4th period: FY2022-FY2024 "Hokuryu Town Support Activities through Information Dissemination" Proposal (3-year policy)

Monday, December 20, 2021

We explained the plan to Mayor Yutaka Sano and he approved it.
　

Monday, December 20, 2021

Mayor Yutaka Sano of Hokuryu Town

4th period: 2022 (Reiwa 4) to 2024 (Reiwa 6)
"Supporting Hokuryu Town through Information Dissemination" Proposal (3-year policy)
 Supporting Hokuryu Town by disseminating information to ensure that its residents remain vibrant and thriving

Introduction

The two of us moved to Hokuryu Town in 2010. 2022 will mark our 13th year since moving here. From July 2010 to the end of March 2013 (2 years and 9 months), we worked as Hokuryu Town Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team members, engaged in "regional revitalization through information dissemination." In July 2011, we created and operate the hand-built portal site "Hokuryu Town Portal." Since April 2013, we have been working as Hokuryu Town Community Supporters based on the proposal for "Hokuryu Town Support Activities through Information Dissemination."

The total number of articles published by the end of March 2021 is:Approximately 9,400 itemsCumulative totalApproximately 2.2 million people across JapanWe would like to express our sincere gratitude to all involved for their cooperation in allowing everyone to experience the charms of Hokuryu Town.

We have now compiled a proposal (three-year policy) for the fourth period (2022-2024) for "Supporting Hokuryu Town through Information Dissemination," and would like to present it to you. We appreciate your consideration.

1. The goal of "Community Support through Information Dissemination"

We will support Hokuryu Town by disseminating information to ensure that its residents remain vibrant and thriving.

1. The townspeople realize the wonder of what they once took for grantednotice
2. The townspeople who receive the informationEmpathize, be moved, and be activated
3. Hokuryu Town ResidentsRecording the "value of life"and pass it on to the next generation
4. The vitality of Hokuryu Town will be spread throughout Japan,Making Japan brighter and more energetic

2. Perspective of the activity

1. To the entire town"Keep an eye on things, patrol, and understand the situation"
2. The townspeople understand the situation"Inspection"Easy-to-understand text and photos"Information sharing"。
   The parents who remain in the town and the children who have left the town"Thoughts about Hometown"Considering the possibility of connecting
3. With the mayor, deputy mayor, and town hall staff"Exchanging information about the town situation"
4. TownSupport for revitalization activities

3. Hokuryu Town Support Activity Three-Year Policy (2022-2024)

(1) Policy

❂ Promoting and sharing the vibrant and active town of Hokuryu

1. people:Communicating and sharing information about townspeople and organizations
2. culture:Promoting and sharing Hokuryu Town culture
3. Nature:Share and share the scenery and sunflowers
4. face to face:Community support staff share information about the town with residents

(2) Dissemination/sharing media

1. Hokuryu Town Portal (https://portal.hokuryu.info）
2. Facebook page: Hokuryu Town Treasures (https://www.facebook.com/hokuryunow）
3. Instagram: Hokuryu Town Treasures (https://www.instagram.com/hokuryunow/）

(3) Make full use of the latest internet technology

1. In January 2019, we migrated to a website system (Wordpress) that is compatible with mobile devices, which are seeing an increase in access, and that also ensures security (https communication).
2. We will continue to introduce the latest technology to improve usability for readers and increase our ability to disseminate information.

(4) Disseminating and sharing specific information

1. Communicate and share information about people and organizations
   (a) Interviews with townspeople
   ・Interview with the people who have lived and supported Hokuryu Town. Publish an article and create and present a photo album.
   (b) Organization
   ・Reporting on the activities of agricultural corporations and various production associations over the course of a year. Focusing on the hard-working "people"
2. culture
   (a) Coverage of the Hokuryu Town Pioneer Commemoration Ceremony and Merit Award Ceremony (once a year)
   (b) Hokuryu Town Cultural Festival: All productions and entertainment coverage (all productions have been filmed and are open to the public since 2013)
3. Communicating and sharing nature
   (a) Photos of the town will be published in "Hokuryu Town Treasures" five days a week (250 photos per year)
   (b) Photographing the sunflowers blooming during the Sunflower Festival (July to August)
4. Community support staff share information about the town with residents
   (a) Visiting the Wa Support Center, Hekisui Support Center, and Neighborhood Association Senior Citizens Association to share town activities with participants through articles on the Hokuryu Town Portal
   (b) Once a month for 30 minutes to 1 hour

   (5) Annual forecast of information dissemination

   • Planned annual article creation: 1,300 articles (3,900 articles over three years)
     ❂ Hokuryu Town Portal: 1,000 results
     ❂ Facebook pages: 300
     

     4. What is expected from information dissemination and sharing

     (1) Increasing the value of local specialties

     ❂ By sharing the process of cultivating and producing sunflower rice, melons, watermelons, Kurosengoku soybeans, and sunflower oil, as well as the farmers' activities, understanding of the local specialties will be deepened. By raising interest in Hokuryu Town's local specialties, it is expected that this will lead to increased sales and an increase in hometown tax donations.

     (2) Increasing the value of tourism

     ❂ Providing timely information on the blooming status of sunflowers and Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen will help readers understand tourism in Hokuryu. By getting readers interested in tourism in Hokuryu, it is expected that this will lead to increased sales and revitalization of the town.

     (3) It will be valuable information for agricultural trainees and immigrants.

     ❂ One of the reasons agricultural trainees chose Hokuryu Town was that they were able to understand the town better by reading articles on the Hokuryu Town Portal. Information that allows them to determine the type of people who live there, the industries that exist, and the scenery of the town in each season is likely to be just as important to newcomers as information about the town's systems.

     (4) Promoting the dissemination of comprehensive information

     ❂ In fiscal year 2020, 10 images were provided to the media. These images were also used by the English website "Japan National Tourism Organization (JINTO)," and Hokuryu Town is being promoted in a comprehensive manner through sites other than the Hokuryu Town Portal.

     5. Proposal for budgetary measures for activities: Utilization of the village supporter system

     As in the first term (2013-2015), second term (2016-2018), and third term (2019-2021), we propose utilizing the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Village Supporter System.

     The work of patrolling the town to disseminate information, interviewing each and every resident, disseminating the information, and sharing it can be said to be a job of "keeping an eye on" the town and "understanding the situation." Furthermore, we believe that the work of disseminating and sharing information, which is expected to revitalize the town, is in line with the "revitalization of villages" that is the goal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Village Supporter" system.

     (1) What is the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Community Supporter System?

     overview

     It has been fully implemented in local governments since 2009. In cooperation with city and town officials, personnel with the know-how and knowledge patrol villages and grasp their situations to keep an eye on them. There is no limit to the length of time the system is in place. The length of time the commission is also left to each city, town, and village.

     Regarding expenses

     1. Special grant tax measures
     2. For full-time village supporters:
        4,300,000 yen per village supporter (Reference page: Guidelines for promoting settlement measures in depopulated areas, etc., 2021）
     3. If you are also serving as a resident council president or other position:
        400,000 yen per village supporter (if the surveyed amount is lower, the relevant amount)

     *Regarding the application of the Village Supporter System, the method is not important as long as it achieves the objective of "personnel who are familiar with the local situation and have the know-how and knowledge to promote village measures are commissioned by local governments, work in cooperation with city/town/village officials, and patrol villages and grasp the situation as a way of 'keeping an eye' on the villages." We hope that each local government will employ the personnel it deems necessary and utilize the system. (Confirmed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Regional Power Creation Group, Human Resources Activation and Collaboration Exchange Office, September 2012)

     Nationwide efforts in fiscal year 2020 (Reiwa 2)

     ❂ Prefectures: 3 (Year-on-year change: ±0)
     ❂ Municipalities: 358 municipalities (10 more than the previous year)
     ❂ Number of full-time "community supporters": 1,741 (an increase of 5 from the previous year)
     ❂ Number of community supporters who also hold positions as neighborhood association presidents: Approximately 3,078 (down 242 from the previous year)

     FY2020 Hokkaido (full-time village supporters only): 49 people (down 1 from the previous year), 18 municipalities (down 2 from the previous year)

     ❂ Matsumae Town: 1, Otobe Town: 1, Suttsu Town: 3, Rankoshi Town: 1, Niseko Town: 7, Shakotan Town: 1, Pippu Town: 1, Higashikawa Town: 13, Minamifurano Town: 1, Wassamu Town: 1, Bifuka Town: 1, Otoineppu Village: 1, Nakatonbetsu: 1, Bihoro Town: 1, Shiraoi Town: 4, Atsuma Town: 5, Shiranuka Town: 3, Hokuryu Town: 3
     　

     About the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Community Supporter System

     A system for creating regional strength and revitalizing local areas.
     ▶ For more information about the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Community Supporter System, click here >>

     

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