Toward a Society that Acknowledges Our Diversity Fumiko Hayashi Mayor of Yokohama Recently there seems to be no end of heartrending cases of discrimination and prejudice, of bullying and other acts of cruelty. Every time I see a report in the media of another young life being taken by abuse, I feel as if my heart will break. Meanwhile new human rights issues continue to emerge, now including hate speech and discriminatory postings on the Internet. The City of Yokohama provides various counseling and support options to stand with and help resolves those with troubles, whatever they may be, beginning with the human rights of children and women, and to help them find solutions to the pain in their lives. In April of this year we promulgated the Yokohama City Ordinance on Support for Victims of Crime and Other Abuses. We will continue to provide carefully tailored support from the viewpoint of the victims themselves, ranging from mental health support to assistance in securing stable housing and employment, as well as helping them deal with their economic burdens. Within the year, we will also introduce a system for issuing Partnership Declarations in order to help alleviate the suffering and daily difficulties of sexual minorities and others in our community. “Human rights” are the collective rights of people to live decent human lives. They are rights that all people possess equally from birth, regardless of their age or gender, or whether they have disabilities or not. With the understanding and cooperation of all the citizens of Yokohama, we will continue promote even more far-reaching human rights policies in the years ahead. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics games that are fast approaching next year have also made respect for the human rights of all peoples one of their guiding principles. Let us work together to achieve a society in which we recognize and acknowledge our diversity and in which we all can live together, and pass on that great legacy to the future. For Citizens Whose Homes Were Destroyed or Damaged by Typhoons 15 and 19 Guide to Disaster Recovery Assistance Program for Disaster Victims The City of Yokohama provides financial assistance to households whose residences have been damaged or destroyed due to natural disasters. ※ A Disaster Damage Certificate (Risai shomeisho) is required to apply for assistance. The amount of assistance will differ depending on the extent of the damage and other factors. For details please visit our homepage. 横浜市 被災者生活再建支援制度 Search Unit: ¥10,000 ※ Amount for single-person households: 75% of listed amounts. Categories A: Basic support Application deadline: Oct. 8, 2020 B: Additional support Application deadline: Oct. 11, 2022 Combined amount A + B Completely destroyed 100 New construction / Purchase 200 300 Partially destroyed; requires demolition Repairs 100 200 Damage to plot; requires demolition Rent 50 150 Major damage 50 New construction / purchase 200 250 Repairs 100 150 Rent 50 100 【Inquiries】 Health and Welfare Division in ward of residence, or Health and Social Welfare Bureau Social Health and Welfare Division. Tel: 045-671-4044 Fax: 045-664-3622 State of City Employee Compensation Together with strengthening our city’s systems in response to the diversifying needs of our citizenry, the City of Yokohama is pursuing efficient, effective administration through a thorough-going reassessment of our existing administrative structures. 1 Efficient Organization Building Prescribed number of employees In fiscal 2019 the City of Yokohama hired 411 new employees as we reinforced the enforcement system for the city’s child consultation centers, further pursued efforts to host World Horticultural Exposition 2027, and continued to prepare for the opening of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, while also strengthening our medical care and welfare policies. At the same time, the transfer of city-operated nurseries to private sector management, the closing of the city-operated elderly nursing home Keifu Home, and other measures resulted in the letting go of 253 city employees. As a result, the total prescribed number of Yokohama City personnel increased by 158 year on year, from 44,800 in fiscal 2018 to 44,958 in fiscal 2019. An Efficient Administrative System The number of city employees per 1,000 residents of Yokohama came to 9.65 employees*, second lowest among the 20 ordinance-designated cities in Japan. This figure is released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as one of the indicators for comparison of the operation of local self-governing entities. * Based on the number of city employees listed in the ordinary account of local governments (fiscal 2018) and the population figure in the basic resident register (as of January 1, 2018). The ordinary account of local governments is an accounting category established by the national government to enable comparisons between cities based on unified standards. 2 City Employee Compensation (Tables 1 - 4 and Chart 1 values are pre-tax) Employee compensation is determined by the city ordinance based on surveys of private sector salaries and other factors conducted by the city’s Personnel Commission, its recommendations (as necessary) and the City Council’s deliberation. For salary and other compensation for special positions such as mayor and city council chairpersons, the process begins with an examination of compensation by an ad-hoc committee whose membership includes Yokohama citizens, experts in the field, and representatives of public bodies in Yokohama. The committee then reports its findings to the City Council, which deliberates and makes a final determination by ordinance. Chart 1 Current state of employee salary in the FY2019 ordinary account of local governments (budget) Number of employees (A) 35,535 Salaries: ¥140,867.72 million Employee Allowances：¥46,145.09 million End of term and diligence allowances: ¥66,755.1 million Total (B) ¥253,767.91 million (Per person salary (B)/(A) = ¥7,140,000 Note 1) Number of employees (A) is the number in the ordinary account of local governments excepting re-appointed personnel staff and special positions. Note 2) City employee allowances includes dependent allowance, regional allowance, managerial allowance, transportation allowance, and overtime allowance, and other allowances. Note 3) The share of the number of employees in the ordinary account of local governments (A) occupied in the number of employees in all accounts (excluding reappointed personnel) is 83.7 percent. Table 1 Employee Average Monthly Salary, Average Monthly Compensation, and Average Age Category General administrative personnel Skilled personnel Average monthly salary \313,528 \320,731 Average monthly compensation \381,581 \383,867 Average age 40 years 5 months 47 years 9 months ※ Salary does not include allowances. ※ Average monthly compensation is the total of salary, family allowance, regional allowance, housing allowance, and managerial position allowance. Table 2 Average Monthly Salary by Employee Years of Experience and Educational Background (General Administrative Personnel) Category Years’ Experience 10 years 15 years 20 years 25 years 30 years University graduate ¥266,392 ¥322,376 ¥369,016 ¥393,562 ¥407,895 High school graduate ¥225,065 ¥274,993 ¥326,349 ¥360,294 ¥380,569 Table 3. Monthly Salary and Compensation for Special Positions Salary Compensation Mayor \1,599,000 City Council chairperson \1,179,000 Deputy mayor \1,285,000 City Council deputy- president \1,061,000 Board of Education Superintendent \940,000 City Council Members \953,000 ※ Tables 1-3 are based on figures in the “FY2019 Survey of Local Public Employee Compensation,” and are as of April 1, 2019. Table 4 Comparison of Share of Employees Expenses in the Ordinary Account of Local Governments Fiscal year Ordinary Account of Local Governments FY2017 FY2018 Change Employees costs ¥335.3 billion ¥336.0 billion ¥0.7 billion Percentage of employee costs in total expenditures 19.9％ 19.4％ -0.5 points ※ The difference in the sum of employee costs reflects compensation revisions in accordance with recommendations of the Personnel Commission. 【Inquiries】 Regarding efficient organization building: General Affairs Bureau Personnel Division Tel: 045-671-2097 Fax: 045-662-7712 Regarding employee compensation: General Affairs Bureau Labor Affairs Division Tel: 045-671-2077 Fax: 045-664-7386 Nov. 10 – 16 is “Alcohol-Related Problems Education Week” Won’t you join us in thinking about alcohol? Alcoholism is an illness where you can no longer control how you drink alcoholic beverages. It is a powerful addiction, but it is possible to recover from it you can arm yourself with accurate information, make use of consulting services, and work to increase the number of days you can get by without relying on an alcoholic drink. If any of this sounds familiar to you, please do not worry or torture yourself about it alone. Instead reach out and take advantage of our consultations on getting over alcoholism. Consultations Days and Times Substance dependency consultations [One-on-one consultations (by reservation) / Telephone consultations] Mental Health Counseling Center Tel: 045-671-4408 Mon. – Fri. (Closed national holidays and Dec. 29 – Jan. 3) 08:45 – 17:00 Mental Health and Welfare Consultations (in each city ward, reservation system) For details, contact the Elderly and Disabled Support Division in your city ward of residence. Mon. – Fri. (Closed national holidays and Dec. 29 - Jan. 3) 08:45 – 17:00 Heart to Heart Telephone Consultations Tel: 045-662-3522 Mon. – Fri.: 17:00 - 21:30 Sat./Sun./national holidays: 08:45 – 21:30 Evening seminars for families For those of you worried about alcohol issues of family members - Basic Course on Alcohol Dependence for Families - 【Instructor】 Yumoto Yosuke (National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center Psychiatry Department physician) 【Date】Nov. 20 (Wed.) 19:00 - 20:00 (Admission begins at 18:45) 【Venue】Port Opening Memorial Hall Room 1 (1-6, Honcho, Naka Ward) 【Target audience】Families of individuals with problems with alcohol. First arrival on day of event. Maximum attendance: 60 横浜市 依存症 Search 【Inquiries】 Yokohama City Mental Health Counseling Center Tel: 045-671-4455 Fax: 045-662-3525 IR (Integrated Resorts) Citizens’ Briefings The City of Yokohama is moving forward with full-fledged studies and preparations for the establishment of integrated resorts in the city. We will be holding Citizens’ Briefing on the city’s thinking on IR and related issues in all 18 city wards. In December briefings will be held in the six wards listed on the right. 【Briefer】 Fumiko Hayashi, Mayor of Yokohama 【Entrance fee】 Free Ward Venue Time Naka Ward Port Opening Memorial Hall Dec. 4 (Weds.) Kanagawa Ward Kanagawa Kokaido Public Hall Dec. 9 (Mon.) Nishi Ward Nishi Kokaido Public Hall Dec. 14 (Sat.) Kanazawa Ward Kanazawa Kokaido Public Hall Dec. 19 (Thurs.) Tsurumi Ward Tsurumi Kokaido Public Hall Dec. 21 (Sat.) Isogo Ward Isogo Kokaido Public Hall Dec. 26 (Thurs.) ※ Time (all briefings): 19:00 – 20:30 (scheduled) Application Process Please apply by e-mail or fax, including:（1）requested venue（2）name (include spelling in Japanese kana)（3）contact information（4）city ward of residence (or ward where you work or study). ※ If you require sign language interpretation or use a wheel chair, please include this information when you apply. 【Application Period】Nov. 8 (Fri.) – Nov. 22 (Fri.) Apply to: Email: irsetsumeikai@y-offside.co.jp Fax: 045-661-0604 ※ Applications accepted for December briefings only (6 wards above). Briefings will be held in the remaining 12 wards each month from January on. Details will be announced by the month before the briefing in Koho Yokohama and on the city homepage. 横浜市ＩＲ Search Notes Please send one application per person. You may not apply for multiple people on one application. These briefings are being provided for individuals living, working, or studying in Yokohama. When there are more applications than can be accommodated, participation will be decided by lottery, with precedence given to residents of the wards where the events are held. All applicants will be notified of application results. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, one person may not apply for briefings at more than one venue. Applicants experiencing difficulty applying by e-mail or FAX may call Tel: 045-650-7851 (Call times: 09:00 - 17:00 Mon. through Fri. <Excepting Sat. / Sun. / Holidays / New Year’s Holidays>) “Koho Yokohama” Special Edition We are planning a special edition of Koho Yokohama that will provide detailed information on IR (integrated resorts). 【Inquiries】 IR Desk Tel: 045-671-4135 Fax: 045-663-4613 Direct Connecting Line Between Sotetsu Line and JR Enters Service November 30 (Sat.) A new Sotetsu/JR direct rail line adding a new 2.7-kilometer connecting line between tracks near the Sotetsu Line Nishiya Station and the JR Tokaido Freight Line Yokohama Hazawa Station will enter service on November 30, allowing the operation of direct train services on both the Sotetsu and JR lines. Together with the opening of the new lines, a new station, Hazawa Yokohama Kokudai Station, will also open for service. Further, work is underway to open a direct Sotetsu Line/Tokyu Line between Hazawa Yokohama Kokudai Station on the Sotetsu Line and Hiyoshi Station on the Tokyu Line (approximately 10 kilometers long), with service to begin in the second half of FY2022. Omiya ※ Limited to selected trains during the morning rush-hour period only. JR Saikyo Line Shinjuku Shibuya Ebisu Osaki Meguro Shinagawa Shimbashi Tokyo Tokyu Line Den’en Chofu Hiyoshi Shin-Tsunashima (provisional name) Shin-Yokohama (provisional name) JR Yokosuka Line Nishi-Oi Musashi Kosugi JR Tokaido (freight) Line Hazawa Yokohama Kokudai Nishiya New line opening Sotetsu Main Line Yokohama Futamatagawa Yamato Ebina Sotetsu Izumino Line Shonan-dai Get where you’re going faster! Sample Travel Times Futamatagawa Station Shinjuku Station After opening: 44 min. at fastest Ryokuen Toshi Station -> Shinjuku Station After opening: 57 min. at fastest When you use “commuter express” trains and transfer to JR direct express at Futamatagawa Station Fewer train changes! With the new direct service to central Tokyo, there will be fewer change of trains at stations in between, allowing you to reach your destination more smoothly. Futamatagawa Station Train change Yokohama Station Shibuya Station Eliminates bothersome transfers 【Inquiries】 Urban Development Bureau Urban Transportation Division Tel: 045-671-2722 Fax: 045-663-3415