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New Hydrogen Station Opens
City Hall’s Hydrogen Leader City Project aims to make hydrogen a viable source of energy. In April, the world’s first hydrogen station where hydrogen is sourced from biogas emitted from fermented sludge opened inside the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant. The gas will be used for fuel-cell vehicles. Inquiries: New Industry Promotion Section (092-711-4344); Wastewater Planning Section (092-711-4515)
Love Earth Cleanup 2015
Come out and help clean up the city’s beaches, rivers and parks on Jun. 7 (Sun). No applications necessary. Anyone is welcome to join, so dress comfortably, bring some work gloves and meet at one of 190 meeting spots around the city. Signup starts at 9:00 (10:45 at the Jigyohama Beach main venue). The event will proceed as planned in the case of a light drizzle but will be cancelled if there are heavier rains. Inquiries: Recycling-Based Society Planning Section (092-711-4308)
Seaside Bike Project
The City is currently pilot testing a community cycling program called Seaside Bike. Users can pick up and drop off rental bicycles from six bike stations in the city, including Cross Country Bicycle Shops (Hawks Town, Keyaki-dori and Nakasu) and the Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk Hotel. No registration required. Payment is by credit card only (¥200 for the first hour; ¥100 for each additional hour; ¥1,000 daily max).
Fukuoka Airport to Get New Runway
Fukuoka Airport is the busiest single-runway airport in Japan. To alleviate congestion and respond to future demand, the national government will conduct an environmental assessment among other preliminary measures. The new runway is slated to cost ¥164.3 billion and take 10 years to complete. Work has already begun on a second taxiway next to the domestic terminal. This fiscal year, the government will renovate the parking lot and Fukuoka Airport Building Co. will redevelop the terminal buildings.
Proposed location of new runway
Fukuoka City Museum Turns 25
The Fukuoka City Museum, which opened on October 18, 1990, will turn 25 later this year. The museum houses displays on local history, the city’s ties with Asia, and more. From Jun. 6 to Jul. 26, the museum will exhibit 120 coal mine paintings from the Sakubei Yamamoto collection, Japan’s first entry in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. In July and August, the museum will be open until 19:00 every day except Sundays and holidays.
“Tachibori” (c) Yamamoto Family; courtesy of Tagawa City Coal Mining Museum
Free AIDS Tests
Jun. 1 (Mon) ~ 7 (Sun) is HIV Testing Week. Last year, a record high 49 new HIV and AIDS cases were reported in the city. Primarily transmitted through sexual contact, HIV can infect anyone, not just certain groups of people. The symptoms of HIV do not manifest themselves immediately, so many people do not realize they have the disease. Health & Welfare Centers will be offering free, anonymous AIDS consultations and tests. Inquiries: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Section (092-711-4270)
For more Information
Fukuoka City Bulletin
Fukuoka Shisei Dayori is City Hall’s official magazine published bi-weekly on 1st and 15th of each month 23 times per year. It’s available in Japanese online too. Consider using it for Japanese study! ふくおか市政だより Website: www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/shisei/kouhou-hodo/shiseidayori/
