As part of a medical student fellowship program in child and adolescent psychiatry the students will all attend the 2025 Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation National Medical Student Conference in Boston The KU School of Medicine-Wichita Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship has been selected to be part of the exciting and prestigious Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation Medical Student Fellowship Program in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Only 16 total schools are currently in this program and KU School of Medicine-Wichita was one of only two programs selected this year to join the ranks of schools like Harvard Four medical students with an interest in child psychiatry have been chosen as the medical student fellows this year The students selected are all in their third year: Tayita Abudu who will present at the 2025 Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation National Medical Student Conference on Jan All students will be funded by Klingenstein to attend the conference The title of Abudu’s presentation is “Clinical Strategies and Challenges of Psychiatrists in Accra she chose this topic because of her background living in a rural community “I witness firsthand the impacts of disparities in psychiatric care among children needing longitudinal care.” her parents are from Ghana for which she had “a yearning to educate myself regarding the psychiatric care that exists in the country.” “This fellowship has opened so many opportunities for me,” said Abudu “to learn more about the specialty I am most interested in I have always been interested in mental health and the approaches to it through both medicine and public health especially for this generation’s youth I look forward to working with experts in this field and connecting with others who share the same goals!” The students will be paired with a CAP faculty and CAP fellow mentor and from there will have an individualized mentorship experience which may include clinical experience “I feel incredibly honored to be chosen as a fellow for the KTGF-MSFP,” said Honnur from Leawood “I’m excited to continue cultivating my passion for psychiatry through the phenomenal mentors and experiences offered by this program I plan to use this unique opportunity to expand my knowledge of psychiatry and hopefully become an exceptional physician one day.” “Being selected for this program is an incredible honor As someone who is deeply passionate about child psychiatry I am thrilled by the opportunity to engage with the mentorship and enriching experiences that the program offers I am confident that it will play a pivotal role in shaping my growth and development as a future physician.” Other opportunities available for the students include: “I absolutely loved the type of clinical and inpatient work I was a part of in the psychiatry rotation and it quickly became a top contender for my specialty of choice,” said Fotion “Being accepted into Klingenstein to be a part of a community of psychiatrists and similarly interested students has provided me with opportunities to connect and learn from mentors as well as continue to acquire exposure to parts of the field I have yet to discover I am thrilled and honored to have been selected for KU School of Medicine-Wichita's first class of Klingenstein fellows and I am looking forward to meeting the other fellows from across the nation at the upcoming conference in Boston!” Belinda Venters bventers@kumc.edu 316-706-5945 Publications We use cookies to analyze our traffic & provide social media features. Visit the KU Medical Center Privacy Statement for more information By closing this window & browsing this site An engagement meeting aimed at further development of the SDGs bond market was held between Namie Town and the Urban Renaissance Agency Namie Town has been investing in SDGs bonds while giving due consideration to security and efficiency as the city is recovering from the complex disaster caused by the earthquake and tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear disaster caused by the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station The Urban Renaissance Agency is an independent administrative agency that has continuously issued social bonds since fiscal year 2020 and started issuing sustainability bonds this fiscal year the share of ESG bonds in the bond market has been increasing rapidly with increasing awareness of ESG issues ESG bonds help to solve social issues if they are social bonds help to solve environmental issues if they are green bonds and help to solve sustainability issues if they are sustainability bonds ESG bonds have an added incentive of contributing to solving these issues in addition to their marketability as bonds that earn yields based on scheduled redemptions Namie Town purchased the sustainability bonds that the Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) started issuing this fiscal year after Namie Town made an investment declaration Namie Town and UR have a relationship through reconstruction support projects following the Great East Japan Earthquake a meeting between Namie Town Mayor Eiko Yoshida and UR President Masahiro Nakajima was held at Namie Town Hall on January 15 President Nakajima expressed his gratitude to Mayor Yoshida for the bond purchase and the two discussed the reconstruction support projects that UR will implement in Namie Town a working-level engagement meeting between Namie Town and UR was held at Namie Town Hall on February 14 we will hear from Namie Town and the Urban Renaissance Agency who have been deeply involved in reconstruction support projects following the Great East Japan Earthquake about their respective organizations and SDGs initiatives we would like to hear from the Urban Renaissance Agency about their projects Urban Renaissance AgencyDeputy Director Mr Our agency started as the Japan Housing Corporation which was established to address the housing shortage caused by the influx of people into urban areas during the post-war period of rapid economic growth we have created social value through community and lifestyle development while confronting the social issues of the times We have worked to resolve policy and regional issues such as the improvement of good living environments by proposing new housing styles such as eat-in kitchens and the improvement of urban attractiveness and disaster preparedness by utilizing business methods such as redevelopment and land readjustments Our business consists of three main pillars Thank you for explaining the wide-ranging projects being implemented by the Urban Renaissance Agency Could you also tell us about the projects in Namie Town with respect to earthquake reconstruction support The areas affected by the nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture are recovering from the situation of having no population and no economic activity and UR is promoting support for reconstruction development through a combination of physical and intangible measures such as support for reconstruction base development projects and building improvement projects in Namie as well as support for regional revitalization to expand the exchange and related populations and create prosperity we are supporting reconstruction base development in three districts we were commissioned to develop an industrial park in 2017 and we completed the delivery of housing in March 2020 we were commissioned to provide support to entities that placed orders for infrastructure development in fiscal 2019 we are commissioned to carry out execution management and infrastructure development for a reconstruction base development project in the area around Namie Station in order to realize the "Namie Station Area Grand Design Basic Plan" for the reconstruction and revitalization of the entire downtown area of Namie Town we are also providing non-infrastructure support on the intangible side such as operating "Namiie," an information dissemination and exchange space as a place to disseminate information on community development and to use it as a community exchange hub Area image of Namie Station vicinity (source: Namie Town) That gives us a good understanding of the projects undertaken by the Urban Renaissance Agency in Namie Town Namie Town in Fukushima Prefecture is located in the northern part of Hamadori (coastal area) in Fukushima Prefecture and is in Futaba County Namie Village was established in 1889 under the Town and Village Act and became Namie Town in 1900 Namie Town was merged with Ukedo Village and Kiyohashi Village and Tsushima Village to form the current Namie Town and is also an attractive place for food created by its rich natural bounty It is also famous for its specialty products such as Ohbori Soma ware (pottery) and Namie Yakisoba The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11 Due to the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station residents of towns and villages in Futaba County were forced to evacuate and Namie Town's 21,000 residents became scattered across the country zones in preparation for the lifting of the evacuation order and difficult-to-return areas were designated in descending order of radiation levels in the air and restoration of basic living infrastructure the evacuation order was lifted on March 31 Residents are still unable to live in difficult-to-return areas where the evacuation order continues a part of the difficult-to-return area was designated as a Designated Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Area and the national government proceeded with decontamination and infrastructure restoration and the evacuation order was lifted on March 31 the national government approved the Reconstruction and Revitalization Plan for Designated Returning Residential Areas and efforts to lift the restrictions on the difficult-to-return areas are proceeding step by step many residents have been forced to live as evacuees either inside or outside Fukushima Prefecture and have not been able to return to their hometowns the town is working to improve the environment in cooperation with the national and prefectural governments so that residents can return as soon as possible and to encourage them to want to return as soon as possible Around 13 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and we now have a good understanding of the impact and current situation in Namie Town could you tell us about the projects that Namie is currently focusing on including from the perspective of the SDGs Namie Town was severely damaged by the nuclear power plant accident but the town included the concept of "Community Development for Local Production and Consumption of Energy" in the Second Namie Town Recovery Plan We are currently working to introduce renewable energy that does not rely on nuclear power or fossil fuels and to build a smart community based on local production and consumption of energy In March 2020, with the opening of the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R), one of the world's largest hydrogen production facilities using renewable energy, where demonstration tests will be conducted in Namie Town, we made the declaration to become a "Zero Carbon City" (net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050) Namie Town formulated the Namie Town Global Warming Countermeasures Comprehensive Plan - Namie Energy Challenge 2035 - with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by fiscal 2035 with the aim of becoming an energy pioneer we intend to convey to the whole country and the world how each small challenge will eventually become a major movement Another initiative is the Fukushima International Research and Education Organization (F-REI) F-REI was established in April 2023 with the aim of becoming a world-renowned "central institute for creative reconstruction" that will serve as dreams and hopes for realizing the reconstruction of Fukushima and Tohoku and contribute to economic growth and improvement of people's lives by driving the strengthening of our country's scientific and technology capabilities and industrial competitiveness Namie Town and F-REI signed a basic agreement on collaboration and cooperation with the aim of contributing to the reconstruction and development of the Hamadori region in Fukushima Prefecture the creative reconstruction of Fukushima and Tohoku and the driving force of Japan's revitalization by promoting collaborative activities that make effective use of both sides’ resources In recognition of these diverse new challenges Takarajimasha won first place in two categories (General Sector Young Households and Single Persons Sector) for towns with a population of less than 10,000 people in the 2024 edition of the 12 Best Rural Places to Live Ranking which was announced in the February 2024 issue of the Rural Life Book published by Takarajimasha The town will continue to make efforts to promote migration and settlement including communicating the attractiveness of the region I now understand the projects being undertaken in Namie Town and the link to the SDGs I feel that these initiatives will make the town attractive I would like to ask the Urban Renaissance Agency The Urban Renaissance Agency has been issuing social bonds since fiscal 2020 and has started issuing sustainability bonds this fiscal year Could you please explain the characteristics and purpose of the issuance of such bonds In order to conduct our business in an eco-friendly manner we formulated and declared our Environmental Policy in fiscal 2005 we are advancing activities aimed at contributing to the SDGs and achieving a decarbonized society including promoting measures to combat global warming and conserving and creating the natural environment in cities In order to promote measures to combat global warming we formulated the UR-eco Plan 2008 in March 2008 which sets out an action plan to combat global warming was partially revised in July 2022 to include new goals such as standardizing ZEH-equivalent specifications and the installation of photovoltaic power generation facilities in connection with the reconstruction of rental housing in light of changes in international trends and social trends such as the Japanese government's declaration of carbon neutrality in 2050 A new UR-eco Plan is scheduled to be formulated in 2024 all of our agency's projects received a third-party evaluation as social projects that contribute to solving social issues we have been actively working for the environment in regional areas for more than 15 years With the concepts of SDGs and ESG investment becoming more prevalent in society these days and with the desire to leverage our eco-friendly business execution to raise funds as well as to increase our agency's presence we obtained a third-party evaluation for sustainability finance in March 2023 and issued our first sustainability bonds in June 2023 The sustainability bonds issued by our agency are 100% green and all proceeds will be used for green projects Specific examples of green projects include the conversion of UR rental housing into double-glazed buildings during renovation the transplanting and preservation of trees and the acquisition of CASBEE and the use of natural energy in urban renewal projects These results will be disclosed in future reports In addition to the issuance of social bonds I believe that the issuance of sustainability bonds has expanded the options available to investors in terms of contributing not only to solving traditional social issues but also to improving the environment I also believe that it will contribute to the diversification of procurement methods for the Urban Renaissance Agency please tell us the background behind Namie Town's decision to invest in the Urban Renaissance Agency's sustainability bonds in accordance with the aims of the Local Autonomy Law in order to manage the fund reliably and efficiently a portion of the funds that can be managed over the long term is invested in bonds I feel that there has been a growing movement among local governments to purchase SDGs bonds and declare their investment Namie Town has also declared our intention to be a zero-carbon city and since there is a field in which we can communicate both domestically and internationally we have been promoting bond purchases with the intention of contributing to society while giving top priority to security and efficiency we purchase SDGs bonds such as green bonds we make a "declaration of investment" which communicates our contribution to building a sustainable society both domestically and internationally The project-related relationship with Namie Town was one of the factors behind the selection of the bonds issued by the Urban Renaissance Agency We concluded a cooperation agreement with the Urban Renaissance Agency in March 2017 to promote the reconstruction of the town and we received full support for the development of the Tanashio Industrial Park and the Minami Industrial Park We are still receiving support for the improvement project around Namie Station for the reconstruction and revitalization of the downtown area Although we had been paying attention to the project we decided to invest in the project because the issuance of bonds with maturities was added in fiscal 2023 and the projects being undertaken by the Urban Renaissance Agency were consistent with Namie Town's investment policy The number of local governments investing in SDGs bonds has increased significantly in recent years we can see how the deep ties between the two sides when it comes to projects has boosted investment Please share your thoughts after hearing this from Namie Town We provide technical support for disaster preparedness and educational activities for recovery and reconstruction support to local governments during times of normalcy to make use of the experience we have gained in providing recovery and reconstruction support following the Great East Japan Earthquake we provide active support to local governments in the event of a disaster we provided technical support for the construction of emergency temporary housing and provided UR rental housing where disaster victims can live we have received investment declarations from 50 local governments we have been promoting the UR Furusato Support Project to convey the appeal of local communities to the residents of housing complexes and other people who are involved in the Urban Renaissance Agency and to support local governments in revitalizing their communities This project aims to connect the many issues local governments are concerned about such as wanting people to visit for sightseeing and facilities of UR Group companies where people from urban areas gather and to provide opportunities and places to sell local products and promote tourism as part of the UR Furusato Support Project we opened "Machinotane," a matching space between "people" and "communities," in Nagoya City (attached to the UR Rental Shop Sakae Underground Shopping Street) This is a permanent information exchange facility designed to support the revitalization of the local economy and many local governments have put exhibits on display there but we are implementing a variety of projects that contribute to solving social and environmental issues and we aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by utilizing the funds invested by Namie Town and others Thank you for discussing how you are working toward a common goal of revitalizing the local community while promoting recovery from the earthquake We heard from Namie Town about the background behind the bond purchase Do you have anything in particular that you would like to see the Urban Renaissance Agency address with the funds received through the bonds Namie Town pays attention to how funds will be used when investing in SDGs bonds I understand that 100% of the proceeds from sustainability bonds issued by the Urban Renaissance Agency will be used for green projects Namie Town also believes that climate change leads to torrential rainfall events and rising sea levels and is an important issue related to disaster prevention and primary industries in the town I expect the Urban Renaissance Agency to disclose what projects the invested funds were actually used for and what impacts they had We will continue to create social value through community and lifestyle development while addressing various social issues and will continue to contribute to the SDGs As we further promote carbon neutrality in the future we believe investors will become more interested in the environment in order to continue for our bonds to be preferred in the future we will continue to consider various possibilities for enhancing information disclosure We would like investors to understand how our business contributes to solving environmental and social issues before investing We recognize that mutual understanding through dialogue with investors such as the engagement and IR activities that we are conducting today and we will continue to actively engage in dialogue with investors I would like to ask you to provide comments to those people who are reading the text of this engagement dialogue Since the establishment of the Japan Housing Corporation our agency has contributed to the realization of "cities where people shine" through the development of safe and comfortable communities and lifestyles Social issues in recent years have become more difficult and complex such as the declining birthrate and aging population and increasingly severe and frequent natural disasters By continuing to tackle these social issues we hope to be an indispensable part of creating "cities where people shine." To that end it is more important than ever to collaborate and partner with various entities including local governments and private businesses We will continue to promote solutions to social issues through collaboration and teamwork and we hope to gain the understanding and support from as many people as possible Namie Town continues to pursue new initiatives Fishing boats propel themselves through the open ocean with flags flying With farmers aiming for us to become the best flower town in Japan cutting-edge technology to realize local production and local consumption of hydrogen Namie Town is a place where new challenges arise every day We will continue to develop as a town that welcomes new encounters and welcomes challengers with a warm heart We hope that you will visit Namie Town as we overcome our hardships and head toward the future it was not common for issuers and investors to meet face to face and have an opportunity to discuss each other's business and social significance ESG bonds account for about 40% of the bond market Nomura will work to further promote ESG bonds that connect issuers and investors and contribute to the improvement of environmental and social issues Their sophomore mini-album 'Haute Couture' is due out next month TWICE‘s Japanese sub-unit MISAMO have released a remake of Namie Amuro’s 2008 track ‘New Look’ in the lead-up to their second mini-album The music video for ‘New Look’ features MISAMO’s Mina Momo and Sana in a cinematic music video that blends nostalgic motifs and present-day themes in their visual that pays homage to fashion icon Twiggy an English model best known for her prominence in the fashion world in the ’60s / Short hair so I can look like a tomboy / But I wanna get a new look / The fashion that goes well with this character / Just like that cover girl ‘New Look’ marks the first preview of MISAMO’s upcoming sophomore mini-album, ‘Haute Couture’, due out on November 6. According to TWICE’s Japanese website the record is set to include seven tracks in total ‘Haute Couture’ will come over a year since they made their debut in July 2023 with ‘Masterpiece’, which featured the hit song ‘Do Not Touch’. “When we first heard that we were going to do MISAMO, we couldn’t really believe it,” Momo told NME in an interview at the time Following the release of ‘Haute Couture’ next month, MISAMO are set to embark on a live tour of Japan later this year The trio will be performing two nights at Saitama’s Belluna Dome on November 2 and 3 before heading to Osaka for a two-night concert in the Kyocera Dome on November 16 and 17 The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 tens of thousands were ordered to leave their homes in the vicinity of the damaged nuclear plant An exclusive look at the land they reluctantly left behind The de facto demise of Namie began in the chaotic hours after the quake struck on March 11. "The forgotten town" was how the July issue of the popular magazine Bungei Shunjudescribed Namie, which never received official orders to evacuate, even as hydrogen explosions at units 1 and 3 spewed toxic particles across the Fukushima area. "We weren't forgotten," says Naka Shimizu, the mayor's aide. "We were ignored." Yukichi, 62, dejectedly tapes windows as he looks at his beloved garden, now gone to seed. Junko, 59, dusts the family's Buddhist altar and gathers the few small items they're permitted to bring out of the zone: photos, Chinese herbal medicines, her daughter's kimono. She leaves behind their Buddhist memorial tablets. "There's no one else to protect our house," she says. Namie's town hall has decamped to makeshift offices in Nihonmatsu. Its officials continue to issue birth certificates, keep track of the increasingly far-flung inhabitants, and consult experts about the radioactive cesium that has rendered Namie's 86 square miles uninhabitable. Many residents had held out hope they might return once Fukushima Daiichi is stabilized, but prospects are grim. While Tepco, operator of the crippled plant, hopes the complex will be brought under control by the New Year, residents will not be allowed back in the foreseeable future, and the government is mulling plans to buy their homes. As the soft rays of dusk cast a warm glow over the downtown landscape, a cool ocean breeze ruffles our suffocating Tyvek suits. For just a moment it is possible to forget that the Geiger counter hit a level about 600 times normal, a few miles down Route 6. Yukichi Shimizu, who used to farm rice and work in construction, is plaintive as he surveys his lovely but lifeless hometown. "Could it really be that unsafe to live here?" After the disasters of March 11, tens of thousands were ordered to leave their homes in the vicinity of the damaged nuclear plant, their footprints now frozen in the mud.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com Two dogs scrap on Okuma's empty streets. In the early days of the crisis the no-go zone was alive with roaming farm animals and pets: cows, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, even ostriches. Often defying police patrols and barricades, volunteer rescuers rounded up and decontaminated some pets, returning them to their owners, and fed others. But by midsummer, a number of the pets had perished of starvation and disease.\n\nwww.davidguttenfelder.com Months after the tsunami, grass had sprouted from this wrecked car on the coast near Namie. Debris littered the coast of Fukushima in the aftermath of the storm; concern over radiation prevented immediate cleanup.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com There were no provisions to evacuate livestock from the irradiated zone, and animals were abandoned.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com A hog wandering the deserted streets of downtown Namie discovered this feed store, where it gorged itself, then napped.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com Police wearing protective face masks guard a road leading into the zone in the city of Minami-Soma. The sign reads Keep Out.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com Tattooed Toyoo Ide, 69, is one of the men taking advantage of the bathing facility set up by the Self-Defense Forces outside the Big Palette evacuation center. A lifelong employee of the nuclear power plant and self-described wise guy, Ide misses his home deeply: \"There's no water or electricity now, but if there were, I'd go back, radioactivity or not. I'd go back today. I can't live in a stranger's town.\"\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com Waters ruined a photo album left behind on Fukushima's tsunami-ravaged coast. In the pictures the children are dressed in fine kimonos worn during a ceremony for the traditional celebration when children turn three, five, and seven.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com On a brief visit to her home in Namie, Junko Shimizu packs her husband's suit to take out of the zone.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com At this home within the nuclear zone the earthquake dislodged and shattered a portrait of a family member. In Japan many families keep the memory of their forebears alive by displaying somber images of deceased patriarchs and matriarchs, who often stare down at a Buddhist family altar where incense is burned and prayers are offered to the dearly departed. Now the portraits preside over empty households.\n\n www.davidguttenfelder.com please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent a film director known as the “father of Japanese cinema.” He moved to Okinawa in the early 1970s He opened the Okinawa Actors School in 1983 and trained popular artists such as Namie Amuro Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled.Please check the site policy for more information National Report Fukushima Prefecture–A significant shift in Japan's energy policy has sparked outrage among evacuees such as Ichiro Suenaga who were forced to flee their homes following the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima No The draft of a new energy plan has removed the pledge to "reduce dependence on nuclear power as much as possible," a policy that was adopted in response to the triple meltdowns triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami the removal of this line feels like a betrayal "There are still things that need to be done before changing the policy," he said in anger is more than 30 kilometers from the nuclear plant radiation levels remain high in the mountainous area passed away the year after the accident due to deteriorating health in the aftermath of the disaster The evacuation order remains in place for Suenaga's neighborhood When he returns temporarily to mow the grass with old newspapers spread across the table a sagging floor and animal droppings scattered about “Tears come to my eyes when I think about all the hard work we put into building this house I thought I would live here until I died,” Suenaga said Having served as a community leader for his neighborhood for 12 years until this spring Suenaga accompanied local officials to Tokyo to make requests to the government on behalf of the evacuees he felt that public interest and concern about Fukushima had diminished over time “The disaster has become something of the past in Tokyo,” he said all nuclear power plants in the country were shut down the government and utilities have since brought some back online one by one This includes the Onagawa nuclear power plant in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture The plant was also hit by the tsunami in the 2011 earthquake but escaped a disaster As the head of the town's commerce and industry association she understands the benefits that nuclear plants bring to the local economy she cannot fully support the government’s return to nuclear power “The line pledging reduced dependence on nuclear power should remain in the policy,” said Hachisuka Thirteen years after the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl evacuation orders are still in place for seven municipalities in the prefecture forcing more than 25,000 people to remain displaced the nation’s nuclear emergency declaration triggered by the accident has not been officially lifted "The disaster is being forgotten while there are still people who cannot return to their homes," Hachisuka said (This article was written by Akira Hatano and Nobuyuki Takiguchi.) Nuclear plant hosts split over Japan’s reversed energy policy Evacuees from nuclear disaster await Supreme Court ruling Nuke evacuees allowed to go home in ‘difficult-to-return’ zone Evacuees spend 1st night at home in Futaba since nuclear disaster Kishida’s new nuclear policy revives thorny old questions Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Work to construct the iconic wooden ring that surrounds the pavilions at Expo 2025 At 20 meters high and 2 kilometers in circumference the Grand Ring contains 27,000 cubic meters of wood making it one of the largest wooden structures in the world The Grand Ring greets visitors to the pavilion area (Courtesy Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition) 4,500 cubic meters of glued-laminated timber or “glulam,” was supplied by Woodcore The meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station triggered by the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami hit the neighboring town hard Since the partial lifting of evacuation orders for the area in 2017 although the town’s population has only recovered to 2,200—one tenth of what it was before the disaster in a partnership between Namie-based Asada Timber and Tōju Sangyō A leading player in the recovery of the local agriculture which the government-championed Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework identifies as a focus area Woodcore has been contracted to operate the Fukushima Laminated-Timber Advanced Manufacturing Center (FLAM) and is the most advanced facility of its type in Japan Woodcore concentrates on manufacturing thick laminated timber products for use in large wooden buildings FLAM’s first project was supplying lumber for use in the Osaka Expo producing the pillars and beams that support the Grand Ring “It is an honor to be able to greet Expo visitors from around the world with timber from Fukushima and show them just how we’ve recovered.” FLAM’s laminate production facility is 60 meters wide and 240 meters long Asada Timber CEO and Woodcore director FLAM is located in the Tanashio business park While the site had been earmarked by the Tōhoku Electric Power Company for a nuclear power station the utility donated the site to the Namie government The vast FLAM site seen from a nearby hill and performs every step of the process to turn logs into laminate itself The facility can manufacture beams up to 12 meters long It is also the first facility in Japan to feature a high output high-frequency press that bonds laminate in around 10 minutes—a process that would take over eight hours if relying on natural drying—thereby enabling mass production Thick laminated timber ready for shipping A high-frequency press enables mass production Asada explains: “While Asada Timber had expertise in lumber and in the production of thinner laminated timber Tōju Sangyō had experience with thicker laminates intended for structural purposes we’re now able to offer any conceivable timber product rather than focusing on the residential market engineered timber that is used for school gyms The factory employs 50 staff Asada frequently remarks that local lumber industry must not be allowed to disappear Fukushima Prefecture is ranked fourth in Japan for forest area and Namie has a long involvement in forestry which means that the 2011 quake and tsunami hit just before its hundredth anniversary Asada’s family was forced to leave Namie after the nuclear accident staying with his in-laws in Chiba for a month before renting accommodation in Tokyo Most lumber is sourced from within Fukushima: cedar from Tamura and larch from Minamiaizu Thick laminated structural timber has been used for the columns and beams in the building that houses the plant’s lumber facility where he lived alone in an apartment—his family still in Tokyo—and worked a second job while aiming to restart his business Wearing a radiation suit due to Namie’s location in the exclusion zone Asada spent every spare moment tidying up the facility before a very low-key reopening in 2014 Due to the stigma associated with radioactive fallout the business did not bounce back to its former glory It could not use timber from the Namie region and that meant there were no buyers for lumber sourced outside the area either “People told me that if we stocked timber products from Namie it would affect sales of timber from surrounding areas as well,” says Asada at a time when there is less stigma around the issue Asada Timber still targets the civil engineering sector—many members of the general public still worry about where their wood came from Woodcore uses cesium counters to measure the radioactivity of logs when they are delivered and of finished timber products before they are shipped “we measure the radiation levels of every log applying a radiation limit that is several times more stringent than that used overseas only a few logs per year are rejected.” The production line incorporates cesium counters “Trees need to be harvested at the appropriate time and new trees planted in their place.” Oversized trees are also more difficult to saw there has been interest in the fact that wooden buildings have a smaller carbon footprint than their reinforced-concrete and steel-framed counterparts we can do more to prevent global warming by repeatedly harvesting and planting trees Logs that are too large for standard saws are more labor-intensive to process Over half of Japan’s plantations are more than 50 years old This means that well-managed forests make everyone safer While people tend to associate cutting down trees with environmental destruction Asada says proudly: “The appropriate utilization of trees is imperative in Japan and in Fukushima Woodcore will continue to use its advanced processing technology to fight global warming.” Wood pieces left behind during production are turned into woodchips and fuel for dryers Offcuts are burned to generate heat The facility dispatched its last consignment of timber for use in the Grand Ring at the end of March the staff were busy working on an order for use in a different Expo building “After all the Expo work is finished We can do our bit by boosting the forestry sector The town’s population is increasing gradually but residents these days tend to live alone—you don’t see many children It would be nice if this went back to being the kind of place where you saw children playing after school,” says Asada The Namie government launched a project to redevelop the railway station precinct in autumn 2024 The government’s development proposal makes extensive use of timber In addition to supermarkets and other commercial premises the plan also includes large-scale public and private community housing we can expect to see children playing here again The proposed design for the Namie Station precinct (Courtesy Namie government; © Kengo Kuma and Associates) Laminated timber manufactured in Namie and lumber from Fukushima will be used for benches While Woodcore has not officially won the contract there are hopes that it will have a role in the project and we will never see everyone who lived here in the past returning to an extent that would have been unimaginable before the disaster That is precisely why I want the government to make this somewhere that is impressive and somewhere that serves as a model for other reconstruction projects,” says Asada When the station precinct redevelopment is completed at the end of fiscal 2026 domestic and international visitors to Namie Station will be greeted by timber from Fukushima Asada said emphatically at the end of his interview that he wanted Namie to be a happening place again Banner photo: The nearly complete Grand Ring © Hashino Yukinori of Nippon.com.) Today's print edition Home Delivery When Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant went into meltdown following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake many owners left their pets behind as they evacuated the area one former nuclear plant worker who felt a sense of responsibility for the situation stepped in to care for them.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); turned his home and his childhood home into an animal shelter caring for the pets while looking for people to help foster them In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Fukushima — A couple relocated their izakaya Japanese-style pub from Akita Prefecture to Namie a few years ago as a way to help with recovery efforts taking place in the nuclear disaster-hit town By Tatsuma Hirose / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer The izakaya not only serves “a taste of Akita,” it also offers karaoke and a warm atmosphere for its customers who are mostly workers involved in the recovery efforts Masao Tochimoto and his wife Masako relocated izakaya Yamazato from Yurihonjo to a space in front of JR Namie Station in Namie The residents of Namie were forced to evacuate because of the 2011 accident at Fukushima No which is popular among those involved in the town’s recovery efforts has been operating as a bar with karaoke for about two years in response to requests from regulars for a place to sing Yamazato has also been serving Oyadori ramen a dish that is well-known in Yurihonjo and other nearby areas Evacuation orders for Namie were partially lifted in March 2017 there are still only a few restaurants in front of the station evacuated to Yurihonjo after the nuclear accident and the two became close as they connected over raising sons as single parents Tochimoto then began helping her out at the izakaya Another reason Tochimoto returned to Namie is because his father who lives in the neighboring city of Minami-Soma in the hope that it would help the disaster-hit area The couple said it was difficult to find a location because many of the available spaces were left untouched and food had been left to decay Tochimoto said he continued to look for a space has been serving ramen at Yamazato under the name Menya Yamazato Genki quit his job at a construction company in Fukushima Prefecture to work there The ramen and karaoke are said to be popular among the construction workers living in the town Genki said the regulars found Yamazato to be warm and welcoming Genki says that he uses a lot of chicken and negi green onions for the ramen to make sure his customers can enjoy a hearty meal which accounts for 70% of the ramen orders at Yamazato can also be enjoyed in the evening when the bar is open “The taste of Akita is being accepted in Namie,” Masako said adding that a customer from Akita Prefecture seemed delighted to be able to eat the ramen in Namie Tochimoto said the reconstruction of Namie is only half complete by continuing to run Yamazato,” Tochimoto said I hope that people from Akita Prefecture will come visit.” rolling countryside of Minamisoma feels like the middle of nowhere but it is actually at the heart of a critical strategy for Fukushima Prefecture Inside a gleaming compound operated by Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework a throng of startups are developing robots rockets and drones within the city.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The framework is a national project founded in 2017 with the aim of economically rebooting the region following triple meltdowns at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant caused by the 2011 earthquake-triggered tsunami 387 companies reside in 15 of Fukushima's municipalities Fukushima Prefecture--The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum here offers a tour like no other participants get off the bus to measure radiation levels where they stand The magnitude-9.0 earthquake that struck on March 11 generated tsunami that devastated Pacific coastal areas of the Tohoku region in northeast Japan and knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima No The Futaba-based museum has offered a number of bus tours since the disaster but this is the first designed to give people a sense of how radiation which remains a huge problem even after 13 years transformed the lives of the former inhabitants Fifteen people from both within and outside Fukushima Prefecture joined the inaugural Aug a ruptured section of road and Futaba’s municipal Minami Elementary School where pupils’ satchels and other belongings remain exactly where they left them when they fled the building Tour participants used monitoring equipment to measure ambient dose rates there The government has set a long-term goal of reducing ambient radiation levels to 0.23 microsievert per hour which is the equivalent of 1 millisievert per year The dose rate in the vicinity of the museum was only 0.05 microsievert per hour But the radiation level in the bus rose to 0.3 microsievert per hour as it traveled through a government-designated “difficult-to-return zone.” a curator with the museum who served as a guide for the tour continue to hinder efforts at rebuilding.” A woman in her 60s who came from the city of Koriyama in the prefecture said And 80-year-old Koriyama resident Yasushi Takada said “As I saw communities utterly destroyed by the tsunami and the nuclear disaster I felt as if I were hearing the voices of those who are no longer there.” A special exhibition titled “Fukushima and radiation” is currently running at the memorial museum through Nov It charts the consequences and challenges that resulted from the tsunami and the nuclear meltdown The latest bus tour was organized in a broader framework of that project A second bus tour to measure air dose rates will be held at no cost on Oct 13 for a maximum of 20 participants on a reservation-only basis For further information, visit the memorial museum website at  (https://www.fipo.or.jp/lore/en) 3/11 museum updates displays of nuke crisis to give truer picture Museum on 2011 disaster to add details on what went wrong A wood-processing company in a town hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan 14 years ago is producing building materials for a key symbol of the upcoming 2025 World Exposition in the city of Osaka based in the town of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture is supplying materials for the massive ring-shaped roof called the Grand Ring one of the world's largest wooden structures and the centerpiece of the Osaka Expo which will be held for six months from April.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "The ring is a symbol of Fukushima's reconstruction," said Hidehiro Asada "I want many people to actually feel the reconstruction YOKOHAMA, Japan – Through its Nissan Ambition 2030 vision to produce energy for local use and become carbon neutral Nissan will soon begin verification tests of the energy management system it has established in Namie The energy management system utilizes an autonomous control system that generates 100% renewable energy for charging electric vehicles by sending electricity to and from them Two problems faced by renewable energy are fluctuations in power generation caused by weather conditions and an imbalance in electricity supply and demand Combining large-capacity EV batteries with a system that independently charges and discharges them allows renewable energy to be used more effectively and stabilizes the power grid ContactKoji Okuda or Azusa Momose+81 (0)45-523-5552nissan_japan_communications@mail.nissan.co.jp and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) today entered a Carbon Neutrality Partnership Agreement and Namie are located in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture Following the partial lifting of evacuation orders due to the Great East Japan earthquake and other factors reconstruction efforts are expected to accelerate The hope is that focusing on carbon neutrality will improve sustainability for the region Toyota is also implementing initiatives in collaboration with a host of partners to contribute to reconstruction in Fukushima Prefecture It has entered into this partnership in hopes of utilizing the results of its research and development in the agricultural field to contribute to carbon neutrality and reconstruction in the three towns The following table details the actions of each party under this agreement the aim is also to collaborate with the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels which is a collaboration of six private companies that is researching efficient systems for ethanol production in Okuma One possibility under study is using crops grown on agricultural land in Okuma and Futaba as raw materials for bioethanol fuel production and Toyota will continue to deepen their collaboration to drive reconstruction after the earthquake in the future This partnership will make positive contributions to achieving carbon neutrality by reducing transportation-related CO2 emissions through low-carbon circular agriculture coupled with local consumption of local produce in terms of fertilizer and livestock feed As part of efforts to pass our beautiful "Home Planet" to the next generation Toyota has identified and is helping to solve issues faced by individuals and overall society which Toyota calls "Achieving Zero," hoping to help reduce the negative impacts caused by these issues to people and the environment to zero Toyota is also looking "Beyond Zero" to create and provide greater value by continuing to diligently seek ways to improve lives and society for the future Toyota Motor Corporation works to develop and manufacture innovative safe and high-quality products and services that create happiness by providing mobility for all We believe that true achievement comes from supporting our customers Since our founding over 80 years ago in 1937 we have applied our Guiding Principles in pursuit of a safer as we transform into a mobility company developing connected we also remain true to our Guiding Principles and many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals to help realize an ever-better world ShareSaveCommentInnovationGamingCrystal Kay On Working With Yoko Kanno, Namie Amuro And PikachuByOllie Barder Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Ollie Barder covers Japanese pop-culture and gaming from Tokyo.Follow AuthorOct 16 10:06pm EDTShareSaveCommentThe wonderfully talented musician Crystal Kay is very much a versatile musician she has had a vibrant career in Japanese music I wanted to know more about how Crystal had gotten into music and what she liked to do as a kid which is why I don’t have an accent when I speak English I only mention that because people always ask It was a like an “America” within the base gates and housing like you see in the US suburbs It was such a beautiful little utopia and tight knit community where everyone looked out for each other Mom and I had to move off the base after my parents split up but I was still able to finish up to high school at my American school It’s such a beautiful port town and I love the fact that it has a mix of the East and the West in the historical buildings since it was one of the first ports to open to the Western world It is so relaxed and calm with its own color “My mother sang at clubs and was signed to major record label when I was a child My father was a serviceman and played the bass in a band there was always music playing in the house when we weren’t at a gig or show I was always my parents’ plus one to all the concerts they attended from Diana Ross to Bobby Brown to Michael Jackson I was always the family entertainer whenever there were get-togethers and pool parties I was also really into coloring and had so many coloring books Mom would always keep me in the dressing room during her gigs so I would just sit there and color I always outlined my drawings before coloring them in Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase This then segued into how Crystal started out professionally in terms of her musical career “My first job was a commercial jingle for the game My mother’s friend owned a production company that produced jingles for commercials he said he needed a kid’s voice and asked my mother “Can I borrow Crystal?” And that’s how it all started “I actually stopped watching anime after Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball so to be honest I didn’t really follow the ones I sang the themes for After seeing people’s reactions to the anime and because of their love for it I started to notice how powerful anime was Now I feel very grateful and proud that I have the opportunity to sing all of these theme songs for iconic anime He would be ‘pika pika-ing’ throughout the song like an adlib and it was so cute I remember I couldn’t stop laughing when we were in the studio We also had a Pikachu version of the artwork for my single which is such a collector’s item if you think about it “Moving back gaming, I did sing a song for Bust a Groove I was around 8 or 9 (or maybe younger) and this was to my debut but I remember this being produced by a family friend and he wanted me to sing so it was pretty smooth but I do remember being directed to sing with energy and to have fun Crystal then talked more about her work with Yoko Kanno and Namie Amuro I remember doing take after take and feeling sleepy recording the background harmonies hence I was so sleepy because we had gone till pretty late “I added the English parts in the song because one of the producers asked me if I could add words in that post verse section this song was about a person’s growth and finding themselves through life so I thought a direct “gotta find myself” lyric would be fitting It felt like my aunt was vocally directing me the whole time because she would be so loving and gentle especially because I was still a child “It’s also still hard to believe that I worked with Namie Amuro I grew up buying her singles and copying her fashion style When it was confirmed she was down to do a collaboration I set a goal for myself to get as fit as I can for when I stand next to her the day of the music video shoot I am glad I did as I am very proud of the outcome “We didn’t get to record the song together as she was such a busy person but Namie did have me as a super surprise guest on her tour This was one of my top three most nervous moments in my career Singing with my idol since elementary school and performing with her right before she left the limelight and I will never forget that amazing experience I remember we recorded separately because he only could record late at night and I had school I had to record my parts in the afternoon because I needed to do homework and get back home after the studio before getting up for my school at 4:50 am “I feel they are pioneers of innovative western influenced J-Pop M-Flo gave me confidence that I could use more English if I wanted to there was an unspoken rule that mainstream songs in Japan couldn’t be in English I lived with that most of my career up until then but when I heard M-flo used almost 50% Japanese So I can do that if I felt it sounded better or cooler!” M-flo gave me hope “BoA is my sister I believe she is the pioneer of K-pop in Japan It was her and Tohoshinki that came into the J-pop scene that really paved the way for the rest that followed I loved what BoA was doing and the fact that the girl can dance It turned out we shared the same choreographer so one day she set up a dinner date for BoA and I to meet becoming friends and finding familiarity in each other in this industry I think it’s so special to have peers you can share this journey together with because being an artist or a performer can be very lonely sometimes of which Verbal and I were the features on I respect the hell out of her and her legacy as an artist I wanted to know what Crystal had planned for the future “I plan to release an album and do an anniversary tour in Japan especially after my two recent shows in LA There has been an outpour of comments wanting me to perform in multiple cities in the US So many of those comments were from the East Coast “I have always seen myself as an international artist and want to perform for more people around the globe.” Read my Forbes blog here Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version was rumored to be the producer behind the song "Stranger" but his name is nowhere to be found in the notes.) a well-intentioned but awkward empowerment anthem and the love-as-schoolyard whistler "It" relegated to the bonus track "What I Did for Love" The other big tripping point is Amuro's decision to primarily sing in English Her English-speaking fans tend to mock her relentlessly for this Yet her lyrics have never been a high point even in Japanese and on _genic she delivers her words directly and with a confidence that smooths over any small mistakes but everything clicks together just right to create a disorientingly catchy number The county commissioners announced during their agenda meeting Monday that former controller Michael Namie will serve as their chief of staff Namie was chosen by the commissioners to fill the position vacated last month by John Haynes who has been in that role since he was hired in January 2020 who attended the agenda meeting as a visitor objected during public comment to Namie’s appointment without a public vote and afterward said she planned to file an open records request on the matter The commissioners cited a provision in the state’s county code regarding salary board votes to create or remove positions and regulate personnel salaries A public vote was not held for Haynes when he was hired two years ago although the salary board voted at the time to create the position and its salary not an appointment,” solicitor Jana Grimm said The only vote would be if something changed There’s nothing that requires it (in county code).” Grimm said it’s the same process followed by neighboring counties and one that Washington County officials have been following for years The commissioners made a similar appointment in September when former Washington fire chief Gerry Coleman was selected to serve as the county’s public safety director without a public vote after the position became vacant upon the retirement of Jeff Yates an attorney for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association in Harrisburg said all new hires and terminations should be approved at a public meeting under the state’s Sunshine Law “I don’t know why there would be hesitancy for this,” Melewsky said “Why wouldn’t you want to hire someone at a public meeting?” Melewsky questioned how the commissioners are interpreting the salary board provision of the county code in making such personnel decisions but I don’t think it would be a winning one,” Melewsky said Any citizen can file a civil complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County claiming a violation of the Sunshine Law within one year It would then be up to a judge to determine whether a government agency violated the law and whether it should pay a civil penalty or take corrective action It was not known if Hough or anyone else planned to take such action But Melewsky said the best alternative would be to hold a public vote on such positions Get Cappers Farmer Delivered Directly To Your Inbox “What’s more important is what happens in the future,” Melewsky said “It’s more about taking the corrective actions – the public has the right to know about hiring and firings.” who will be paid an annual salary of $100,786 as chief of staff decided not to run for reelection last year after serving 20 years as county controller It was not known exactly when Haynes left his position or why If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy This pop star has sold more albums in Japan than Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Kesha have moved in the U.S. combined 2017Save this storySaveSave this storySavePhoto: Getty ImagesThe golden rule of stardom is always leave your audience wanting more and no one understands that better than Japanese music star Namie Amuro Amuro has been making hits since the mid-’90s hip-hop-influenced sound that has proven influential She has been the reigning queen of the J-pop scene for 25 years inspiring both the music and the style of the acts that followed her In a business defined by its revolving door of teenage talent she is one of a few performers to successfully make the transition from girl group member to solo act and maintain her relevance for decades Amuro has created songs that have become iconic—her track “Can You Celebrate” remains the top-selling Japanese single by a solo artist more than 20 years after its release—while cultivating an image as a rule-breaker which makes her latest move all the more fascinating she announced that she’d be stepping away from public life She also embraced the bling-y luxury aesthetic of ’90s hip-hop videos helping to popularize the oversized streetwear look in Japan Amuro often challenged Japanese social mores by simply living her life When she decided to get tattoos in honor of her son and mother her much-discussed body art broke with tradition As she was one of the only women in J-pop to sport prominent ink Likewise her status as a performer over the age of 30 who fearlessly sports sexier styles made her an anomaly within the teen-focused music scene But fellow university students are working to get them excited about the democratic process and engaged with local elections University of Washington students Kenai India Tara Namie and Ethan Yamamoto chime in on the upcoming election (India and Yamamoto photos: Curran Nielsen for Cascade PBS; Namie photo: courtesy of Tara Namie) Four years after a record number of young voters helped elect President Joe Biden many young people are planning to abstain from the upcoming presidential election the matchup between Biden and former President Donald Trump was an emotional election during a stressful period in the nation’s history Young voters motivated by issues like climate change racial injustice and the COVID-19 pandemic voted in record numbers – more than half of registered voters aged 18-29 turned in a ballot – according to several political advocacy groups young people have expressed their reluctance to vote in a rematch between the same two candidates who was not eligible to vote in the past presidential election does not plan on casting a ballot this year “I’m not a fan of Trump and I’m not a fan of Biden,” said the University of Washington junior from Scotts Valley ill-spoken and do not convey a sense of confidence and command that he feels is necessary for our president “I feel too much personal responsibility for whoever is president,” he said but I would still feel personal responsibility for when problems arise.” also may not vote but because he doesn’t feel strongly one way or another The UW senior from Seattle voted for Biden in the previous election a 20-year-old UW political science major from Washington is tired of the prospect of another man being in office “In the conversation that we have about politics Ashpes is the communication director for Young Democrats at the University of Washington and is passionate about politics but discouraged about the upcoming presidential election “It’s just past the point where I feel like I’m on a path where there’s going to be a country or political world where I’m able to insert myself and accomplish what I would want to do in office – or put the people who I want there.” UW senior Joey Krueger shares a similar sentiment I don’t look at either of these candidates and feel any semblance of hope but in a way that may surprise some: “I’m gonna vote for everybody but the president.” He is one of the developers of a tool called Clear Vote It was made to increase interest in voting their focus is on improving voter turnout for local elections Washington set a new record for low voter turnout in 2023 36.4% of registered voters turned in their ballots last fall “Clear Vote is a platform for local voters,” Krueger said “Not just to engage with the voting process Organizations like Clear Vote argue that the presidential election is one of the least important elections yet it garners the most attention They claim that policy implementation at the local level more directly affects the public “We’re so focused on the president,” Krueger said “We’re so focused on Joe Biden and Donald Trump that we forget the real source of change is from people we can directly interact with – city council members Some young people feel no hesitation about voting in the upcoming presidential election a political science major at the University of Washington works as a constituent services intern in Sen “I think this stuff is so interesting,” she said “It’s all about reading human behavior and trying to predict human behavior Namie understands why some people are apprehensive She knows that politics can be exhausting and that many are exasperated over repeating the same election four years later “So that’s alarming for people who really don’t care.” Namie believes that one of the biggest contributing factors to young voters’ reluctance is their desire for change They are worn down by the slow pace at which the federal government solves problems and fear that the future will be more of the same A repeat election with the same candidates from four years ago reinforces that fear “I totally get the exhaustion of hearing these two names and wanting none of the above,” Namie said She is worried that so many people are putting their faith in voting for a third party when she believes there is no chance for a third-party candidate to win She understands wanting a president who represents the voter but she urges people to remember that you’re not just voting for one person when voting for the president “The administration is what represents you the large number of other elected officials are much more accessible and have a direct hand in implementing policy a community organizer for the University of Washington student government echoes Krueger’s statement on the importance of local elections “But even more important is municipal and state,” the business major said “I think municipal elections are really important because it’s like the tangible impact that you kind of see.” Huskies on the Hill is a tri-campus lobbying effort in which students from all three University of Washington campuses go to Olympia with their legislative agenda described how the student government-sponsored group tries to encourage young voters by making the act of voting itself more fun “We’ll recruit small bands that are a part of campus,” Ugaddan said “We’ll have them perform while people come into the HUB Lyceum and they can place their vote.” When they are not organizing their lobbying efforts Huskies on the Hill also runs a Get Out the Vote drive which “If you don’t like the way something’s done “That’s really the only way that we can change any of the systems that we think need repair.” the 23-year-old president of College Republicans at the University of Washington recognizes voter reluctance as a large issue for all parties in the upcoming election The political science and international security major from Tacoma is also working to change the narrative around the election “I’ve been trying to get people to see the lighthearted moments in politics,” Vo said you think of it as serious and [how] the fate of the nation rests on our hands And I think that bearing responsibility adds a reluctance to that topic And so education is definitely part of that.” aims to work with other clubs to organize Get Out the Vote drives in order to get young voters excited to vote “So you need to get people excited about not just necessarily the candidates that you have,” said the political science and history major from Mountlake Terrace “If you can get people excited about the democratic process and exercising your rights we can actually get the policies that we want and we need to be enacted.” Organizers and voters agree the answer to voter reluctance is education “Stuff like this is not taught in our public schools and it should be,” Tara Namie said “I’m a big believer that education can solve all of our problems So the fact that it’s not prioritized is really alarming to me.” Huskies on the Hill sees voter education as an investment in the future “It’s about getting involved now and getting educated now seeing the way processes work now,” Maya Matta said “So that one day hopefully we don’t have to be put in a situation where we have two candidates that we're very unhappy about.” Namie believes if organizations are able to change the way voting is taught then more voters will understand the impact of casting a ballot “People don’t care because they’re not taught that it’s important,” Namie said In response to this need, Clear Vote has developed a political measurement tool called the Politigram which helps voters track candidates in five categories: prosperity would promote policies beneficial to different cultures and push for collective decision-making A high liberty score would show more individualist principles a transparent decision-making process and honesty in following through on campaign processes explains how these categories are more related to the reasoning behind political actions rather than the actions themselves “We’re actually going to track candidates and now we’re going to give that power back to the people,” Krueger said these students and young people plan to spend months educating voters about how they can affect policy Their almost-universal goal is to increase turnout and make sure young voters recognize the power their vote holds very important voting demographic,” Young Democrat Evan Asphes said “You are involved and you should be putting people into office who are going to advocate for you.” We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Cascade PBS's in-depth reporting on issues crticial to the PNW Curran Nielsen is a University of Washington student studying Journalism and Global and Regional Studies She can be reached on Twitter @curran_nielsen Taylor Richmond is a University of Washington student studying journalism and public interest communication You can find him online @BTayOkay.  As Republican legislators opt for ballot harvesting Democrats lean into town halls in predominantly red districts to engage new or reluctant voters TOPNewsFiscal 2020Asahi Kasei’s electrolysis system starts world’s largest-scale hydrogen supply operation at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in Namie Asahi Kasei and its subsidiary Asahi Kasei Engineering Corp started operation of hydrogen supply at the alkaline water electrolysis system having the world-leading scale of 10 MW[1] in Namie Asahi Kasei Engineering received the order for the alkaline water electrolysis system from Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp The system was installed at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R) as a technological development project[2] of NEDO (Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) Able to produce hydrogen at the rate of 1,200 Nm3 per hour[3] (rated power operation) it is the world’s largest-scale system comprising a single stack several trial operations of the system were performed to confirm that the product hydrogen met the required quality standards with hydrogen supply operation beginning in March While hydrogen supply operation continues the system’s performance in response to fluctuating power input will be evaluated and its full-fledged operation at the core of FH2R is scheduled to begin this summer Through practical application of its Aqualyzer™ alkaline water electrolysis system[4] based on original technology Asahi Kasei will provide solutions to society for clean environmental energy in accordance with its mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world Operating principle of the alkaline water electrolysis system Cosmos Karaoke is a lively karaoke bar in the middle of Namie a small city that is slowly reopening after the 2011 earthquake tsunami and nuclear accident devastated the area Minza Lee (right) is the driving force behind the bar a small coastal city in eastern Fukushima prefecture there was a chorus of construction noise this spring bringing workers to string up power lines and rip down deserted houses all was quiet — except in one small corner of a tiny strip mall laughter and maybe a hit of tambourine floated on the wind traveling down empty sidewalks and deserted streets a close-knit community of farmers and fishermen dotted with rice paddies and pastures and a bustling downtown full of shops is served by the recently rebuilt main train line which connects with major cities like Sendai and Tokyo But on March 11, 2011, an earthquake and tsunami triggered explosions at three reactors at the nearby Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant while the tsunami devastated the coastal area Those who survived were forced to evacuate to escape the plumes of radioactive material carried by the wind after the nuclear explosions Namie became a ghost town — completely sealed off from the public for six years places like downtown Namie have reopened and are starting to come back to life — even if only a fraction of the population has returned The Cosmos Karaoke Bar caters to that fraction hoping to bring a sense of community back to a town that once thrived on it Construction scaffolding is set up in front of some of Namie's downtown buildings Namie has reopened and is starting to come back to life — even if only a fraction of the population has returned two giant screens on either side of the room flashed Japanese lyrics while a dozen patrons shaking tambourines and clutching ceramic cups filled with sake and tall glass mugs of beer when the government declared a national emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic Cosmos Karaoke had to close under government orders in an effort to stop the virus from spreading although business has been slower than before Decorative figurines sit next to a container of hand sanitizer just inside the entrance of Cosmos Karaoke a 63-year-old South Korean woman who has lived in Japan for decades greeting every customer by name and often singing along she wore a tight leather jacket embroidered with flowers and a big yellow skirt and a sparkly top as she wandered around the room urging customers to eat more in a motherly sort of way she came to Namie from Fukushima City as a volunteer helping to clean up debris and abandoned buildings with the idea of bringing it back from disaster helping to bring it to life again — even though many of her friends thought it was a bad idea You're crazy!' But the more they pushed back So she moved to Namie for good and opened this bar named after the town flower — one of the most popular blooms in Japan long posters on the walls showing pink and purple cosmos flowers which appear to be dancing to the near-constant music The room is filled with glittery blue velvet booths topped with big floral pillows The ceiling is painted like a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds Everything was rotting and falling apart," Lee said in March "So I decided that I had to bring the light the ceilings — as if wanting to show evidence that she accomplished what she had set out to do tambourines sit on a stool ready for use during group singalongs Minza Lee dishes up bowls of kimchi to serve to customers with no set menu — plates of kimchi and rice cakes started flowing as soon as customers sat down It's one of the few places to get food in town Namie has seen progress and new businesses have sprung up There are several ramen shops open for lunch and a few new hotels The main train line was recently rebuilt to connect with major cities like Sendai But there isn't much entertainment for the 1,000 or so people who have come back to live here That's why Cosmos opens in the late afternoon — for them three friends in their 70s toasted one another over plates of seafood and scallion pancakes and grilled pork-belly lettuce wraps They try to meet up as often as they can and remember the lives they once had together in the town Masato Yamazaki (left) chats with a friend while selecting the next song to sing; Shigeo Kobayashi belts out lyrics at Cosmos Karaoke The friends try to meet up as often as they can and remember the lives they once had together in Namie "We used to all meet up in our old neighborhood except for the animals that have taken over our homes," said Masato Yamazaki He said he wished that Cosmos Karaoke had even more customers He pointed out that his friends were drinking iced oolong tea Yamazaki's favorite tunes are old Japanese love songs — which he sang often that March night chatting with customers and urging them to eat more The construction workers who've been painstakingly rebuilding the town have also moved here sat alone in a booth next to a pile of tambourines He moved to Namie to empty out and tear down the rotting houses that have been sitting abandoned for nearly a decade "There was no one on the streets — not a single person Construction worker Takashi Togashi moved to Namie to empty out and tear down some of the rotting houses that have been sitting abandoned for nearly a decade "there was no one on the streets — not a single person where he enjoys singing songs like ABBA's "Dancing Queen." Sometimes I'll open a refrigerator that hasn't been opened in nine years But then he found Cosmos Karaoke and finally had a way to blow off some steam and decompress after the long days Togashi picked up a microphone and put on ABBA's "Dancing Queen." As the opening piano riff blasted from the speakers Lee said this is exactly why she committed to opening this bar — to bring people together "I know my contribution — a karaoke bar — is small," she said And as the chorus of "Dancing Queen" blasted over the speakers and the small crowd joined in it was clear everyone else in the room agreed and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) signed a Basic Agreement today for the Establishment of a Mobile Retail Business that Uses a Fuel Cell Vehicle in Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Bases (Basic Agreement) The two municipalities and two companies involved in the Basic Agreement aim to support residents experiencing difficulties with everyday shopping through the establishment of a mobile retail business Drawing on respective resources and expertise the intention is to contribute to regional sustainability and environmental conservation to stimulate reconstruction efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake the four signatories aim to resolve regional issues and build sustainable cities of the future Under the specific initiatives of the Basic Agreement will launch on June 10 a mobile retail business serving Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Bases and other areas in Futaba Town and Namie Town where residents have an acute need for shopping support the business will seek to support local residents with shopping and aim to create a community that will foster peace of mind among both residents set to return home to the two towns and those who intend to relocate to those areas it is hoped that the business will expedite the lifting of evacuation orders for Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Bases in Futaba Town and Namie Town working towards the realization of a carbon-neutral society by 2050 wish to contribute to the creation of a sustainable community of the future that utilizes hydrogen the use of the world's first* hydrogen-powered fuel cell (FC) mobile retail vehicle will be implemented Recognizing that the retail sector is part of a region's critical infrastructure AEON TOHOKU opened the AEON Namie Store in July 2019 to support the reconstruction of the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture which incurred significant damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing nuclear disaster Toyota is working together with various partners mainly in collaboration with Fukushima Prefecture―including Namie Town where the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field is located―and is examining how hydrogen-based technologies can be implemented to help build cities of the future using hydrogen generated in Fukushima and Toyota intend to deepen their partnership and create new services for the benefit of local residents face the challenge of passing on the lessons of the disaster to younger workers the proportion of prefectural government officials at departments under the control of their respective governors who were hired after the disaster 14 years ago stood at 43.9% in Iwate and 45.7% in Miyagi while the figure was 48.6% as of April 1 last year in Fukushima.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); many prefectural officials who were involved in front-line operations in the immediate aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami are retiring driving generational shifts at their respective workplaces Rex Parris of the City of Lancaster visited his "Smart Sister City" counterparts in Namie where the two municipalities engaged in discussions on how to advance a hydrogen-powered future The cities signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year in which they agreed to exchange best practices around hydrogen innovation The two cities have both been recognized as leaders in hydrogen technology with Lancaster housing hundreds of millions of dollars in clean hydrogen investment and Namie the largest solar-to-hydrogen facility in the world the transition to hydrogen represents not only a step away from fossil fuel power but also a decisive pivot from nuclear after the town was devastated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 Part of Mayor Parris's visit included laying flowers on the graves of those lost to the disaster "This visit to our Sister City of Namie made clear the need to future proof our city's energy infrastructure particularly as the specter of climate-caused disaster looms ever larger," said Mayor Parris "Upon my return to the City of Lancaster I pledge to work closely with our City Council to ensure that Lancaster is prepared for potential catastrophes as a means of protecting our city's citizens and future." Mayor Parris's visit also included touring some of Namie's world-class hydrogen facilities such as the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field where the mayor exchanged ideas on how to advance this fuel of the future The trip was capped with a traditional Samurai ceremony in which Mayor Parris was placed in traditional Samurai attire Let our cities be an example of what can be achieved when we come together to create future-looking solutions that serve us all I thank the city of Namie for these lessons and for their generosity of time and spirit." Mayor Parris's visit to Namie was part of a larger trip to Japan where he presented on Lancaster's clean energy trajectory at World Smart Energy Week in Tokyo Do not sell or share my personal information: When Japanese pop diva Namie Amuro took the music scene by storm she not only captivated throngs of girls and women with her performances but inspired them with her fashion spawning the "Amuraa" look in the mid-1990s redefined what was "cool" in Japan's fashion industry and inspired female fans -- called Amuraa -- to copy her style (A TV ad for makeup brand Kose)[Supplied photo] known to sing and dance a la Janet Jackson is now 40 and retiring from the limelight on Sunday after a career of more than 25 years Fans of all ages have been hitting up Tokyo's Shibuya district is among the new fans Amuro has drawn in recent years and said Amuro's fashion can resonate across generations "I wasn't born during the Amuraa generation Nishio was clad in typical Amuro fashion from head to toe and donned earrings from fast selling fashion brand H&M items worn by Amuro a trendy fashion shopping mall holding a campaign in tribute to Amuro with shops selling items including miniskirts and boots reminiscent of Amuraa An employee of Esperanza shoe shop at Shibuya109 attributes the popularity of thick-soled long and short boots to Amuro's retirement and this year's trend toward the '90s fashion (In front of Shibuya Station in Tokyo in August 2018) Amuro is also a poster girl for makeup brand Kose and on the front cover of a number of fashion magazines I'd think we'd have to buy that," said Yukie Matsuo who was in junior high school during the Amuraa days Her teenage daughters share her admiration for the star Amuro is "a fashion icon who has a broad appeal from teens to 40s," Kouta Maruyama media promotion division general manager of Shibuya109 Entertainment Corp. a Kyoritsu Women's Junior College professor knowledgeable on youth fashion and trends the Amuraa phenomenon was not just about dressing up Watanabe said Amuro was a guidepost for those who wanted to stand out from the crowd through fashion and not cater to men's taste Amuraa would also eventually pave the way for a fashion trend known as "gyaru" -- a Japanese transliteration of gal -- to dominate in Shibuya in the 1990s A typical gyaru would have long bleached hair wear long false eyelashes and revealing clothes Amuro was 20 and at the peak of her career when she married and gave birth to a son She has "gone beyond a fashion icon" to being a "role model for women" on how they can live To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible   Five years after the nuclear power plant meltdown a journey through the Fukushima evacuation zone reveals some high levels of radiation and an overriding sense of fear the psychological damage is far more profound than the health effects Japan’s Highway 114 may not be the most famous road in the world It doesn’t have the cachet of Route 66 or the Pan-American Highway It passes through what for the past five years has been one of the most radioactive landscapes on the planet – heading southeast from the Japanese city of Fukushima to the stricken nuclear power plant through the forested mountains where much of the fallout from the meltdown at the plant in March 2011 fell to earth winding through abandoned villages and past overgrown rice paddy fields I traveled its length to assess the aftermath of the nuclear disaster in the company of Baba Isao an assemblyman who represents the town of Namie located just three miles from the power plant and one of four major towns that remain evacuated the radiation levels seemed scarily high – still too high for permanent occupation was the psychological and political fallout from the accident While the radiation – most of it now from caesium-137 a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 30 years – is decaying it is far from clear that this wider trauma has yet peaked Fukushima is going to be in rehab for decades a town on Highway 114 that is a gateway to the mountains beyond These mountains are where the fallout was greatest and the forests that cover most of their slopes have retained the most radioactivity The mountains make up most of the government-designated “red zone,” where radiation doses exceed 50 millisieverts a year and which are likely to remain uninhabited for many years A second “yellow zone” has doses of 20-50 millisieverts where returning may soon be possible; and a third “green zone,” with less than 20 millisieverts and an organized return is under way or planned Zones are re-categorized as radioactivity decays and hotspots are decontaminated I took with me a Geiger counter that measured gamma radiation the main source of radiation for anyone not eating contaminated food the road was largely empty and houses sat abandoned and overgrown houses we measured at the roadside had radiation doses equivalent to only around 2 millisieverts per year a tenth of the government threshold for reoccupation radiation increased as we moved from green to yellow to red zones wildlife is thriving in the absence of people “but we can’t fish or collect bamboo shoots or eat the mountain vegetables that people used to harvest from the forests.” We stopped by an abandoned gas station in Tsushima where wild boar had excavated the soil right by a vending machine that appeared remarkably intact The bright-red digital display on an official Geiger counter read the equivalent of 21 millisieverts per year The day after the disaster at the power plant began 1,400 people from Namie came to Tsushima after being ordered to evacuate we went to the village police station and found that the police there were in full protective clothing against the radiation They said it was a precaution in case they had to go to the power plant but they had obviously been told that something serious was going on that the population hadn’t been told That’s when our suspicion about the honesty of the authorities began.” Tsushima has since become an unofficial shrine to the disaster In the window of an abandoned shop are posters with bitter some directed at the nuclear plant’s operator we can shed tears at our temporary housing,” read one Konno Hideko was driving to Namie – day trips are allowed but overnight stays banned – to clean her parents’ former house and tidy an ancestral grave before relatives visited during an upcoming religious holiday “There are mice inside and wild boar have been in But we might build a new house there one day.” Further along Baba stopped the car and walked up a path swathed in vegetation But I noticed laundry still hanging to dry in an upstairs window and we can’t drink the water from the well either.” We found a shed where he and his schoolteacher wife once kept cattle and a former hay shed where he stored old election banners It read 26 millisieverts per year in the hay shed but shot up to an alarming 80 in undergrowth outside That was four times the safe level for habitation I wonder who has a right to destroy our home and my livelihood,” he mused bitterly “Please tell the world: No Nukes.” At his local post office an official monitor by the road measured 56 millisieverts but when we pointed it close to a sprig of moss pushing through the tarmac “They measured 500 millisieverts here last week,” Baba said “Moss accumulates radioactivity.” As we drove on the roadside was now marked every few kilometers by massive pyramids of black plastic bags containing radioactive soil that had been stripped from roadside edges and house gardens as part of government efforts to decontaminate the land now await final disposal at facilities planned along the coast But the task of transporting the soil is so huge that the authorities are building a new road so trucks can bypass the scenic mountain villages along Highway 114 Through a checkpoint we came at last to Namie town. Just before my visit, major media such as The Guardian and CNN had published images of the town by a photographer who claimed to have gained secret unauthorized entry to the “ghost town.” He posed in his images wearing a gas mask to show how dangerous it was My visit to the town had required a request in advance And I found Namie a surprisingly busy “ghost town.” Nobody is yet allowed to live there But some 4,000 people work there every day preparing for the planned return of its citizens in April 2017 and vegetation pushed through cracks in the roads and the pavement in the front yards and drivers obeyed them; there was a 7-Eleven and the vending machines had Coke in them My biggest safety concern was not radiation conveyed over the town’s public address system on the afternoon I was there that a bear had been spotted in the suburbs average radiation levels in the town were down to around 2 millisieverts per year in Namie – lower “I have no idea how many people will come back,” said Baba “They have a lot of misgivings because of the radioactive contamination And I think their fears are totally justified It is totally unthinkable for me to return to my old place so I cannot encourage them to return to theirs.” He quoted a survey of the town’s 21,000 former residents showing that only 18 percent wanted to come back That sounded similar to nearby Naraha town where only a fifth returned after the all-clear was given last year The Rocky Flats Plant outside of Denver was a key U.S. nuclear facility during the Cold War. Now, following a $7 billion cleanup, the government is preparing to open a wildlife refuge on the site to the public. Read more. Never miss an article. Subscribe to the E360 Newsletter → "H2Rex™," to Michinoeki-Namie (Roadside Station Namie) On Aug. 25, popular anime One Piece bid a special farewell to J-pop superstar Amuro Namie with a clip featuring her at the end of a TV special titled One Piece: Episode of Skypiea The clip was a collaboration between Amuro and the anime to commemorate her Sept joined by the Straw Hat Pirates at Sky Island During her farewell tour titled “Namie Amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~” she also streamed the clip for her audiences this was the first and last time for fans to see it on TV Renowned not only in Japan and the anime industry but also all around the world, Amuro herself has performed three of One Piece's theme songs: “Fight Together” Adapted with permission from Anime!Anime! Celebrate Halloween like a Straw Hat Pirate Catch Sanji and Souma's crossover exploits in the Jul with the 40-year-old music and fashion icon thanking her fans for their support over more than two decades who created a phenomenon in the mid-1990s with young girls and women copying her look just days after she marked her 25th anniversary as a performer I was able to become a singer who stood close to my fans," she said in a statement issued on her website late Sunday Amuro also said that while she understands the emotions her fans must have felt at her decision to retire she is grateful for the gracious farewell they gave her (Namie Amuro delivers her final stage performance on Sept and chose her home prefecture of Okinawa for her last live stage performance Organizers said Amuro watched a nighttime fireworks show held on Sunday in tribute to her in Ginowan city thousands of fans gathered in Ginowan to listen to her final show in which she performed eight songs including duets with artists such as surprise guest Tomohisa Yamashita with whom she collaborated for the upbeat song "Unusual." Japanese pop singer Amuro gives final performance in hometown Okinawa Japanese pop diva Namie Amuro's fashion legacy lives on in memory, youth 1992 as a member of the all-girl group Super Monkey's Amuro went on to dominate the charts as a solo artist with a string of megahits such as "Can You Celebrate?," "Don't wanna cry" and "Chase the Chance." The "Sweet 19 Blues" singer was also a Japanese pop music trailblazer Her albums sold over a million copies at various points across her career -- when she was in her teens and 40s -- with the last achieved by a CD of past hits called "Finally." Total CD sales of her singles and albums exceeded 36 million copies a record for a solo artist on a single music tour in Japan The concert video was the first to eclipse 1 million in sales in Japan With her signature getup of miniskirt and high-heeled platform boots with dyed brown hair the teenage Amuro sparked a phenomenon in which young girls and women copied her fashion Amuro also sang "Never End" at a welcome reception for leaders of the Group of Eight nations at their 2000 summit in Okinawa received the Okinawa prefectural honor award She surprised fans when she married in 1997 at age 20 at the peak of her career to a member of Japanese pop group TRF and gave birth to a son in May 1998 She made a comeback in December that year after taking a year away for maternity and childcare leave a Kyoritsu Women's Junior College professor knowledgeable about youth fashion and trends says Amuro's impact goes beyond music and fashion pointing out that she changed the perception of the way women can live their lives "Getting married and giving birth at the height of one's career encouraged young women that this can be a lifestyle to pursue," Watanabe said her "Final Space" exhibits showcasing her stage outfits awards and a collection of her album cover images through the years have so far drawn 510,000 visitors at the Tokyo Among those who lined up at the Tokyo venue on Sunday was Fumika Tsuji a 43-year-old Shizuoka Prefecture resident "There will be no artist comparable to her." (A fireworks show in tribute to Namie Amuro in Ginowan Japanese version Washington County’s Courthouse Square office building Washington County Finance Director Joshua Hatfield is pictured working in his office in this 2017 file photo who is now Washington County human services director Three longtime administrators within Washington County’s government are exiting their positions at the end of the month leaving a gaping leadership hole that county Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said will be tough to fill who is chief of staff for the county commissioners along with Finance Director Joshua Hatfield and Human Services Director Kimberly Rogers all notified the county recently that they will be leaving their positions June 30 Irey Vaughan said she thinks the resignations stem from political infighting between elected row officers and other county officials along with uncertainty about who will be leading the board of commissioners next year following the upcoming general election who has served as county commissioner for nearly 28 years is also leaving her position as board chairwoman after announcing earlier this year that she’s retiring when her term ends in January “You’re seeing a domino effect from the atmosphere and chaos that is at the county,” Irey Vaughan said “There are issues that are not within their control to fix and I believe they all decided it’s time to step away.” She said the exiting leaders are part of a “tremendous team” of workers but massive political changes within county government in recent years have created problems that are making the work environment untenable Irey Vaughan noted that Shelli Arnold left her position as human resources director earlier this year and the county has struggled to hire a full-time replacement due to “uncertainty” about leadership next year Irey Vaughan said they plan to appoint an “interim director” in the county’s Human Services Department to replace Rogers who was elevated to that position in April 2020 after previously leading Children and Youth Services since 2012 She praised Rogers for “crafting a consolidated human services delivery system” when she helped to reconfigure the department last year and she’s left a legacy of excellence in caring for our children,” Irey Vaughan said Rogers said Wednesday she and her husband just sold their house and bought a new one in West Virginia “I know there are things going on in the county (but) I’m super excited about having a new story with my retirement It’s bittersweet because this is a great place to work with a lot of great people,” Rogers said and they all kind of converged on the same date,” Rogers said of the multiple exits in the same period Irey Vaughan said she is concerned about finding a replacement for Hatfield in such a critical position as finance director especially considering his good working relationship with Namie She said county officials might have to outsource the financial work Hatfield normally would’ve done in his position “The two combined are leaving with over 50 years of an impeccable financial record and experience in Washington County,” Irey Vaughan said “Mike and Josh have been a great team in Washington County for a very long time.” Namie worked in the county controller’s office for several years in the early 1990s and later served five terms as controller before retiring from the position at the end of his last term in 2021 He was then appointed to serve as the board of commissioners’ chief of staff in January 2022 Namie said Wednesday that he was “retiring” as chief of staff but declined to elaborate on the reasons why he was leaving “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve Washington County for nearly 34 years,” Namie said Hatfield was hired to work in the finance department in 2004 and held several roles in county government through the past two decades He has served as finance director since 2017 where his most important role was to prepare the county’s annual budget He indicated Wednesday that he had accepted a new job elsewhere but declined to say where he would be working after leaving the county and I’ve been incredibly grateful and honored to work for Washington County for almost 19 years,” Hatfield said Irey Vaughan said the next six months will be difficult as the commissioners look to fill key roles held by longtime employees who have intimate knowledge of how county government functions “I’m sad for Washington County to lose such remarkable leaders in our county but I’m happy for them to make the best decisions for them in the next chapter of their lives,” Irey Vaughan said “This is going to be the greatest challenge trying to keep the county moving forward through the end of the year.”