At the annual meeting in Charlotte, N.C. this past July, I was honored to be named the first recipient of a NACo fellowship to Japan’s Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). The council (in existence since 1993) fosters relationships between local government representatives from all over the world with local government representatives in Japan in order to discuss and address issues of common concern.

From Oct. 20 through Oct. 31, more than 200 people, including seven from the United States, visited Tokyo and other parts of Japan, to exchange ideas and gain a greater understanding of the issues confronting local governments throughout the world. Besides Japan, participants included those from Great Britain, France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Philippines, Peoples Republic of China, Viet nam, Laos and Malaysia.

During the two-day conference in Tokyo, participants attended general sessions and workshops under the broad theme of “Overcoming Barriers: Promoting International Activities through Partnership.”

Keynote address subjects included how to build relations between diverse societies, starting partnerships within local governments, and the role technology plays in assisting communications during real-time decision making.

There was considerable discussion about cultural differences and the need to understand one’s own culture before embarking on other relationships. This included respect for religion, government structure and other actions or attitudes shaped by culture and customs. In addition, there was considerable discussion about the pressures placed on local governments to address the needs of their citizens.

After the two-day conference, the participants left Tokyo for other parts of Japan to see first-hand how local government operates.

Those of us from the United States flew some 400 miles south of Tokyo to visit Kochi Prefecture and its towns and governments on the island of Shikoku. (There are 47 prefectures in Japan, which are similar to states in the U.S.) Besides NACo, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, Council of State Governments, National Conference of State Legislatures and the International City/County Management Association were represented. Two people from CLAIR, three representatives from the Kochi prefectural government and a guide from the Japan Travel Bureau accompanied us to Kochi.

We were on the go from morning until night for the next six days. We visited with Gov. Daijiro Hashimoto of Kochi Prefecture as well as with mayors, council members and staff of cities, towns, schools and universities throughout Kochi. (There are no counties in Japan.)

We discovered that no matter where one lives, the issues are not much different. In Kochi Prefecture, there was major concern about the aging population and infrastructure of the area. The children are leaving to go to the big cities for greater economic opportunity; leaving behind an increasingly older population that requires services. This has undermined the traditional role of families in the culture of Japan and has made it more difficult to keep traditional religions and customs alive. We learned that in Kochi Prefecture, 25 percent of the population is more than 65 years old.

Local government is finding it necessary to focus on health care, day care for senior citizens, and the delivery of basic services for all citizens, as the population base shifts.

In addition, we learned that not all of Japan is “wired.” There are a number of communities in Kochi that are not yet served or are having difficulty being served by technology, and more specifically the Internet because of the remoteness and rural nature of the area. And just as in the United States, the relationships between the local government and the state and national governments in Japan are often strained because of the issue of mandates with limited means of funding them.

The traditional industries and economy of Kochi are under increasing pressure. The fishing industry is threatened. (Fish are a critical staple of the Japanese diet.) The timber industry is sluggish because of imports. Agricultural produce, including tea and rice, is not as viable because of market pressures. There is no manufacturing to speak of in this part of Japan.

However, Kochi still is a beautiful and viable area. At Muroto Cape there is a very active effort to develop and use the benefits of deep-sea water. The Aqua Farm is only one of three in the entire world. (The other two are in Hawaii and Norway.) This water is being tested and used to improve the foods, lifestyles and health of Japanese citizens. In other parts of Kochi, tourism is seen as part of the solution to the economy of the prefecture.

While visiting the mountain town of Yusuhara (a town that is more than 1,000 years old), we discovered that the culture and traditions of the town were alive and well. We attended the annual fall festival at which the traditional Kagura dance is performed at the Shinto temple. Many parents were there with their babies to receive blessings for a long and healthful life.

One of Mayor Takeyoshi Nakagoshi’s goals is to see that these customs and traditions continue. In fact, the mayor encourages his staff to participate in those traditions.

As NACo’s first participant in the CLAIR fellowship, I view the program as a resounding success. It provides an excellent forum to discuss local government issues with people from all over the world and to learn how we might address similar issues.

We made lifelong friendships and relationships with the ability to seek counsel and advice from people who have different perspectives on the same issues.

(Dan Chadwick is the executive director of the Idaho Association of Counties.)