Garden Necklace YOKOHAMA 2017 The 33rd National Urban Greenery Fair Yokohama Fair mascot: Garden Bear The 33rd National Urban Greenery Fair Yokohama Yokohama will welcome you with a million flowers and beautiful cityscapes! March 25 (Sat.) – June 4 (Sun.) → See the details on the next page. Welcome to Yokohama, a city full of flowers and greenery! Fumiko Hayashi Mayor of Yokohama Have you seen Garden Bear, with his cute flowery Afro? He is the mascot for the 33rd National Urban Greenery Fair Yokohama, which will be opening soon, on March 25. The Fair is also known as Garden Necklace YOKOHAMA 2017. This name expresses our wish that the Fair will link our districts, people, and the times together like a necklace of flowers and greenery. It will have two main venues: the Minato (port) Garden and the Satoyama (local woodland) Garden. The former will feature plenty of brightly colored flowers, shrubs, and trees along the lovely streets in the waterfront area of the central district. The latter will enable visitors to experience the abundant greenery of Yokohama through a field of flowers that will be the largest in the city and measure a remarkable 10,000 square meters. Centered around these two venues, the Fair will stage all sorts of events in the city’s 18 wards. We hope to join with the citizens and companies in activities that will make it a rousing success. And be sure to hear the official theme song composed and performed by GReeeeN, the popular vocal group! The Fair will have many features befitting Yokohama, which has always fostered a love of nature among its citizens. Among them are gardens taking the future and fragrance as their themes, flower beds made by children, and flower gardens conveying the feel of spring in a “satoyama,” i.e., local woodland area of the sort dear to the hearts of Japanese. We will welcome visitors with a million flowers and other greenery. During the run of the Fair, the streets of Yokohama will be abloom in succession with cherry blossoms, tulips, and roses, the theme flowers. Visitors will want to come to the Fair time and again. We are looking forward to seeing all of you there! Opening this month! The 33rd National Urban Greenery Fair Yokohama The 33rd National Urban Greenery Fair Yokohama, a festival of flowers and greenery, will be opening soon, on March 25 (Sat.). This page introduces the highlights at each venue full of spring flowers and greenery. * The venue photos and illustrations are all conceptual depictions. Information about events Contact: NTT Hello Dial Service Tel: 050-5548-8686 Information about the program Contact: The National Urban Greenery Fairs Promotion Division, Environmental Planning Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-3789 Fax: 045-663-0027 Minato Garden – Yokohama, Yesterday and Tomorrow Yamashita Park, Grand Mall Park, Harbor View Park, Yokohama Park, Nihon Odori Street, Zou-no-Hana Park, Shinko Central Plaza, and Canal Park Rose Garden of the Future (Yamashita Park) Visitors will be delighted by the dazzling array of colors created through the interplay of roses (the city flower) and other flowers and shrubs. The garden will be lit up at night to make it an even more breathtaking sight. Nihon Odori Street Flower Festa (Nihon Odori Street) Tulips, roses, and other types of flowers will line the sidewalks on both sides of this big avenue, adding an accent of brilliant hues for a total distance of 400 meters. People, Trees, and Crystal Fireworks (Grand Mall Park) After sunset, the Park will turn into a space for art created with light. Satoyama Garden – Greenery-rich Yokohama Proposed site of a botanical park (next to Yokohama Zoological Gardens “Zoorasia”) A huge flower bed planted with Yokohama flowers Measuring 10,000 square meters, the largest in the city, this stunning field of flowers will be planted with pansies, violas, and other spring flowers grown in the city. Visitors can admire this enormous canvas painted with flowers from the deck area or take strolls on pathways right through it. Forest Adventure Yokohama Making use of the natural trees in the forest, this athletic course will take visitors on a thrilling glide right through the woods. It is sure to be a lot of fun for both children and adults. (For a fee / reservations required*) Glamping Site At this site, visitors will be able to experience “glamping,” a glamorous type of camping with café space in a forest and all the comforts of urban living in a natural setting. (For a fee in some cases / reservations required*) Yokohama Fair mascot Garden Bear © ITOON/GN2017 Plenty of other features not to be missed! For more details, please see the guidebook. Places where the guidebook is available Minato Garden, Satoyama Garden, Yokohama City Government Citizen Information Center, Ward Administration Promotion Division, tourism information centers in Yokohama (in JR Yokohama Station, Sakuragicho Station, and Shin-Yokohama Station), and others * For reservations and other matters, please see the Fair website. よこはまフェア　Search Key points of the FY2017 draft budget Fiscal 2017 is the last year of the current Medium-Term Four-Year Plan 2014 – 2017. As such, it will be one in which we must bring to fruition the approaches to conditioning environments for exercise of full potential by all people and companies, and to urban improvement as the foundation for the same. In addition, we shall take action for prevention of bullying, assurance of safety on routes to and from schools, child poverty, and other urgent agenda as well as approaches that look to the future. Exercise of the capabilities of all kinds of people ○Support for childcare, children, youth ○Women and seniors ○Healthcare, medical services, welfare services Stimulation of economic activities ○Growth fields, industrial sites, small and medium enterprises ○Urban agriculture ○Energy Creation of vibrancy and urban improvement ○City-center waterfront area ○Suburban areas ○Tourism/MICE, a city of cultural and artistic creation ○Sports ○An urban environment with plenty of greenery and waterside areas ○Disaster prevention and mitigation ○Port & harbor / transportation network Outline of the general account draft budget 29年度予算　横浜市 Search Contact: Financial Affairs Division, Finance Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-2231 Fax: 045-664-7185 The fiscal 2017 General Account budget totals 1,645.9 billion yen (an increase of 8.7 percent from fiscal 2016). Budget scale for each type of account Account title Budget amount Rate of change from FY2016 General Account 1,645.9 billion yen 8.7%*1 Special Accounts 1,344.9 billion yen 0.2% Government Enterprise Accounts 580.1 billion yen 7.2% Total*2 3,570.9 billion yen 5.1% *1 The main factors behind the increase in the size of the General Account budget are the business expenditures (totaling 151.0 billion yen) accompanying the transfer of authority from prefectural governments to designated cities for the burden of salary payments to the faculties of municipal elementary and middle schools, schools providing compulsory education, and special-education schools. *2 The net total for all accounts, excluding overlapping components involving mutual transfer between accounts, is 2,860.5 billion yen. Projected real municipal tax revenue: 719.3 billion yen (An increase of 0.5 percent or 3.3 billion yen from FY2016) Personal municipal tax: up 5.9 billion yen due to an increase in the number of persons paying taxes on wage income etc. Corporate municipal tax: down 6.2 billion yen due to a decrease in corporate earnings etc. Fixed assets tax: Urban planning tax: up 3.4 billion yen due to the construction of new and expansion of existing housing etc. The city government is reserving a total of 3.0 billion yen in fixed assets tax revenue as funding for the midterm supplementary budget, and posting a figure of 716.3 billion yen in municipal tax revenue in the initial budget. Increase of 147.9 billion yen in personnel expenses (An increase of 70.7 percent from FY2016) Increase due to the burden of salary payments to teachers transferred from prefectural governments and other factors. Increase of 15.9 billion yen in aid (expenditures for childcare, education, healthcare & medical services, etc.) (An increase of 3.5 percent from FY2016) Up due to increases in expenditures for institutional benefits for childcare and education, expenditures for facilities supporting the handicapped and other assistance for independent living, and other expenditures. Total revenue: 1,645.9 billion yen Municipal tax National tax allocations to local governments National and prefectural disbursements Municipal bonds Other Total expenditures: 1,645.9 billion yen Personnel expenses Aid Public debt Administrative operations Improvement of facilities etc. Transfers * The sums of figures in graphs and tables do not always equal the totals, due to rounding to the first decimal place for each item. * The draft budget is now under examination in the City Council. Achieving both “promotion of initiatives” and “maintenance of fiscal health” Attainment of the FY2017 fiscal target ◆Yokohama is projected to attain the target in the Medium-Term Four-Year Plan of reducing the balance of debt to be defrayed by the General Account to below 3,200 billion yen by the end of fiscal 2017. ◆The Yokohama-style primary balance emphasized by Yokohama in its fiscal management is at a surplus of 6.5 billion yen. (1) Reduction of the balance of debt to be defrayed by the General Account The balance of debt to be defrayed by the General Account is projected to decrease by 32.2 billion yen from the projected amount at the end of fiscal 2016 and total 3,174.1 billion yen as of the end of fiscal 2017. If so, the city will have attained its target of bringing the balance below 3,200 billion yen by the end of fiscal 2017. Trend of the balance of debt to be defrayed by the General Account A reduction of about 790 billion yen from the medium-term fiscal vision (2003) (100 million yen) (Actual) (Projected) (FY) Attainment of the target in the Medium-Term Four-Year Plan Below 3,200 billion yen (2) Yokohama-style primary balance* in the black The municipal bonds in the General Account will total 139.9 billion yen, a decrease of 5.4 percent relative to the initial budget figure in 2016, based on the targets of reducing the balance of debt to be defrayed by the General Account to less than 3,200 billion yen and of achieving a basic equilibrium in the Yokohama-style primary balance as of the end of fiscal 2017. As a result, the Yokohama-style primary balance will be at a surplus of 6.5 billion yen. This will be on a level exceeding the fiscal target of “basic equilibrium” posted for fiscal 2017. * Yokohama-style primary balance Based on the idea of curtailing the amount of municipal bond issuance to the scope of the amount of capital redemption in the fiscal year in question. Yokohama-style primary balance Revenue Revenue from municipal taxes and other sources excluding municipal bonds Municipal bond issuance Expenditure Expenditures for project expenses etc. Interest payment Capital redemption We have to reduce the balance of debt over the long term so that the amount we borrow is not more than the amount we have to repay! Rigorous review of business projects and reform of affiliated organizations Reduction of expenditures by a total of 10.5 billion yen in a total 1,100 cases To promote requisite initiatives in the context of limited management resources, Yokohama cut internal costs in City Hall, promoted privatization and outsourcing, reviewed project methodologies, and took other steps to reduce expenditures. It also reviewed subsidies and consignment fees for affiliated organizations, encouraged advance repayment of loans from the city, and promoted other such measures. Sure confirmation of evacuation sites and routes in preparation for earthquakes Go to an evacuation site when your housing is damaged or at risk of fire due to an earthquake. Home Select evacuation routes with consideration of the situation in the surrounding area. First-stop evacuation sites When you must evacuate, go first to an evacuation site designated by the neighborhood association or other local organization as a first stop. Depending on the situation, however, you should go directly to the next evacuation site without stopping at the first-stop one. In the case of widening fires Wide-area evacuation sites These are sites for temporary evacuation to protect life and limb from heat and smoke. If your home has become unlivable due to toppling or fire Regional disaster prevention centers (designated evacuation sites) These centers are opened if a seismic intensity of at least 5.5 is recorded in even one place in the city. They are places where evacuees can live, and are designated by the city in advance, in locations such as municipal elementary and junior high schools. They have minimum requisite stores of water and food for temporary residence by evacuees, and are also equipped with gear needed for rescue activities. Major roles of regional disaster prevention centers (1) Evacuation shelter (2) Place for storage of minimum requisite quantities of water and food (3) A center for collection and provision of information on loved ones, damage, and relief supplies Even persons in affected areas who do not have to evacuate because their homes are livable (earthquake-affected citizens at home) can obtain supplies and information at the regional disaster prevention centers. 《Collection of information》 In the event of disaster, the collection of information is of extreme importance for items such as decisions on whether or not to evacuate and confirmation of the well-being of loved ones. Make every effort to obtain accurate information by various means. (1) TV and radio (2) Smartphones and other mobile phones (3) The websites of Yokohama City Government and other public institutions (4) Disaster-prevention information e-mail In addition, various disaster-prevention information is collected at the regional disaster prevention centers (designated evacuation sites). It is very important to go to these centers in order to obtain information as necessary. Don’t forget to keep spare rechargers and batteries on hand for radios, mobile phones, and other battery-powered devices! In preparation for the occurrence of disasters, check the locations of evacuation sites etc. on hazard maps. 横浜市　防災の地図 Search Contact: Crisis Management Division, General Affairs Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-4531 Fax: 045-641-1677 Learn and prepare! Yokohama Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center Tel: 045-411-0119 Fax: 045-312-0386 E-mail: sy-kengaku@city.yokohama.jp Address: 4-7, Sawatari, Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama Hours: 9:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed on Mondays) Sure readiness through enjoyable learning A free experience-type tour guided by the staff 【Duration】 1 hour 【Maximum number of persons】 30 per group On the tour, participants can learn about disaster prevention and mitigation while enjoying features including the Disaster Theater with its hard-hitting big screen, Earthquake Simulator allowing them to experience tremors up to a seismic intensity of 7, and Japan’s only Disaster Mitigation Training Room. Part of the experience-type tour For people who want more than just the experience-type tour… Take part in the additional program! I want to learn how to save people who have become trapped under furniture etc. 　― Rescue training I want to learn how to give first aid to people in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest 　― How to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (training in AED use) I want to have training in use of a fire hose actually spraying water 　― Fire hose training Training in rescue Beginning in April, the Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center will become even easier to use! The number of experience-type tours per day will be increased from the current four to a maximum of 12. *Tours every 30 minutes, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (except that there will be no tours starting at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m.) The Center is prepared for flexible response to requests regarding the tour duration and additional program. Please do not hesitate to consult the Center staff about the tour features and times. An event to celebrate the Center’s first anniversary of reopening after remodeling 【Date and time】April 23 (Sun.), 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Cancelled in the event of stormy weather 【Venue】Yokohama Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center and Sawatari Central Park 【Description】 ・ Fire-fighting experience booth ・ Food and beverage service booth ・ Other features Support for people in affected areas Systemic arrangements have been made to support people affected by earthquakes, typhoons, or other disastrous phenomena in their self-help efforts for restoration of normality and recovery at the earliest possible date. 被災者支援　横浜市 Search The 50th Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting - Held in Yokohama - May 4 (Thurs., a holiday) – 7 (Sun.) Venue: Pacifico Yokohama 50th ADB ANNUAL MEETING YOKOHAMA 2017 Building Together the Prosperity of Asia ともにひらく、アジアの未来 With a membership of 67 countries and territories, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an international institution providing assistance for the purpose of economic growth and eradication of poverty in the Asia-Pacific region. It conducts various activities in areas including infrastructural conditioning, human resource development, and female empowerment. This year, which marks the 50th anniversary of its founding, the ADB will be holding its annual meeting in Yokohama. This meeting will bring together about 4,000 participants for discussion on economic advancement and issues in Asia. Contact: MICE Promotion Division, Culture and Tourism Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-4249 Fax: 045-663-0105 ADB　2017　　Search Even closer ties between Yokohama and other Asian countries Introducing Yokohama’s technology to the rest of the world Developing cooperation with cities in other countries together with Yokohama companies Yokohama has engaged in various activities including the acceptance of trainees from and dispatch of experts to other countries in all sorts of fields, including urban development, disaster prevention, medical services, and health and hygiene. In recent years, Yokohama has been taking approaches to international technical cooperation based on public-private partnership (the Y-PORT Project). The objective is to assist solution of urban issues in developing countries in Asia and other regions, and to support the development of business overseas by companies in Yokohama. Its hosting of the next ADB Annual Meeting will give Yokohama an opportunity for strengthening its ties with the ADB, with which it has concluded a memorandum on sustainable urban development. It will also broaden prospects for application of Yokohama’s high-level technical capabilities in other Asian countries, and opportunities for intercity cooperation and development of business by Yokohama companies. Tour of the Kawai Purification Plant by ADB representatives Nurturing the growth of the next generation and citizen interchange Bringing Asia even closer through diverse events In municipal elementary and junior high schools, Yokohama holds classes on other Asian countries to promote international understanding. At the next Annual Meeting, it is going to hold an official seminar in which university students will engage in discussion in English and present proposals to the ADB on the subjects of poverty reduction and economic growth in the Asian region. In these and other ways, Yokohama is assisting the growth of global human resources to lead Asia’s future. Furthermore, get-together events for enjoyment of Asian food, music, and art are going to be held in all of the city’s 18 wards. They will be designed to familiarize the general public with ADB activities and bring Asian life and culture closer to them. Class in international understanding (at Nishigaoka Elementary School in Izumi Ward) Improvement of the status of women Building together the prosperity of Asia through full activity by women Improvement of the status of women is a shared agendum in all Asian countries, and calls for further efforts to accelerate women’s participation in society. Yokohama, too, has been assisting career-building by women through steps such as encouraging their appointment and promotion in companies and offering support to female entrepreneurs. At the Annual Meeting, there will be a panel discussion by four women in leading positions from Japan and other countries, including Mayor Hayashi. Besides telling all present about Yokohama’s approaches, the discussion will marshal the experience of leaders who have carved out a career path for themselves, and hopefully will constitute another step on the road to full activity by women. Booth for businesswomen (example of support) Encountering the appeals of Asia With the approach of the next ADB Annual Meeting in May, Yokohama is going to stage events for firsthand experience of Asian food, culture, and music as well as programs for increased knowledge about other Asian countries. We urge you to attend! Free admission Special address by Takehiko Nakao, President of the Asian Development Bank 【Date and time】 March 22 (Wed.), 2:00 – 4:25 p.m. 【Venue】 Hamagin Hall (3-1-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi Ward) 【Application】Download the application form from the website, enter the requisite information, and send it by fax no later than March 21 (participation on a first come, first serve basis) In a pre-event for the next Annual Meeting, ADB President Takehiko Nakao will speak on recent political and economic trends in Asia, the role of the ADB, and its approaches for the future. The second part of the program will be devoted to a description of a survey on overseas projects by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. ADB President Takehiko Nakao Contact: Overseas Business Support Department, Hamagin Research Institute Tel: 045-225-2391　　 Fax: 045-225-2196 浜銀総合研究所　　Search International Women’s Day – Panel Display 【Date and time】 March 13 (Mon.) – 17 (Fri.), Gender Equality Center Yokohama-South (1-7-20, Minami-Ota, Minami Ward) March 20 (Mon., a holiday) – 24 (Fri.), Gender Equality Center Yokohama-North (1-17-3, Azami-no-Minami, Aoba Ward) March 27 (Mon.) – 31 (Fri.), Gender Equality Center Yokohama (435-1, Kamikuratacho, Totsuka Ward) March 8 is International Women’s Day, which was established toward the goals of assuring women’s rights and building world peace. Every year on this day, the United Nations and other organizations around the world hold events aimed at improving the status of women. The ADB is also making efforts to achieve gender equality and support a wider role by women in society. In keeping with this stance, it is going to host a panel exhibition focusing on the circumstances surrounding women mainly in Asian countries. This exhibition will be held in correspondence with International Women’s Day in Building 3 of the Gender Equality Center. Conceptual depictions Contact: Gender Equality Promotion Division, Policy Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-4479 Fax: 045-663-3431 ADB & JICA Yokohama — the Future of International Cooperation See, feel, experience — international cooperation! 【Special exhibit】March 10 (Fri.) – June 18 (Sun.) 【Stage event】 March 18 (Sat.), 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 【Venue】 JICA Yokohama International Center (2-3-1, Shinko, Naka Ward) Showing, for example, how Japanese railways are widening their areas of activity in other Asian countries, this special exhibit will set forth JICA and Yokohama projects of international cooperation as well as ADB activities in simple terms. It will also introduce the results of the class on international understanding at elementary and junior high schools in Yokohama, and similar events held on the ward level. The stage event on March 18 will consist of a mini concert introducing Asian music plus a fun-filled program of games and quizzes. The adjacent restaurant will be serving bowls of Vietnamese pho and other Asian dishes. Come to JICA Yokohama and experience Asia! Venue image 【Special exhibit】Contact: JICA Plaza Yokohama Tel: 045-222-7161 Fax: 045-222-7162 【Stage event】Contact: MICE Promotion Division, Culture and Tourism Bureau, City of Yokohama 　　　　　　　　　　Tel: 045-671-3409 Fax: 045-663-0105 Yokohama Triennale 2017 Lecture: Islands, Constellations and Galapagos A lecture on culture by one of Thailand’s foremost contemporary artists 【Time and date】 March 25 (Sat.), 2:00 – 4:15 p.m. (doors open at 1:30 p.m.) 【Venue】 Yokohama Museum of Art Lecture Hall (3-4-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi Ward) 【Guests】 Rirkrit TIRAVANIJA (contemporary artist and professor at Columbia University School of the Arts) Ryuta Imafuku (cultural anthropologist, critic, and professor at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Graduate School) Sputniko! (contemporary artist and assistant professor at MIT Media Lab) 【Application】 Apply through the website no later than March 24 (participation on a first come, first serve basis) Contact: Organizing Committee for the Yokohama Triennale Tel: 045-663-7232 Fax: 045-681-7606 ヨコトリ　　Search Plaza Festival — Compassion and Excitement A day for enjoyable learning about Asia and the ADB 【Time】March 12 (Sun.), 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 【Venue】Tsuzuki MY Plaza (Northport Mall, 1-25-1, Nakagawa-chuo, Tsuzuki Ward) This is a participation-oriented event using panels to introduce ADB member countries and territories. A team of volunteers, including some of high school age who use Tsuzuki MY Plaza, has been organized to produce programs. On the day of the event, this team will display panels they produced for it. The scene at last year’s Plaza Festival Contact: Tsuzuki MY Plaza Tel: 045-914-7171 Fax: 045-914-7172 The 50th ADB Annual Meeting Commemorative panel exhibition hosted by Yokohama 【Date】 April 18 (Tues.) – May 14 (Sun.) 【Venue】 1F exhibition area, Central Library (1, Oimatsu-cho, Nishi Ward) Held to commemorate the ADB’s 50th anniversary, this panel exhibition consists of a wealth of photos taken in various parts of the world. It retraces the ADB’s progress from its founding to the present, and its support for other Asian countries. There will also be a display documents from the collection of the Central Library concerning the ADB, international cooperation, and international assistance. Contact: Central Library Tel: 045-262-7336 Fax: 045-262-0054 Social Impact Forum Yokohama 【Date and time】 April 22 (Sat.), 12:30 – 6:00 p.m. 【Venue】Conference Center, Pacifico Yokohama (1-1-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi Ward) Social impact investment is spreading mainly in developed countries of the West as a new approach resting on public-private partnership. Yokohama as well has begun a new model project focusing on preparation of venues for children with private-sector funding. For the Forum, it is inviting experts active on the front lines in this field from inside and outside Japan to participate in an exchange of ideas toward the resolution of social issues. The scene at a past Forum session Contact: Co-Governance and Creation Division, Policy Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-4397 Fax: 045-664-3501 Requesting your cooperation with security and traffic controls during Golden Week!! During the run of the ADB Annual Meeting, the Minato Mirai 21 district will be placed under special security precautions and temporary traffic controls over the period May 4 (Thurs., a holiday) – 7 (Sun.). We request your cooperation with efforts to ease traffic congestion by refraining from driving into this district in this period. Contact: Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters Tel: 045-211-1212 Beware of illegal home waste collectors! Contact: General Waste Disposal Division, Resources and Waste Recycling Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-3814 Fax: 045-663-0125 The arrival of the season when many people move brings an increase in leafleting and calls to homes by illegal private businesses collecting items that are no longer needed. Trouble also arises when people are handed exorbitant bills for services they had thought were free or when the items collected are illegally dumped. ■The city collects and hauls away waste from homes. ■On occasions such as moving, people discard things in large quantities all at once that cannot be immediately collected and hauled away by the city. For the disposal of such waste, please contact businesses that have been licensed by the city to collect and haul away general waste. For more information, contact the party noted above. For details, visit the website of the Resources and Waste Recycling Bureau. 横浜　違法　回収　　Search If you have incurred loss or experienced trouble involving contracts etc. for collection of items that you no longer need and want to discard. Contact: Yokohama City Consumer's Center Tel: 045-845-6666 (except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) – Feel free to consult the Center! Fax: 045-845-7720 You can obtain a copy of your Certificate of Residence through multifunction copy machines installed in convenience stores nationwide. Yokohama has begun a service enabling residents to obtain copies of the Certificate of Residence and other certificates at convenience stores, using their My Number card. Use of this service requires a My Number card. For details, see the website. Contact: City Call Center Tel: 045-664-2525 (8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Fax: 045-664-2828 横浜市　コンビニ交付　　Search My Number mascot “Maina-chan” For persons aged 65 or over* Have you forgotten to pay your long-term care insurance premiums? Insurance premiums are a major source of funds for defraying costs required for provision of long-term (nursing) care services. Arrears in payment of these premiums present a great obstacle to the maintenance of the long-term care system. * Persons aged 40 – 65 are paying premiums for long-term care through the medical insurance policies they have. (1) If you have forgotten to pay The city will send you a “saisokujo” (reminder) or “saikokusho” (notice). Please pay by the date indicated on these documents. (The city also provides payment information by telephone.) (2) If your payment of premiums is in arrears for no particular reason In the interest of fairness to the people who pay their insurance premiums, your beneficiary burden may be increased when you make use of the long-term care insurance system. If your payment is in arrears for more than one year but less than two years You will first be asked to pay the entire burden of the service cost, and will be given a refund for the benefit portion based on subsequent application. If your payment is in arrears for two or more years Your beneficiary burden may be set at 30 percent for the service cost over a certain period corresponding with the period of arrears. You will be uneligible to receive benefits for the cost of high-cost long-term care services. Please also note that you may be subject to confiscation of property or other punitive action for arrears in accordance with the law, regardless of whether or not you make use of the long-term care insurance system. Contact: Long-term Care Insurance Division, Health and Social Welfare Bureau, City of Yokohama Tel: 045-671-4254 Fax: 045-681-7789 Yokohama has begun accepting applications for Temporary Welfare Benefits (economic measure portion)! These benefits will help to soften the impact of the consumption tax hike on persons with a low level of income. Application period: March 6 – September 6 (applications postmarked by the latter date also accepted) Who is eligible? Persons who have a Certificate of Residence in Yokohama issued as of January 1, 2016, and did not have to pay any municipal tax on their 2016 income (excluding persons who are dependents of taxpayers or receiving welfare benefits provided for welfare, benefits for Japanese nationals who had been stranded in China, etc.). *People who received the temporary benefit in fiscal 2016 also must apply again. Benefit amount 15,000 yen per person (payment once beginning in April, by bank transfer as a general rule) Application procedure You must submit an application to receive the benefit. The city will send a notice (with an application form and other material enclosed) to persons who are possibly eligible on March 6. *If you think you are eligible but do not receive this notice, please contact the city using the dedicated line. Fill out the application form and then post it. Please submit your application early, because applications will not be accepted after the deadline. Contact: dedicated line, every day, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) Tel: 0120-391-370 Fax: 045-664-2271 Benefit mascot Kaku-ninja 横浜市臨時福祉給付金　　Search Programs and other events accompanying execution of the fiscal 2017 budget that are described in articles in this month’s issue will be finalized after determination in the Yokohama City Council.