Is the representative you elected doing a job that satisfies you?
“What’s Going On Now?”: The Endless Council Watch / Yoko Yamamoto, Iwagi
Kamijima Town Council Rejects Petition / Yukie Onishi, Iwagi
Even if they want to return their license, they can’t / Bunshiro Kamejima, Yuge
Can this really save a declining region? / Kazuaki Hirayama, Yuge
Why did this error occur? / Hisashi Hamamura, Yuge
Don’t just brush it off as “difficult” / Rino Onishi, Iwagi
Column: Read "Essential Guide for Council Members" /Local Democracy Institute
Archive of Watson
“What’s Going On Now?”: The Endless Council Watch
— Spent Half a Day Watching, but Ended Up with More Questions Than Answers —
While I was hospitalized for about three weeks, I had the chance to watch the Onomichi City Council on TV. Even though I wasn’t entirely sure what the agenda items meant, I found the session interesting.
Then, the other day, I watched the Kamijima Town Council broadcast for the first time in a while. Since I was doing other things at the same time, I spent half a day watching that broadcast. After finishing, I was left with a sense of unease. I spent half a day watching it, and it wasn’t interesting!
I’ve never gone to observe a session in person and felt that it was “not interesting” before. I tried to figure out why I felt that way, based on my own perspective.
I found it difficult to understand the way everyone in the chamber used language, the manner of their presentations, and the overall flow of the session. Since viewers don’t have the materials, unless they speak more clearly or create a clear structure and flow, it’s hard to follow on TV.
I also felt the meeting lacked a sense of rhythm. There were moments when I found myself thinking, “What’s going on right now?”
When discussing issues that residents desperately want resolved, they say things like “We hope…” or “Please consider…”… Isn’t that a bit too laid-back?
No, no—the residents are struggling, which is why they’re entrusting these matters to the council members. They’re entrusting them to the council. Am I the only one who wants them to be more assertive and do their best?
Since this was on TV, I watched the same scenes several times to try to understand. If improvements can be made, I’d like to see a council session that’s easier to follow, with a clearer flow. If possible, I’d also like them to provide materials in advance, just like other councils do.
I believe we, the townspeople, elect council members because we expect them to represent us. We want them to serve as our representatives. We want them to look out for us and ensure we can live with peace of mind.
I look forward to a town council session that everyone watches with rapt attention.
(Yoko Yamamoto, Iwagi)
Kamijima Town Council Rejects Petition
— Why Aren’t Residents’ Voices Being Heard? Decisions on School Consolidation and the Role of the Council —
At the March council meeting held the other day, two petitions regarding school mergers and closures were submitted.
One petition requested that a council meeting be convened in accordance with the “Kamijiima Town School Education Issues Council Ordinance,” as was done during the merger of the former Ikina Junior High School. The other petition argued that the statement in the recommendations of the Committee on the Future of Schools—namely, that “Uojima should continue to operate as a combined elementary and junior high school”—had not been discussed and ,in fact, Uojima is not a combined school and should be deleted.
However, the Kamijima Town Council did not adopt either petition. I cannot help but question this outcome.
After all, a petition represents the earnest wishes of the residents. Regardless of whether those wishes can be realized, I understand that the council’s role is to listen to those voices and support them. From that perspective, wouldn’t it have been reasonable for these two petitions to be thoroughly considered and approved?
It is said that one of the council’s key roles is to oversee the administration. Can we truly say that this role is being fulfilled if the council adopts an attitude of making changes when it is inconvenient, or ignoring statements that contradict the facts? Some viewers of the CATV broadcast suggested that the council members who introduced the petitions (the so-called opposition) may have influenced the decision on whether to approve or reject them. However, these are the very council members who were elected after pledging during the campaign to “judge matters on their merits.” I do not want to believe that they are changing their stance based on which council member introduced the petition. If that were the case, I must say it would be a situation that greatly undermines trust in the council.
Representatives of the administration—such as the mayor, deputy mayor, and superintendent of education—also attend council meetings. Although the council rejected the petition this time, shouldn’t the administration review the content in light of this outcome and make any necessary revisions? It is by no means a problem to make course corrections even at this late stage. I believe that listening to the voices of the people and striving for a better outcome through repeated revisions is the very essence of democracy and the role of the administration.
Furthermore, this petition was sent not only to the council but also to the Superintendent of Education and the Board of Education. This is an issue that can be resolved by proactively incorporating the voices of the residents.
The council is, by its very nature, a forum where council members and the administration gather to consider the path the town should take. Nevertheless, looking at the current situation, I question whether this function is being fully fulfilled. If things continue this way, I cannot help but feel anxious about the future of Kamijima Town.
It is we, the residents, who can change and correct this situation. Let us make our voices heard and urge the council members and mayor whom you have supported to take action.
(Yukie Onishi, Iwagi)
Even if they want to return their license, they can’t
— Challenges in the transportation network supporting the elderly —
A tragic accident occurred recently in Kamijima Town. The driver lost consciousness, plowed into two parked cars, and came to a stop. The driver was taken to the hospital by ambulance with serious injuries; although he was eventually discharged, he is now confined to a wheelchair. Fortunately, the damage was limited to the vehicles, and there were no other injuries. The driver was an elderly person in their 90s. He usually drove at low speeds; had he been going any faster, the scene would undoubtedly have been horrific.
In Kamijima Town, where public transportation is poor, a car is essential. For those without a car, if they have no family, relatives, acquaintances, or friends who own one, getting around takes a lot of time, which lowers their quality of life. For those like me who can pedal a bicycle despite having thick calves, it takes more than twice as long as driving, but it suffices for daily life. However, especially among the elderly aged 75 and older—as I’ve heard from my own mother, my uncles and aunts, and other elderly acquaintances—their bodies grow weary, and they say they would like to surrender their driver’s licenses if public transportation like trains, buses, and taxis were as well-developed as in the city.
Part of the responsibility for this accident lies with Kamijima Town’s public transportation policies.
It should have been foreseeable that an accident like this would occur in Kamijima Town, a super-aging society. As you all know, after news reports of elderly people causing tragic accidents in places like Ikebukuro, the issue of elderly drivers surrendering their licenses became a major concern.
In Kamijima Town, the private “Komannan Automobile” service began about nine years ago, and eight years later, last year, “Choisoko Yumeshima” finally launched with much fanfare. However, upon closer inspection, despite the lengthy deliberation, I was disappointed to find it was an unusable service that did not prioritize the user. For starters, to get from Kami-Yuge to Tateishi Port, you have to transfer from a car to a bus at Shimo-Yuge Port. Next, the operating hours: on weekdays, 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. No service on weekends, holidays, or during the year-end and New Year’s period! Who is this transportation service for?
Is it for drivers and town hall staff during their lunch breaks? We need to rebuild public transportation immediately!
(Bunshiro Kamejima, Yuge)
Can this really save a declining region?
— A methodology for school consolidation that risks dividing the community —
Our town is currently in turmoil over the consolidation of municipal schools.
On February 10, a public briefing on the “Kamijima Town Basic Plan for the Optimal Placement of Schools” was held in the Yuge district, where a draft outline for the consolidation of elementary and junior high schools was presented to nearly 100 attendees. During the session, a surprising question was raised.
“Although this draft outline is presented in the name of the Board of Education, I, as a member of the Board, have not been informed of its contents.”
In response, the explanation given was, “This is a proposal from the administrative office.” Wait, is that even a valid procedure?
Regarding the consolidation of public schools, there is a precedent where Ikina Junior High School was merged into Yuge Junior High School. The basis for that merger was Ordinance No. 33, “Kamijima Town Education Issues Council Ordinance,” which came into effect on April 20, 2006. Article 1 states that a council shall be established to examine various issues concerning school education in Kamijima Town and to contribute to the enhancement of school education, and the ordinance goes on to stipulate its duties, organization, selection of members, and operations.
In local government, ordinances are equivalent to national laws. However, regarding the current school consolidation, the process was carried out based on Board of Education Notice No. 1 dated September 29, 2021, titled “Outline of the Kamijima Town Committee for Reviewing the Future of Schools.” The Board of Education Secretariat presented a specific school rationalization plan (draft outline) based on the committee’s recommendations. Consequently, the members of the Board of Education—who are central to the decision-making process—were not informed of its contents. The outline presented on the day stated: “In 2028, Yuge, Ikina, and Iwagi Elementary Schools will be consolidated, utilizing the facilities of Yuge Elementary School. In 2029, Yuge and Iwagi Junior High Schools will be consolidated, utilizing the facilities of Yuge Junior High School. Uoshima Elementary and Junior High School will continue to operate as a combined elementary and junior high school.”
In administrative operations, procedure is everything, and it is common sense that such procedures are based on ordinances. Guidelines serve as action plans for the responsible departments and have no direct legal binding force on residents. Consequently, a council member pointed out why the process did not follow the ordinance. However, isn’t this situation caused by a “negligent attitude toward their work” on the part of the Board of Education—the cornerstone of educational administration—and specifically its members and staff?
(Kazuaki Hirayama, Yuge)
Why did this error occur?
— This isn’t something we can just brush off like a lizard shedding its tail —
The year Reiwa 8 dawned at noon; January flees, February escapes, and March departs. It’s a saying I’ve heard since I was a child.
In my younger days, amid the bitter cold of whaling in the Southern Ocean, I believed in these words day after day as I battled the whales.
Here in my town, the 2025 fiscal year is drawing to a close, and we’re facing the closure of Shio-yu (Seawater Bathing Facility), the discontinuation of Tateishi discount coupons, and uncertainty over the future of the Karo-to Ferry—will it continue or be discontinued? School mergers and closures? Changes to on-demand and public transportation? And now, Innoshima General Hospital is merging with the Medical Association Hospital. I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to Innoshima Hospital for its contributions to local healthcare over more than a century.
However, what about transportation to the Medical Association Hospital? With a mountain of unresolved issues piling up for the new fiscal year, the Iwagi waste disposal site problem suddenly surfaced. At the regular town assembly meeting on March 4, the public gallery was packed, and a commercial TV station was even present.
The mayor began the session with an apology regarding the Iwagi waste issue, but personally, I felt that the administrative staff sitting on the government side should have stood up and bowed their heads as well. I was shocked to hear that the cost of transporting the waste off the island would be nearly 500 million yen. I don’t believe this waste was brought in by residents without permission; it was likely a result of administrative mismanagement. Am I the only one who finds the mayor’s statement, “I had not been informed,” deeply regrettable? It makes me wonder about the day-to-day communication between the mayor and the staff. Given that the town routinely asks residents to understand its tight financial situation, this is a pathetic mistake.
The town says it will take 10 years to transport the waste off the island, but that’s precisely why the cost is so high. This isn’t nuclear waste. Recyclable items aren’t trash. Can’t we sort and separate the waste, reduce the volume, and only transport the waste requiring final disposal off the island?
Meanwhile, dilapidated vacant houses are a common sight within the town. I often see vacant houses being demolished, but the contractors are not from Kamijima Town. Can’t Kamijima Town solve its own waste problem? Let’s use this issue as a starting point to think about Kamijima Town’s waste management.
(Hisashi Hamamura, Yuge)
Don’t just brush it off as “difficult”
— Questioning an administration that fails to engage sincerely with residents —
I attended the second public briefing on the “Kamijima Town Basic Plan for the Optimal Placement of Schools”. The meeting was cut short even though there were still people who wanted to speak.
As a graduate of Iwagi Elementary School, I would also like to share my thoughts.
First, each island has its own unique characteristics. When I interacted with children from Yuge, Ikina, and Uojima during extracurricular activities, I noticed that even among children from the same Kamijima Town, personality traits tended to differ depending on the school. I believe that school consolidation will make interpersonal relationships more complex and place a heavy burden on the children. It may be difficult to gather opinions from elementary school students, but I ask that you do not dismiss the voices of the children—who are directly affected—as “difficult” and instead listen to them.
Since I attended middle and high school off the island, I had a long commute. A long commute cuts into time for studying, sleep, and club activities, creating a disadvantageous situation for student life. Even on holidays, students must go to school for club activities, but the town-run bus does not run on Sundays, has few trips on Saturdays, and the connections are not ideal. How are you considering the burden of spending time commuting back and forth every day?
Furthermore, the burden extends not only to the children but also to their parents. It was the parents who came to pick up students who could not walk home after club activities. This burden will only increase further due to the school consolidation. For the sake of the children’s healthy development and to alleviate the burden on parents, shouldn’t we reconsider the methods of commuting to school?
This briefing felt more like an attempt to create the appearance of having held a discussion. I question whether there is a genuine willingness to engage sincerely with the residents.
(Rino Onishi, Iwagi)
[…] Column published in Issue No. 45 of “Watson”, the newsletter of the Kamijima Town Local Government Study Group. […]