Friday, June 6, 2025
On Tuesday, June 3rd, Mayor Sasaki explored the town's attractions.
This month, we visited and encouraged Osamu Yokota (31 years old) and Ken Yokokura, who are doing their internship at Akimitsu Takada Farm as local revitalization cooperation team members, as well as Takahiro Ishii (Chief of the Children and Living Support Division, Family Registry and Citizen Life Division) and Akira Matsuoka, who are helping out on the farm by taking advantage of the side job system for town hall employees.
Regional revitalization cooperation team members: Osamu Yokota and Ken Yokokura
Osamu Yokota and Ken Yokokura, trainees of the local revitalization cooperation team, carried out pruning work inside the greenhouse.
Tomoyuki Tamashima, a senior trainee, carefully explained the pruning method to Yokota. Takada's wife expressed her admiration, saying, "Tama-chan, you're good at teaching."
Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki assisting the group
Mayor Sasaki was helping mix organic fertilizer into the water that will be poured into the irrigation tubes, while talking with Akimitsu Takada about various future business developments.
Takahiro Ishii visits Section Chief Akira Matsuoka to encourage him
After visiting Takada Farm, we stopped by the town hall and were given a ride by Takahiro Ishii (33 years old), section chief of the town hall's Children and Life Support Division, before heading to Akira Matsuoka's home.
Takahiro Ishii, Chief of the Children and Life Support Division
After joining the town hall, Takahiro Ishii worked for the Board of Education for three years, and then in the Resident Affairs Division. This year marks his seventh year with the town hall.
On April 1st of this year, Hokuryu Town enacted a system allowing employees to have side jobs. Takahiro Ishii of the Children and Life Support Division became the first to start a side job, helping out Akira Matsuoka on his farm.
"The opportunity to start a side job came when Matsuoka asked me to help out on his farm. The conditions and dates were presented to me at the Resident Affairs Division, and I accepted on the spot.
I also play tennis with Mr. Matsuoka and he has always been so kind to me.
I had no experience with farm work before, so I had no idea what I would be doing. On the day, I helped with picking seedlings and transporting them. It was only two days, but my muscles were sore.
Agriculture is the main industry in Hokuryu, so I think it is very important for town hall employees to have this kind of experience. And for someone like me who had no experience in agriculture, I realized that it was a valuable experience.
I was surprised because I never imagined that I would be helping out on a farm myself.
In the future, I hope to be able to help out in various ways during the busy farming season, which is the autumn harvest. This is a time when farmers need help, so I think I will be of some help."
Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki
"During discussions with staff, the side job regulations were created and institutionalized. I was wondering how to actually put them into practice when Mr. Matsuoka contacted me.
I think it's very important to learn about agriculture in this town, and I've heard from Section Chief Ishii that it will be a good experience.
I hope that Chief Ishii's activities will serve as an opportunity for all staff members to learn more about and become interested in agriculture in Hokuryu Town.
I hope we can help out during each season, such as the busy farming season, in the future," said Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro.
Akira Matsuoka
Before starting farming at his wife's family home, Akira Matsuoka (69 years old) worked as a specialist instructor operating sonar (sound wave detectors) on submarines at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka Base (Kanagawa Prefecture).
The specialist role of operating a submarine's sonar is a field that requires an extremely high level of expertise and experience, even within the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. His outstanding skills and knowledge, as well as his leadership abilities, have been recognized, and he has been entrusted with the important responsibility of training the next generation of instructors.
He is currently taking on a new challenge in the completely different world of agriculture.
"This system is truly wonderful and the best!
For the person making the request, it would be more enjoyable and a win-win situation for both parties if they were to get help from someone they know locally rather than a part-time worker at a temporary staffing agency they don't know at all!
Town hall employees should not neglect their main duties, but I think it would be good for them to make good use of their weekends off and be more active.
During rice planting and harvesting seasons, there is a shortage of manpower, so I think farmers would be happy if town hall staff could help out at those times.
"I'll be doing grass cutting work in the future, so I look forward to working with you," said Matsuoka with a smile.
With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, we recognize the great spirit in which town officials, together with the local revitalization cooperation team members, have come to know and understand agriculture, Hokuryu's core industry, through the town's side job system, and to work together as one to support and revitalize agriculture in Hokuryu.
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◇ Photography, editing, and website management: Noboru Terauchi Writer: Ikuko Terauchi
