Happy New Year!
The year 2025 is dawning upon us. One year ago, on New Year’s Day, a large earthquake struck the Noto region, interrupting countless families gathered to celebrate the New Year. At the end of last year, I visited Noto for disaster relief, and it seemed that the region was still far from making a full recovery from this disaster.
In 2024, we have organized the prefectural junior high night school “Saishi Gakusha Junior High School” (April), a lecture by Sahel Rose (July), a Japanese speech contest (September), an international festival with a large sports festival co-hosted with Saga Prefecture (Dondondon no Mori: November), and the Sagan World Cup (futsal tournament for foreigners: December).
What will this year bring? Amid circumstances such as the re-emergence of the Trump administration and the unpredictable world situation in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Syria, and North Korea, there is a need for Japan, Saga Prefecture and SPIRA to move forward while carefully considering our actions.
Among all this uncertainty, in the beginning of the year, good news came to SPIRA. I am pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Japan Foundation Prize for Global Citizenship. On January 14, SPIRA welcomed Dr. Sato Yuri, Executive Vice President of the Japan Foundation, and hosted a press conference at the International Exchange Plaza, with Mr. Noda, Executive Director of the Saga Prefecture Regional Exchange Department present for the occasion.
This achievement is owing to the efforts of everyone who has supported our activities, including the medical interpreter volunteer dispatch project that SPIRA has been steadily working on, Japanese language support, disaster relief, support for the Sagan World Cup, as well as advice and consultation services. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone involved.
I am looking forward to in 2025 continuing our work with foreign residents in Saga to create a wonderful Saga Prefecture together!
January 14, 2025
Saga Prefecture International Relations Association, SPIRA President Harujii Kuroiwa
Thank you very much for coming to the interview.
サガテレビ https://www.sagatv.co.jp/news/archives/2025011418817
佐賀新聞 https://www.saga-s.co.jp/articles/-/139044
日本経済新聞 https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOJC132HX0T10C25A1000000/