In 23-28 September 2018, I visited Batu city again as a team member of feasibility study on agricultural cooperation between Fukushima city and Batu city, East Java.
We discussed about how to manage agricultural development in Batu with its mayor and its government officials. Many fruitful information and suggestion we got.
We will invite the delegation of Batu city to Fukushima and Tokyo in 29 October – 2 November 2018.
In 9-15 September 2018, I visited South Sulawesi (Wajo, Pinrang & Makassar) and Jakarta with the delegation of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, to survey about direct seeding of rice in South Sulawesi.
Ishikawa Prefecture and South Sulawesi Province are now facing the same serious challenge of labor shortage in agriculture and both of them think that direct seeding of rice may be the key technology to overcome it.
The delegation directly made field observation, discussed about farming with rice farmers, and got fruitful information from the field. I hope we will have next step for good opportunity to deeply exchange farmer’s knowledge and experience between Ishikawa Prefecture and South Sulawesi Province.
In 4-6 September 2018, as an Indonesian coordinator of Team E-Kansai, Osaka, I visited Jakarta.
Team E-Kansai: http://team-e-kansai.jp/en/
My main task is to coordinate Business Matching Seminar (5 September) on waste water and sewage management technology between Japanese and Indonesian companies, cooperated with Indonesian Food and Beverage Industry Association (GAPMMI).
In addition, I became a speaker in Networking Cafe (4 September) for Japanese businessmen/women, about Indonesian economy and Presidential Election 2019.
I participated this Tour to Polewali, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, with about 30 participants. Most of them are chocolate lovers in Japan and came there for the first time. They learned many things about cacao from planting, fermentation, drying, and processing.
They directly met cacao farmers and gave their sincere appreciation and thanks message because no delicious chocolate without cacao farmers’ efforts. On the other hand, cacao farmers were very happy to meet them from Japan with stronger motivation to produce good cacao beans.
Participants also made chocolates from cacao beans with primary school students some of whose parents were cacao farmers. This was the first time for participants and students to make chocolate from cacao beans.
I hope this kind of interaction between producers and consumers will make new relationship with their mutual respect.
Materi siaran pers BNPB tentang gempa Lombok pada tanggal 7 Agustus 2018 bisa diunduh dari sini:
Material of press release on Lombok earthquake (in bahasa Indonesia) in 7 August 2018 can be downloaded from here:
ロンボク地震に関するインドネシア政府発表の2018年８月7日付け記者会見資料（インドネシア語）を以下からダウンロードできます。
I was invited to the Fukushima Overseas Business Dinner in Shiering Chinese Restaurant in 30 July 2018. Very exciting and relaxed meeting with good guys based in Fukushima, who are doing business in Vietnam, China, and the Philippines.
I appreciate their independent stance without depending on subsidies or government assistance. Thank you for getting this opportunity with my new business friends. I must learn and communicate much with them.
In 17 July 2018, I had a chance to give a special lecture in Chuo University to discuss about the study tour plan in Indonesia of students including human resource development, waste water management, environment education and community health. I hope my advice gave some meaningful implication to their study tour plan in Indonesia next September.
Local government mission of Batu city, East Java, Indonesia, to Fukushima, Japan that planned this week (10-14 July 2018), was postponed.
Kunjungan rombongan Pemkot Batu, Jawa Timur, ke Fukushima, Jepang yang direncanakan minggu ini (10-14 Juli 2018), ditunda.
今週（2018年７月10〜14日）予定されていた、インドネシア東ジャワ州バトゥ市ミッションの福島への来訪は、延期となりました。
In 3 July 2018, as an advisor of Minakami town, I visited Minakami town to discuss about its local development cooperation with a local government in Indonesia. Very fruitful discussion with local government officials of Minakami town.
After finished pur meetig, we visit the road station “Takumi-no-sato”, as an example of agro-tourism site with traditional handicrafts based on local-initiatives supported by the local government of Minakami town.
I visited Kanazawa in 13 June to attend a study group meeting at Hokuriku AJEC (Around Japan Sea Economic Exchange Committee) to discuss about foreign human resources affairs in Hokuriku area. I was asked to write a report on technical intern training system by the end of FY 2018. Good opportunity to contact and meet Hokuriku AJEC and Hokuriku Economic Federation (Hokkeiren). Of course, I enjoyed very good local breakfast in Kanazawa.
In 12 June 2018, I had several meetings in Kyoto and Osaka. Tight schedule day. At night, I enjoyed having a dinner of deep Korean foods in Tsuruhashi, Osaka with my friends.
In 11 June, I had a chance to give my guest lecture in Tenri University, on social business in Indonesia. This opportunity was organized by Prof. Mika Okushima, my friend and Indonesianist especially on Kalimantan studies. These pictures were taken by Prof. Okushima.
In 24 May 2018, I visited Minakami town in Gumma Prefecture to discuss about its draft proposal to cooperate with Cianjur District in West Java, Indonesia. Based on request from the town, I became an advisor for Minakami town to support finalizing the proposal for the inter-local cooperation, with my advising on local development strategy of Minakami town. I will try to do my best to this task.
As a study team member, I visited Indonesia for kick-off of our feasibility study on agricultural cooperation between Fukushima city and Batu city, East Java.
We discussed contents and directions of this study with Mayor and government officials of Batu city and exchanged opinion and information with Ministry of Agriculture.
Our team consists of Ginray Co. Ltd. from Fukushima, JA Fukushima Mirai, Prof. Sugiura (Chuo Univ) as chief advisor, ERM Japan and me. We will invite the mission from Batu city headed by its mayor to Fukushima in next July.
Photo with mayor of Batu city after discussion. Taken by Naoko Takahashi, 14 May 2018.
In 2-5 May 2018, I attended the 8th Makassar International Writers Festival (MIWF) in Makassar, Indonesia.
This time, we invited a poet from Fukushima, Japan, Mr. Ryoichi Wago and he read his poems three times with his aggressive performance during his staying for three days. He was very appreciated by audience of MIWF and interacted with them as the same poet lovers and critics for social problem.
I hope something new and meaningful will be happened between Makassar and Fukushima from this occasion. Thank you, Makassar. Thank you MIWF. See you next year in Makassar.
In 26 April 2018, we conducted the kick-off meeting of agricultural cooperation between Fukushima city and Batu city (in East Java, Indonesia) in JA Fukushima Mirai office in Fukushima. The title is “JICA Feasibility Study of Project Formulation: Reconstruction of Horticulture Supply Chain in Batu and Co-Branding with Fukushima”. We will visit Batu in 12-15 May for kick-off in Indonesian side.
An old house, located in the same area of my office, was taken up in ‘Fukushima Mimpo”, a local newspaper of Fukushima, in 20 April 2018.
This old big house, built in 1872, will be used as a multi-functioned common space for local peoples, with a new elderly housing with care service, called “Shimizu no Sato”, that will be built and opened in 2019.
Matsui Glocal LLC will be involved to effectively utilize the common space with the owner, Mr. & Mrs. Sato.
In 11 April 2018, my company, Matsui Glocal LLC. celebrated the first anniversary of establishment in Fukushima. My company is still like an infant and has repeated trial and error every day.
In this second year, we will further promote our consulting activities as professional catalyst to connect local to local for creating something new and valuable. Please keep in touch and make good business together.
Today (7 April 2018), I attended the founder’s gathering of the Community Foundation of Fukushima, in Koriyama. The community foundation will be registered in 11 April 2018.
Yesterday (4 April 2018), I attended the opening ceremony of Indonesian Businessmen Association in Japan (Asosiasi Pengusaha Indonesia di Jepang [APIJ]) in official residence of Indonesian ambassador, Meguro, Tokyo.
I hope APIJ play roles to boost business communication between Indonesia and Japan.
