A Happy New Year!

January, 2015 No. 335
Published monthly by: Minato City Hall Tokyo
Tel: 03-3578-2111
Edited by: Public Relations Subsection,
Office of the Mayor, Minato City Hall
1-5-25, Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8511
Tel: 03-3578-2992, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fax: 03-3578-2034
E-mail: kuminkoho@city.minato.tokyo.jp
URL: http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/
Monthly circulation: 11,000 copies
Published by Minato City Hall
Minato Call
CITY INFORMATION SERVICE
03-5472-3710
E-mail: info@minato.call-center.jp Fax: 03-5777-8752
A Happy New Year!
Users, staff of Azabu Kids-teens Plaza and Mayor Takei
New Year’s Greetings
from the Mayor
I would like to humbly wish you all a Happy New Year in 2015.
Last year was filled with events that motivated and inspired us, beginning
with the accomplishments of Japanese athletes at the Sochi Olympic and
Paralympic Games, the professional tennis player, Kei Nishikori, playing in
the semi-final of the U.S Open tennis tournament, and the awarding of the
Nobel Prize in Physics to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji
Nakamura.
The “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” was inscribed on UNESCO’s
World Heritage List and “Washi, craftsmanship of Japanese hand-made paper”
was inscribed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As of October 2014, more than 11 million foreign people visited Japan. This
was a record number.
Year 2020 will be the host year of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic
Games. Minato City will be surrounded by many athletic facilities and the
athletes’ village, and many tourists and others will be visiting. The City will
not miss this defining opportunity to further promote the City’s
internationalization and greater use of barrier-free design. Minato City will
show its appeal and capabilities to the world.
The new Minato City Basic Plan FY2015-FY2020 will kick off this April.
We anticipate increases in all categories of the City’s population around
which the Plan is designed. In particular, we forecast further increases in the
number of newborns. In order to create a safe and reassuring environment in
which children can grow up healthy, both physically and mentally, Minato
City will implement its own unique programs, improve them and ensure the
quality of our extensive childcare services. Minato City will become the first
city in the 23 cities of Tokyo to offer childcare fee waivers for the second child
and subsequent children. We will tackle the issue of long nursery school
waiting lists and take other steps, such as increasing the capacity of pupils’
clubs, so that we can provide an environment that will make Minato City the
city of choice for childcare.
In addition, under the leadership of the Nursing Independence General
Center “Rakuccha,” which opened last December and specializes in long-term
care and prevention programs, Minato City will be offering a comprehensive
lineup of long-term care prevention programs. This will be accomplished in
collaboration with various entities with municipal facilities for senior citizens.
The City has developed strong trust with city residents and communities
through “City Hall and City Office reforms” and promoting “participation and
collaboration.” By harnessing this relationship of trust, the City will make
collective and focused efforts towards the realization of a “mature
international city all city residents can be proud of,” filled with dreams and
hopes.
Last year, Japan experienced heavy rainfall in Hiroshima Prefecture, the
eruption of Mt. Ontake, and a strong earthquake in Nagano Prefecture. These
events reminded us of the threats nature can pose. There is a possibility that
an earthquake may even strike the Tokyo Metropolitan Area in the near
future. In order to minimize the damage and impact from crises, Minato City
will continue to enhance frameworks to ensure the safety and peace of mind
of its residents based on self-help, mutual-help, and public-help.
I will work hard to address issues promptly and steadily, to protect all
residents’ health and property and ensure their safe and peaceful lives. I will
do my best with residents’ participation and collaboration.
In closing, I wish you all a splendid New Year filled with happiness.
Masaaki Takei
Mayor of Minato City
Minato Monthly is delivered with The Japan Times/International New York Times on the first of each month. It is also available at municipal facilities, post offices and subway stations
(Akabanebashi, Akasaka, Akasaka-mitsuke, Aoyama-itchome, Azabu-juban, Daimon, Gaien-mae, Hiroo, Kamiyacho, Mita, Nogizaka, Omotesando, Roppongi, Shimbashi, Shiodome,
Shirokanedai, and Shirokane-Takanawa) in Minato City.
The articles appearing in the Minato Monthly are also found on Minato City Web:
Search Minato Monthly
2 Minato Monthly January 1, 2015
❶ Akasaka ES
Minato Monthly January 1, 2015 3
❷ Aoyama ES
❸ Seinan ES
❶ Onarimon ES
❷ Shiba ES
❸ Akabane ES
Introduction to Minato City's
World cuisine:
Thailand
Event-related:
New crop rice
Gapao rice, sunny-side up
egg, vermicelli salad, tofu and
bok choy soup, milk
Rice balls, omelet, sautéed
vegetables, miso soup, milk
❹ Akasaka JHS
❺ Aoyama JHS
Local specialty:
Tottori Prefecture
Dondoroke-meshi, multilayered omelet, seasoned
vegetables, miso soup, milk
School Lunches
Rice with clam, fried tofu,
miso soup with sardine balls,
milk
World cuisine:
Germany
Red rice, grilled yellow tail,
mixed bean sprouts, clear
broth, milk
❹ Kogai ES
Milk bread, stewed cabbage
and sausage, fried potatoes
with rosemary, orange, milk
❺ Roppongi JHS
Rice flour bread, mousakka,
colorful salad, cherries, milk
Local specialty:
Hokkaido
❸
❺
❻
❸ Higashimachi ES
❼
Azabu
❻ Koryo JHS
❸
❸
❷
❼ Nanzan ES
❶ Shibaura ES
❷
❸
❶
❷ Konan ES
❸ Konan JHS
❹ Odaiba Gakuen Koyo ES and JHS
❺
❻
Rice with pasta, lentil soup,
Syrian meatball, lactic acid
drink
Rice, grilled salmon, nappa
and bean curd crisp salad,
miso soup, melon, milk
❹
Shiba
❹
❹
World cuisine:
Syrian Arabic
❶
❶
❷
Tokyo ingredient:
Flying fish
Rice, beef stir-fry with ginger, Madaka zuke, miso soup
with daikon radish, milk
❶
❹
Local specialty:
Tokyo
❷ Hommura ES
❶ Azabu ES
Somen noodles, squid and
okra tempura, cabbage with
mustard sauce, jelly, milk
World cuisine:
Greece
Akasaka
❷
Turmeric rice, tandoori
chicken, sautéed cabbage,
soup, chai pudding, milk
Local specialty:
Miyazaki Prefecture
❹ Onarimon JHS
❺
World cuisine:
India
Event-related:
Tanabata/Star Festival
❶
Shibaura-konan
❼
❹
❸
Takanawa
Local specialty:
Aomori Prefecture
Rice with scallops, salad
with komatsu-nappa, soup
with rice crakers, milk
Tokyo ingredient:
Flying fish
Tokyo ingredient:
Butterfish, Japanese string agar
World cuisine:
Spain
Rice with chicken and burdock root, seaweed and fish
salad, flying fish ball soup, milk
Kimchi fried rice, fried butterfish, seaweed salad, sweet
potato dessert, milk
Paella, Castilla soup, orange
custard pudding, milk
❷
New Year’s Quiz
Local specialty:
Kyoto
Shibazuke rice, fried tofu,
spinach with sesame dressing, clear soup, milk
ES: Elementary school
Event-related:
Hina-dolls Festival
Mixed sushi, grilled salmon,
spring salad, clear soup,
peach jelly, milk
World cuisine:
United Kingdom
Milk bread, fish and chips,
hot vegetables, tomato soup,
apple, milk
Event-related:
Reading week
Beef curry, hijiki salad, pear,
milk
Please answer the following three questions based on hints found in this newsletter.
❶ Mita ES
❷ Shirokane ES
❸ Sanko ES/Asahi JHS
Q１ Which school
meal is not offered
in Minato City?
JHS: Junior high school
Sixty years have passed since the School Lunch Program Act entered into force in 1954.
Find out more about the specialty lunches of the schools. Also, don’
t miss the New
Year’
s quiz on the next page for a chance to win a small gift.
Each Minato City school has its own unique lunch menu. Menus are designed not only
with nutritional balance in mind, but to heighten interest in Japanese food culture. Menus
feature local Japanese specialties as well as festival cuisine that evoke the season. Given
the cultural diversity of Minato City, representative cuisines of various countries are also
included in the menu.
Which menu is the most popular?
Students: (1) Curry rice, (2) Ramen, (3) Gyoza
School principals: (1) Curry rice, (2) Grilled fish, (3) Saury teriyaki with rice
For both students and school principals, curry rice came in first place with a huge lead
over the second place and the rest of the menu.
“Each school has its own curry rice recipe. Everything is handmade, starting with the
roux, so that children will like it,”says a Board of Education official.“In Minato City, rice
is served at least three days a week. We provide safe and delicious school lunches –
we do not use processed foods, and we try to use ingredients made in Japan as much
as possible. Our school lunches are made entirely by hand with the hope that they will
contribute to the children’
s healthy growth.”
Event-related:
Full moon
Taro rice, deep-fried fish,
bean sprouts salad, miso
soup, mochi balls, milk
❹ Shinno ES
❺ Mita JHS
Event-related:
End of New Year's celebration
Rice with salmon, sweet
omelet, radish and carrot
salad, red bean soup, milk
❻ Takamatsu JHS
Event-related:
Children's day
Chinese-style rice ball, corn
soup, vinegar salad, milk
Q２ Which is the staple Q３ What do schools
most often served
in school lunches?
❶ World cuisine
❶ Rice
❶ Making curry from scratch,
beginning with the roux
❷ Local specialties
from all over Japan
❷ Bread
❷ Using roux from a high-end
restaurant
❸ NASA's space food
❸ Noodles
❸ Offering five levels of
spiciness from mild to hot
How to Enter the Quiz
❼ Takanawadai ES
50 winners selected fromentries
with correct answers in the random
drawing will receive a small gift.
Fill out the postcard as shown on
the picture right or entry from Minato City Web.
*The collected personal information will
be used exclusively for mailing the prize.
Event-related:
First day of winter
Shinno style mixed rice,
beef and potato stew, clear
soup, milk
Event-related:
Setsubun Festival
Rice with fried beans, sardine tempura, spinach salad,
clear broth, milk
Local specialty:
Okinawa
Taco rice, fried bean
sprouts, mekabu seaweed
soup, milk
attach importance to
in making curry?
Local specialty:
Yamanashi Prefecture
Wide noodles with vegetables, tempura fritter, salad,
grape jelly, milk
Deadline: Monday, January 19
Inquiries: Minato Monthly,
03-3578-2992
Search Minato Monthly
52
105-8511
Minato Monthly
New Year’s Quiz
Office of Mayor
Minato City Hall
Front Side
1) Your zip code,
address, and name
2) Answers
Q1. Q2. Q3.
3) What articles do you
want to read?
Back Side
4 Minato Monthly January 1, 2015
Minato Events Mini Calendar
Library Schedule for January
Lobby Concert
Place: 1F of Minato City Hall
Time: 12:15 p.m. to 12: 45 p.m. *No reservation required.
January 28: Chorus by Utagoe Gakudan
January 29: Classical Piano Concert by Yayoi Nigo
Inquiries: Culture and Arts Promotion Subsection, 03-3578-2343
Date
Day
4
Sun.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Book-start
6
Tue.
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Book-start
6
Tue.
*2 to 3:20 p.m.
The Mask of Zorro
6
Tue.
2:40 p.m.
Storytelling
Sale of Recycled Bikes
Minato City sells good conditioned recycled bikes that are removed and repaired.
Date & time: Sunday, January 11, 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
After 10:30 a.m. the drawing for the number to purchase will start.
Place: Minato Recycling and Management Office, Working Contact, 3-9-6
Moto-azabu
Price of bikes: Approximately ¥8,000
Number of bikes: About 20 *Minato residents have priority.
Inquiries: Minato Call, 03-5472-3710
M.I.A. Minato International Association
Toei Kita-aoyama 1-chome Apt. No. 3
1-6-3-B1 Kita-aoyama 107-0061
Tel: 03-6440-0233 Fax: 03-6440-0234
office@minato-intl-assn.gr.jp
http://www.minato-intl-assn.gr.jp/
Programs may change without notice.
Kissport Events
●New Year’s Party 2015
Date: Sat. 1/31, 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Aoyama Baisouin, Soshido
2-26-38 Mimami-aoyama
Capacity: First 120 people
Fee: ￥2,500 for MIA members,
￥3,500 for non-members, and ￥1,500
for children 4-year-old to 6th graders
and exchange students
Please enjoy fun programs, a lucky
drawing, and talking. Snacks and
drinks are available.
Application: Send an email, call, or
fax to MIA with all participants’
names and telephone. If there is a child
Population
of
Minato City
or an exchange student in your group,
please let us know.
Minato Sports, Community, Culture, and
Health Foundation
Tel: 03-5770-6837 Fax: 03-5770-6884
http://www.kissport.or.jp
Programs may change without notice.
●Music Promenade
Place: Takanawa Civic Center, Civic
Hall
Date & time: Sun. 1/25 and Sat. 2/21,
2 p.m., doors open at 1:30 p.m.
Program
1/25: Jazz by Light Music Society of
Keio University
2/21: Classical music by students of
Musashino Academia Musicae
Admission is free and elementary
school students and over. Please come
to the venue on the day directly.
Total 240,506
Japanese residents ..............................................221,789
Male 103,663 Female 118,126
Registered foreign residents...............................18,717
As of December 1, 2014 Male 9,963 Female 8,754
Time
Program
Place/capacity
Minato
Daiba
Konan/45
Daiba
7
Wed.
*2 to 3:30 p.m.
FS: for children, Cloudy, Sometimes
Meatballs?
Takanawa
Annex/50
8
Thu.
*Noon to 1 p.m.
DVD: Professional Work style
10
Sat.
11 a.m.
Storytelling
Mita/60
Minato
10
Sat.
11 a.m.
Storytelling
Mita/60
10
Sat.
*2 to 3:55 p.m.
FS: Anna Karenina
10
Sat.
3 p.m.
Comic story for kinds
11
Sun.
*2 to 3:15 p.m.
FS: Sazen Tange 2
11
Sun.
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Children’s assembly
Takanawa
11
Sun.
*2 to 3:40 p.m.
FS: Police Academy
Minato/90
12
Mon.
2 to 3 p.m.
Book-start
12
Mon.
*2 to 3:10 p.m.
FS: Steamboat Bill Jr.
14
Wed.
2:30 p.m.
Storytelling
Konan/45
Minato
Azabu/30
Azabu
Takanawa/40
Konan
14
Wed.
3 to 3:30 p.m.
Picture-story show
14
Wed.
3 p.m.
Storytelling
17
Sat.
11 a.m.
Storytelling
17
Sat.
*2 to 3:25 p.m.
FS: Second Chorus
Takanawa
Annex/50
Akasaka
Minato
Akasaka/35
17
Sat.
2:30 p.m.
Storytelling
Azabu
17
Sat.
3 p.m.
Storytelling
Minato
18
Sun.
*2 to 3:30 p.m.
FS: Blue Gold: World Water Wars
20
Tue.
1 to 2 p.m.
Book-start
Takanawa Annex
Mita/60
21
Wed.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Book-start
Akasaka
21
Wed.
2:30 p.m.
Bubbles
21
Wed.
*6 to 7:10 p.m.
FS: Healing Mt. Fuji
Azabu
Azabu/30
22
Thu.
10:30 a.m.
Storytelling
Mita
22
Thu.
11 a.m. to noon
Book-start
Mita
24
Sat.
2 p.m.
Storytelling
24
Sat.
*2 to 2:45 p.m.
FS: Japanese’s Mt. Fuji
24
Sat.
*2 to 3:30 p.m.
Mita comic story
24
Sat.
2:30 p.m.
Storytelling
25
Sun.
*1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
FS: Ivan’s Childhood
25
Sun.
*2 to 2:20 p.m.
FS: Ask Too much Restaurant
27
Tue.
11 a.m.
Storytelling
Akasaka
Takanawa/30
Mita/60
Azabu
Minato/90
Takanawa/30
Takanawa Annex
28
Wed.
10:30 a.m.
Storytelling
Konan
28
Wed.
*Noon to 12:30 p.m.
DVD: Mt. Fuji #1
Mita/60
28
Wed.
3:15 to 4 p.m.
Book-start
Konan
29
Thu.
*Noon to 1 p.m.
DVD: Mt. Fuji #2
Mita/60
30
Fri.
*Noon to 1 p.m.
DVD: Mt. Fuji #3
30
Fri.
*2 to 3 p.m.
Recitation
30
Fri.
*6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
DVD: Colombian Heated Class #5
31
Sat.
*2 to 3:45 p.m.
FS: Film screening
Programs may change without notice.
For more details, visit Minato Monthly Web.
Mita/60
Takanawa/30
Akasaka/30
DVD: Mt. Fuji #4
Mita/60
Minato Public TV Program Guide
Minato Voice
J:COM Minato-Shinjuku January
InterFM 76.1 MHz
Ch. 11
Time: 6:26 to 6:29 a.m. and 5:56 to 5:59 p.m., 3 min. program
Monday & Thursday: English, Tuesday: Japanese, Wednesday: Chinese, and Friday: Korean
Inquiries: Public Relations Subsection, 03-3578-2036
Minato Quick Journal: 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.
Minato-ku Koho Topics: 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 9 p.m.
You can also see the programs on the Minato City Web or YouTube.
Inquiries: J:COM Minato-Shinjuku, 0120-914-000
Minato Public Health Center Schedule for January
Himawari Medical Facilities Consultation Service
Tel. 03-5285-8181 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
http://www.himawari.metro.tokyo.jp/qq/qq13enmnlt.asp
Eligibility: Registered residents or registered foreign residents of Minato City
Minato City Resident Health Checkup
All residents to undergo a physical examination, urine analysis, chest X-ray,
Exam. Date
Eligibility
Check in time:
blood-pressure check, and blood test. Certain residents are to undergo an electro8:45 to 10:30 a.m.
cardiogram examination.
Additional checkup: Osteoporosis examinations for female recipients of the MiWed. 2/18
City residents aged between 30
nato City resident health checkup except those who are 30 or 35 years old or have
and 39 born in February
not had a medical checkup in five years.
Limited to 70 people daily
Wed. 2/25
Minato Public Health Center: 1-4-10 Mita, 03-6400-0083
Appointment for HIV test: 03-6400-0081 The result is two weeks later from the checkup day at the Minato Public Health Center.
HIV/STD test (R)
Eligibility
Examination date
Time
Open to all
Thursdays, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Eligibility
Date
Time
Date of preference in February
8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Wednesdays,
2/18, 2/25
2 to 2:45 p.m.
Exam. results
available
Check in: 1 to 2 p.m.
Wed. 3/11
Wed. 3/25
Location
Minato Public
Health Center
Place
Minato Public Health Center
Other examinations
Stomach, colon cancer
Osteoporosis
*individuals receiving osteoporosis
treatment are not eligible
Residents aged 35 or older
*capacity 20 people
Minato City residents aged 20 and
over who have not received this exam.
in the past 5 years. *capacity 20 people
*Weekdays only
Place
Kokoro to Karada no Genki Plaza
Minato Public Health Center
Checkup and consultation for babies/infants
Those eligible must receive the notification
- 4-month-old: Born in September, 2014
- 18-month-old: Born in June, 2013
- 3-year-old: Born in December, 2011
Application and inquiries: 03-6400-0084
Note: Apply and make an appointment in advance.
Inquiries and appointment: Minato Public Health Center, 03-6400-0083
Kokoro to Karada no Genki Plaza: 3-6-15 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku *A one-minute walk from Iidabashi Station of JR/Tozai/
Namboku lines
For inquiries in English, contact Minato Call at 03-5472-3710 or Minato Monthly.