it to override Upper House vetoes — as it reclaims power after three years in the opposition. The LDP victory ends the government led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Democratic Party of Japan and sets the stage for LDP chief Shinzo Abe, a conservative hawk who is keen to revise the war-renouncing Constitution, to pick up where he left off when he resigned five years ago. Abe will be the second man to be prime minister twice since World War II, after Shigeru Yoshida, and Japan's seventh leader in six years. The DPJ, meanwhile, suffered a crushing defeat that reduced its seat count to 57 compared with 230 before the election. A record seven Cabinet ministers, including Education Minister Makiko Tanaka and Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura, lost their single-seat constituencies. Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan also lost his seat in Tokyo's No. 18 district. Of the numerous "third-force" parties, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), headed by former Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, raised its 11 seats before the election to 54. As the DPJ's dismal results trickled in, Noda said he intended to step down as party leader." I bear the biggest responsibility for the severe defeat," he said. "I will resign as the party president." Noda said it is "most deplorable" that the party lost so many members in the Lower House. "Today's victory is due to the confusion that the DPJ created," Abe said. "I can say that our policies gained support, but I can't say that we've recovered our trust." Commenting on his abrupt resignation five years ago, Abe said: "I was nervous and under pressure. I achieved some results, but I could not continue more than one year. This time, I will create a steady government." The LDP, which had ruled the country until 2009 almost continuously since its establishment in 1955, was headed for a landslide in the 480-seat Lower House as the final votes were being counted. The lower chamber constitutes 300 single-seat constituencies and 180 proportional representation seats. The DPJ had 233 seats and the LDP 118 when Noda, dissolved the chamber on November 16, Twelve political parties fielded a combined 1,504 candidates, after a series of small parties emerged and scrambled for position in recent months. The DPJ received a stinging rebuke by the electorate after three years and three months of confused rule that's left the economy in yet another recession. This marked a reversal of fortune from the August 2009 Lower House election, when the party rode a wave of public discontent with short-term LDP administrations and ended its grip on power. The fledgling parties tried to offer a competitive "third-force" alternative to the DPJ and LDP by appealing to voters weary of the political status quo. But surveys suggested the parties faced voters critical of what they saw as mergers of convenience ahead of the election. Nippon Ishin was the strongest of the third-force parties. Voter turnout was 59.52 percent as of 11 p.m., December 16, according to a Kyodo News estimate. The 2009 election logged record turnouts of 69.28 percent for the single-seat districts and 69.27 percent for the proportional representation segment, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said. All 480 winners were expected to be determined by early Monday, December 17 after voting stations closed at 8 p.m. Sunday, December 16. Early voting was down 13.91 percent from the 2009 election to 12,039,572 for single-seat district, according to a report from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry covering the 11-day period from December 5. Nuclear energy was a major issue in the first national election since the Fukushima nuclear crisis broke out in March 2011. A majority of parties were looking to phase out nuclear energy, although the time frame differed from party to party. The DPJ was seeking a nominal phaseout by the 2030s, compared with the conservative approach taken by the LDP, which oversaw and promoted the rise of the industry and the sector's incestuous regulatory regime, which was just replaced. Parties also sparred over the scheduled two-stage doubling of the consumption tax to 10 percent by October 2015 to finance bulging social security costs. Another key issue was whether Japan should participate in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. The pro-TPP Noda got the LDP and its Buddhist-backed ally New Komeito to pass a bill to double the sales tax. The LDP opposes ending all tariffs under the TPP. Some parties called for additional monetary steps by the independent Bank of Japan. This was unusual in a general election. The LDP's Abe even wanted to strip the BOJ of its independence to force it to buy unlimited amounts of construction bonds to finance public works. The 1,504 candidates who ran marked a record high under the current election system. Before the election, the DPJ had 230 seats after losing its majority to defections caused by internal conflict. The LDP had 118. Still, the LDP is set to face a divided Diet because it and New Komeito do not have a combined majority in the House of Councilors. Political gridlock is thus likely to continue at least until the triennial Upper House election next summer. Along with the Lower House election, the appointments of 10 Supreme Court judges were up for review. Voters were being asked to indicate any judges they disapprove of. A judge is dismissed if a majority of voters call for it.

On this occasion, we would like hear about the concerns and difficulties those from other countries living in Iwaki might have in their daily lives. We will think about the ways to solve the problems together. You are not alone. Please do not think that your concern is too small for consultation. Please share any of your problems, worries or concerns with us. Date/Time/Place: January 17, 2013 (Thursday) 10:00am-12:00pm @Small Meeting Room, 5th Floor of the Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza in the Washington Hotel February 1, 2013 (Friday) 1:30pm-3:30pm @Meeting Room 1, 2nd Floor of the Iwaki City Culture (Bunka) Centre Participants: Foreign residents living in Iwaki city Application: Reservations are required. ※Please make reservations by telephone, FAX, or E-mail by at least one day prior to the consultation. ※Please briefly tell us or write your problems, worries or concerns when you apply. ※Personal information and the content of your consultation will be kept strictly confidential. ※If you wish to consult in English or Chinese, please advise us when you apply. Fee: Free of charge Consultants: Ms. Kumi Kanoda (Multi-Cultural Consultant, IIA) Please contact the IIA for applications and more information. TEL: 0246-22-7409, Fax: 0246-22-7609 E-mail: info@iia-fukushima.or.jp

Morning Course (3 sessions) ▼Time: January 22(Tue), 24(Thu), 29(Tue), 2013, 10:00-12:00 ▼Place: Iwaki City Culture Centre (Bunka Center), meeting room st ▼Instructor: Mr. Hiroyuki Yuyama (Licensed Guide, STEP 1 Grader) Evening Course (2 sessions) ▼Time: February 6(Wed) & 7(Thu), 2013, 18:30-20:30 ▼Place: Iwaki City Culture Centre (Bunka Centre), meeting room ▼Instructor: Ms. Nam-Hee Kwon (Coordinator of International Relations of Iwaki) ▼Number of places available: 10 for each course. ※Attendance to all the sessions is recommended. Applications to both courses are welcome.▼Fee: 1,000yen for IIA members, 2,000yen for non-members Contents: General tips of Japanese-English translation and how to better explain and describe in various settings will be introduced and practiced. The morning course will focus on the “tourist guide” setting by a licensed guide, while the evening course will cover more broad topics by a native English speaker. Please contact the IIA for applications and more information. TEL: 0246-22-7409, Fax: 0246-22-7609 E-mail: info@iia-fukushima.or.jp

1st Seminar： Start with the very basics of PC for the beginner users. How to search on the internet and find useful information/homepages such as “Iwaki City Disaster Prevention Map” will also be introduced.

Anyone will be welcome to join the seminar from the beginners. 2nd Seminar： The contents will be decided by the requests from the participants, based on the contents of the 1st seminar. (At this stage, the following themes are under consideration. Please feel free to let us know any idea or opinion about what you wish to learn. ▼Creating documents using the Word or Excel ・ Practicing functions ・ Making greeting/birthday cards ・Making name cards, etc.) Date： February 26 (Tue) and February 28 (Thu), 2013 10:00－12:00 Place： Iwaki City Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza, IT seminar room Participants: Foreigners living in Iwaki City Instructor： Ms. Yiping Sato (Chinese translator of Iwaki City official website) Fee： 500yen （for 2 seminars） Please contact the IIA for applications and more information. TEL: 0246-22-7409, Fax: 0246-22-7609 E-mail: info@iia-fukushima.or.jp

We would like to invite you to our Kid’s English Club “Rainbow”. Let’s learn, sing and play in English together!! Open to anybody! Schedule for January January 12th: 10am-11am @ Meeting Room1. January 19th: 10am-11am @ Meeting Room1. January 26th: 10am-11am @ Meeting Room1. Place: 6th floor, Latov. Participants: Children from 0-15 years old. (alone or with parents) Fee: 1000yen for each session. Teachers: Foreign Residents. Registrations and Inquiries to Ms. Olga Maeda: TEL: 090-5235-9498. E-mail: olgamaeda@yandex.ru or cupidchan@ezweb.ne.jp Schedule is subject to change. For more information and inquiries please contact Ms. Olga Maeda.

January 4th: Overseas @ Est Est, from 8pm. This is a monthly event held at Est Est on the first Friday of each month. Free darts, foosball and pool. Inquiries to Est Est: 0246-25-6723.

Police: 110 Fire& Ambulance: 119 Iwaki Fire Department Headquarters can also provide emergency assistance and information in the cases of:  Urgent medical situations but not to a degree of requiring an ambulance.  When you have injured yourself and need guide with first-aid treatments.  When you need to know which hospitals are open during public holidays. Iwaki Fire Department Headquarters: 0246-22-0123 Fukushima Prefecture, Children Emergency, First-Aid Telephone Consultation Centre (Fukushima-ken Kodomo Kyukyu Denwa Sodan), can provide you with professional assistance when you have sick or injured children. TEL: #8000 or: 024-521-3790. From 7pm to 8am. Websites: Online QQ, emergency of children website by Japan Pediatric Society: http://kodomo-qq.jp/ Emergency of Children, Fukushima Prefectural Government website: http://www.pref.fukushima.jp/imu/kodomokyuukyuu/kodomokyuukyuu.htm

After the 3.11 disaster, the IIA has been working to strengthen “connection by heart”. “Column on Your Mental Health” on the IIA monthly newsletter and website is part of the efforts. We spend time together with various people on the daily basis. If a person has different background not only in terms of the nationality or ethnicity but in the upbringing, it means that the person has a “different cultural background”. The IIA is hoping that we will all connect with one another by understanding others’ backgrounds and finding similarities, instead of just considering the person as “different”. This fiscal year 2012 is now in the latter half. A series of IIA projects focusing on the “Heart” will be held. Those wishing to look at themselves afresh and find new connections are very welcome to take part in the events. Stress Management Seminars: ・Let’s relax our bodies by easy exercise ~for a stressed and tensed body~ Time: February 1, 2013 (Friday) 10am-12pm Place: Iwaki Culture Centre, Japanese Room Instructor: Noriko Kubota (Director of the Counseling Center, Iwaki Meisei University) ・Stress Management “ Understanding the minds of the adolescents: Supporting children with foreign roots” Time: February 3, 2013 (Sunday) 10am-12pm Place: Iwaki Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza Lecturer: Ko Ukawa (The writer of the “Column on Your Mental Health”, Lecturer of the Faculty of Human Environment Studies, Department of Human Studies, Taisho University) Introductory Seminar on Psychology: Up-side and down-side of international marriages & Counseling for your physical and mental health Time: February 3, 2013 (Sunday) 1pm-4pm

Place: Iwaki Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza

Lecturer: Fumitaka Noda (Board Chairperson of the Japanese Society of Transcultural Psychiatry, Professor of the Faculty of Human Environment Studies, Department of Human Studies, Taisho University) Theme: Up-side and down-side of international marriages ※The one-on-one physical/mental health counseling by a psychiatrist for foreign residents will be held during the seminar time. Reservations are required. Please feel free to inquire to the IIA if you wish to take this opportunity. ♡All the seminars will be 500 yen for members and 1000 yen for non-members. The counseling is free-of-charge. Please contact the IIA for applications and more information. TEL: 0246-22-7409, Fax: 0246-22-7609 E-mail: info@iia-fukushima.or.jp

Happy Happy New Year!! Welcome to the year 2013!!! As we welcome in the New Year I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Coordination and Citizenry Affairs Division, to wish everyone a wonderful and warm festive season and all the very best for the New Year. I hope that all your New Year’s resolution will be achieved! The Iwaki City Hall and most of the other city facilities will be closed from the 31st of December to the 3rd of January and will be reopening on the 4th. For those of you travelling during the New Year time, I wish you a safe and happy travel! For those of you staying in Iwaki, I recommend you to watch the first sunrise at beaches around Iwaki (Hatsuhinode) and visit a shrine (Hatsumode) a part of the Japanese custom to spend the New Year’s Day. 

Warm Regards, Nam-Hee

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Sunday 30 Dec

Monday 31 Dec

Tuesday 1

Wednesday 2

Thursday 3

Friday 4

HAPPY NEW

Saturday 5

City offices and

YEAR!!!

facilities reopen

Overseas @ Est Est City offices and facilities closed

Yumoto Kotohira Shrine Festival

JANUARY 2013

Notes 13

Coming of Age Day

IIA Consultation on

January 1: New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day January 14: Coming of Age Day

Everyday Life

City offices and facilities will reopen on the 4th of January

For more information on any of the IIA 20

IIA English Interpretation Training Seminar

events please contact Suko-san (22-7409)

IIA English Interpretation Training Seminar

February 2013 S

29 IIA English Interpretation Training Seminar

1 Feb IIA Stress Management Seminar

2 Feb