Tuesday, January 21, 2025
The Hokuryu Town Physical Disability Welfare Association General Meeting and New Year's Party was held at the Hokuryu Town Senior Citizens' Welfare Center from 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2025.
Hokuryu Town Physical Disability Welfare Association General Meeting & New Year's Party 2025
A total of eight people participated in the meeting, including Chairman Yamashita Yoshiharu and Vice-Chairman Motobu Iwao of the Kitaryū Town Physical Disability Welfare Association, as well as members and members of the secretariat.
Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro and Resident Affairs Section Chief Hosokawa Naohiro also attended the New Year's party and gave speeches.
MC: Michito Nakamura, Secretary General, Hokuryu Town Social Welfare Council (Fukuoka)
Opening speech at the general meeting: Chairman Yoshiharu Yamashita
"Good morning. Last year, I suffered a series of unfortunate events among my relatives and family members, and I was in mourning, unable to go out even if I wanted to.
I felt very lonely not being able to say "Happy New Year" to people or go out even though the new year had arrived.
The same goes for people with physical disabilities. I think it's good for them to understand the position they are in, get out and enjoy life.
In Hokuryu Town, there are 99 people who have a disability certificate. Among them are people who cannot move and the elderly. In a town with a population of less than 1,600, 99 people are physically disabled, and if non-physical disabilities are included, the number is over 100.
Machines and cars are the same; when they break, we fix them. People can break down too. Being physically disabled is nothing to be ashamed of; it's just a state of being different from that of a healthy body. That doesn't mean you can't do the same things as everyone else, but you can do some things. There's just something you can't do somewhere.
As many of you know, as the town's population has declined, so have the number of these organizations.
There is a saying that "two people can do anything," and so even though we are a small group in a small town, we want to work with the feeling that we can all live happily and enjoyably together.
"Everyone, if you have any opinions, I would like you to voice them during the general meeting," said Chairman Yamashita.
Chairman of the General Assembly: Yoshiharu Yamashita, Chairman and Explanation of the Agenda: Michihito Nakamura, Secretary General
- FY2024 Business Report and Financial Statements / Audit Report
- FY2025 Business Plan (Draft) and Income and Expenditure Budget (Draft)
- Other
New Year's party
Opening Remarks: Yoshiharu Yamashita, Chairman
"In the new year, I think about what I want to do and what I want to achieve, in line with my goals and hopes. These are hopeful thoughts.
Nowadays, the news reports that terrible things are happening all over the world. Even if we are enjoying our time in our hometowns, humans are animals. I have heard many times from important people that "humans are animals, so they do what animals are supposed to do." Therefore, it seems that the fighting is not going to end.
We live happy lives, making plans and harboring many hopes within our country, our neighborhood, and our own town, but I think things we never expected can happen.
When you think about it, I think it's because we're human beings that we can solve these problems. On the other hand, there are completely different things happening, such as forest fires in the United States, and I feel like we need to be interested in those too. When the environment changes on Earth, many things happen. When you look at it from that perspective, you realize that my town is also changing in many ways.
One recent example is the construction of a new disaster prevention warehouse behind the town hall, which previously didn't exist.
Many people say that Hokuryu Town is a good place, even with the earthquakes that have occurred all over the country. However, neighboring towns and villages have said that "Hokuryu Town is a town that has more disasters than our town." This is because in the history of Hokuryu Town, it has experienced almost every disaster, including floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes. And the biggest problem right now is the coronavirus. And the future population decline.
This is a phenomenon where goods disappear as the population declines. In the neighboring town of Uryu, the supermarket has disappeared, so elderly people go shopping at the supermarket "Cocoa" in Hokuryu by two buses.
This is how the world is changing and how towns are. I think the issue for the future will be how to respond to this current situation. The most important thing is that even if many things decrease, it is very important to continue.
It is very easy to destroy things. However, once something is destroyed, it is difficult to restore it. Therefore, the important thing is how to continue it.
As you may know, this is the activity of a group called the "Dachou Club" in Hokuryu Town. They carried out various activities in a corner of the sunflower field with the idea of making visitors happy, but they have now reached a point where they have had to disband. This has highlighted the issue of finding a successor. After much effort, they have finally found a successor and are continuing the activities.
I hope that Kitaryū Town will continue to develop the town while maintaining its good qualities.
The most important thing is to create a town that is easy for the residents to live in.
Among them, people with physical disabilities are all working hard with the mindset of, "Although I am physically disabled, I will do the same things as any other person."
Let's continue to have fun together in the future! Thank you very much," said Chairman Yamashita in his greeting.
Greeting from Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki
"Thank you for your continued support this year!
We sincerely hope that through our activities for people with physical disabilities, you will have a healthy year.
Mr. Yamashita is my senior from my days as a member of parliament, so I have heard that he is fully aware of various aspects and is moving forward with various projects.
I'm a little disappointed that today's New Year's party has turned out this way. I was hoping to have an opportunity to talk with everyone. I wanted to have an exchange of ideas, like, "What do you think about this? What is the town thinking?", but today that's not going to happen.
I would like to have various discussions with Chairman Yamashita, Vice-Chairman of the Headquarters, and Director Nakamura. And I would like to ask you to make sure that you convey them.
I am currently preparing the town budget, and after reviewing this association's budget, it has been giving me a lot of thought.
As Mr. Yamashita always says, I have heard that the Sorachi Association will propose a new issue. If I go with you then, we can talk together in the car, and we may be able to solve one of the many issues at stake. Please let me participate in such an event. Then, I think we can accomplish many things little by little, one step at a time.
I would really like to hear from you about anything, so please feel free to talk to me about it.
A new year has begun and we now have 1,593 members. I remember each and every one of your faces very well. I remember them firmly in my heart. I would like to work together with you to move forward in many areas, toward new smiles, so I ask for your continued support.
I hope you will reach out to me and this will be my greeting for the New Year and the general meeting. I look forward to your continued support this year."
Introducing Mr. Naohiro Hosokawa, Chief of the Hokuryu Town Resident Affairs Division
"Thank you for your continued support this year."
Takeaway lunches, drinks, snacks, toilet paper
Due to various circumstances, the traditional New Year's party dinner and games were canceled and instead participants had to take their lunches home. The lunches were handmade by Yahachi, a restaurant in Hokuryu Town.
In this age of global revolution, we send our boundless love, gratitude, and prayers to the Hokuryu Town Welfare Association for the Physically Disabled, which accepts disabilities as they are, joins hands and supports each other, and lives bright and healthy lives.
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◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi) 
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