March 27. 2004
"POLITIX started up"

Some city councilors from other cities, who are all in their twenties or thirties, started up training school for those who are hoping to run for an election. Like me, they won their elections without any family background or any support from political parties. As the one who also had struggled to become what I had been hoping to, I volunteered to give lectures.

I went to the States with some other Osaka city councilors. We visited New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, where we studied their measures and policies in various fields. Each of them were so original and unique: especially, I was impressed by the crisis-management system of New York that was set up after 9.11. It was a nice chance to reexamine our system as well.

As New Year is such a traditional and thus important event for us, some companies organize some parties, inviting many guests who are in close relations. This so-called "Kagami-Biraki" is traditionally held on January 11th.

I attended the one held by Fuji Electric Industries and Densan Co., Ltd., and enjoyed some exhibitions of their old products.

Visiting a shrine is one of the customary events for Japanese New Year, and I got a chance to visit Gokoku shrine in Kyoto-city, where many Japanese Samurai during Meiji Restoration are laid in graves.

It was nice to visit their graves, thinking back the time when they were brave enough to take actions for Japan's future.

For more information about the shrine, visit at:
* Gokoku Shrine Web site (English)