Information from KIRA

　Kashiwa International Exchange Festival 2024

We will talk to a foreign instructor on the topic of "How to make friends with foreigners living in Japan and Japanese people."

The festival will introduce exchanges with sister and friendship cities,
as well as the activities of the Kashiwa International Association.
There will also be international music and dance performances,
foreign products for sale, and cuisine from around the world.

■Date and time : Monday, October 14, 2024, 11:00-16:00 (rain or shine)
■Location : Howdy Mall, East Exit of Kashiwa Station
■Participation : Go directly to the venue
■Inquiries : Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center TEL: 04-7175-0281

Online International Exchange Salon

We will talk to a foreign instructor on the topic of "How to make friends with foreigners living in Japan and Japanese people."

■Date and time : Thursday, 17th October , 2024, 8pm-9pm
■Location : Online (Zoom)
■Number of participants : First 30 people
■Instructor : Ms.Adarsh Bala Sharma
■Participation fee : Free
■Application period : 1st Oct. (Tue.) ? 16th Oct.(Thu.) 2024
■How to apply:
Please write "Participate in the International Exchange Online Salon."
　　　　In the body of the email, write your “name” and “phone number” then, send an email to
Kashiwa City International Exchange Center, Mail to boshu-1@kira-kira.jp
Or, directly contact to the center.

Free Legal Advice and Administrative Procedure Support for Foreign Residents

To foreign residents. Are you in need of help? Lawyers and administrative procedure specialists are available for consultation. You can ask for specialists’ advice on issues such as family or partner violence, divorce, visa procedures, and problems at work. Reservation necessary.

Date & Time: Oct. 23 (Wed), 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Place: Palette Kashiwa Meeting Room F
Reservation: the KCC office

“Halloween party with foreigners” event information

Let's enjoy the Halloween party together, Japanese and foreigners alike!

■Date and time : Sun. 27th October 2024, 13:00-14:30
■Location : Palette Kashiwa Open Space
■Number of participants : First 50 people ■Participation fee : Children only, 500 yen
■Application period : Tue. 1st October to Fri. 25th October 2024
■How to apply:
　　Write "Participate in the Halloween party".
　　In the body of the email, write your name and phone number, and
　　 send an email to the Kashiwa City International Exchange Center
　　boshu-1@kira-kira.jp or directly to the center.

"The 9th Japanese Speech Contest for Foreigners in Kashiwa"　Participant recruitment

A Japanese speech contest will be held. We are looking for people to participate in the contest.


Date and time: Sunday, February 16, 2025, 12:00-16:00
Location: Palette Kashiwa
Participants: Approximately 15 people


■Conditions for application: Applicants must meet all of the following
conditions:
- Residents, employees, or students in the Tokatsu area
- Non-native Japanese speakers
- Both parents are foreign nationals
■Application details:
Fill out the required information on the designated application form and send it to the Kashiwa City
International Center by email, post, or in person.
Email: International Exchange Center boshu-1@kira-kira.jp
Address: 1-7-1-301 Kashiwa, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, 277-0005, DayOne Tower 3F
Palette Kashiwa　Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center
・Download the application form here >>>

■Application period : 1st Oct (Tue.) - 25th Dec.(Wed.) , 2024
■Inquiries: Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center, TEL: 04-7175-0281

※ Application document review criteria for the 9th Japanese Speech Contest for Foreigners

The criteria are as follows:
1) Is the presenter's intention and argument clearly conveyed.
2) Is there originality and creativity.
3) Is the speech thought out with empathy and something that makes people want to listen to it.

NOTE

Please include the event name, your name and phone number when applying by email The events may be cancelled depending on the Covid-19 situation. Contact the office for more information. Please wear a mask when participating.

Information

KCC is renewing the homepage. Refer to https://www.kcc.kira-kira.jp/

The English version of Kawara-ban is available at https://www.kcc.kira-kira.jp/kawaraban/

We are proud to introduce to you the brand new KCC YouTube Channel!

YouTube>>>

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Thank you all for your cooperation!

We received a lot of used stamps, undeliverable postcards, and coins this year. After announcing in the Kawara-ban that we would be sorting them out on December 12, many people came to help. We sent the used stamps to the Green Defense Fund, the postcards to the Japan Committee for Vaccines for the World's Children, and the coins to UNICEF as donations.　

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Sign up for the Kashiwa mail delivery services.

Sign up to receive email announcements from the city, such as information about earthquakes, fires, crime, and infectious disease outbreaks in the language of your choice.
Send a blank email to this QR code.

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COVID-19 Advise during Festive Season

●Refrain from going to places where the Three C’s are likely to occur, such as events, going out to eat, and other places where infection prevention measures are not strongly enforced. You should particularly refrain from attending parties and events where an unspecified number of people can gather and talk in loud voices.

●If you participate in any events, go out to eat, etc., take appropriate infection prevention measures by keeping a safe distance from others, disinfecting your hands, wearing a mask, and refraining from speaking in a loud voice.

●Refrain from late night drinking in crowded streets and restaurants or participating in similar events as much as possible.

●Find new ways to have fun at home such as spending time with your family or joining online events.

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KIRA Covid-19 Disease Prevention Policy

As of June 15, 2020, if you are intending to attend any KCC events or courses, please be aware of the following:
If you have a body temperature higher than 37.5 degrees, cold-like symptoms, such as a cough or a sore throat, or if you are just not feeling well, you will not be permitted to attend.
At the event, please observe the following:

・Check your temperature when you first enter;
・Disinfect your hands and fingers with antiseptic solution provided in the room when entering and leaving;
・Wear a mask;
・Completely fill out your personal information on the Participant List (which will be used only in the case if an attendee is later to be found to have contracted Covid-19). This list will be discarded after three weeks;
・Avoid physical contact or talking with neighbors face to face, and keep appropriate social distancing;
・Bring your own supplies to avoid having to share;
・Refrain from eating or drinking except for the purposes of hydration (and in such cases, be sure to turn away and avoid conversation while lowering your mask);
・Do not loiter after the end of your event or course; and
・Follow the instructions of the person in charge.
If you are unable or unwilling to cooperate with the above guidelines, you will not be allowed to attend.
These guidelines are subject to change. Up-to-date guidelines are available on the KCC homepage or at the front desk of the KCC Office.

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To the foreign residents living in Kashiwa City and nearby.

Coronavirus Consultation

Please call the Kashiwa COVID-19 Consultation Center at 04-7167-6777, if you exhibit symptoms of the virus such as a fever of 37.5° or more that continue for four days or if you feel strong lethargy or struggle to breathe. If you suffer from other preexisting or underlying conditions, please contact the center if you experience a fever that persists for two days.

Guideline for foreign residents:

Please see “About the New Coronavirus,” on Chiba Prefecture’s foreign language home page at https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/international/index.html.

Information on this page is written in ‘Easy Japanese,’ English, and Chinese.

Important steps to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks: Avoid the “Three Cs”!

　�@　Closed spaces with poor ventilation,
　�A　Crowded places with many people nearby,
　�B　Close-contact settings such as close-ranged conversation.

Stay Home! Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly!

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■Notice■
To register, please register directly at the KCC office or e-mail KIRA with the name of the event, your name and your telephone number.

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Please visit NHK WORLD-JAPAN homepage for the latest information.
It is the international service of Japan’s public NHK broadcast.
NHK WORLD-JAPAN provides the latest information on Japan and Asia through television, radio and online to a global audience.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ja

Notice from the KCC Office

We put a monitor on the reception desk of the KCC Office.

Come and see pictures and videos of our activities. If you have any pictures or videos of KIRA activities, you can submit them to the KCC Office and you may be able to see them displayed as well!

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Your language abilities are needed!

Please apply to be an interpreter or translator.
Languages such as:
　　　　English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and so on.
Registration: Please send an e-mail to koryu@kira-kira.jp
　　　　　　　NPO Kashiwa International Relations Association
　　　　　　　(KIRA)
Please send the completed registration form to the KIRA .
You can download the registration form the following KIRA homepage.
　　http://www.kira-kira.jp/living/pdf/living_p201709.pdf

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Chinese Saloon

It will be cancelled for a while.

No registration is necessary. Come to the KCC on that day.

　　Date: Every third Wednesday in the month
　　Time: 10:00 a.m.to 11:30 a.m.
　　Place: Palette Kashiwa
　　Fee: free

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Advertise with KIRA

KIRA will show advertisements on the KIRA website and Kawaraban, the monthly
newsletter. KIRA is looking for advertisers who are interested in this opportunity.
To receive information on how to advertise with KIRA, please contact the KIRA office.

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Information from other than KIRA

Online study meeting for KIRA members

“Easy Japanese (first half)”

Date & Time: Thursday, June 16, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Lecturer: Ms. Tomoe Uchida (Easy Japanese instructor)
Participation fee: Free
Number of participants: 25
Application: Sign up at the KCC office, or send an email to boshu-1@kira-kira.jp with your name and phone number. We will send you the invitation link on the day.

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Kashiwa City’s Consultation Desk for Foreign Residents

　The consultation service is free of charge.
　Please call 04-7168-1033 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
　Spanish (Monday)
　Korean (Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month)
　Chinese (Wednesday and Friday)
　English (Thursday)

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Get Your Free City Residents Manual Today

For those who are registered or about to be, City Hall would like to give you a manual (in several languages) on living in the city, a disaster prevention handbook, information on how to dispose of waste, and a complete set of brochures to make your life in Kashiwa easier. Get it at the Citizen Section of City Hall (building 2, 1st Floor). Inquiry: International Exchange Office, City Hall, tel. 7167-0941.

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Multilingual Living Information Sponsored by the CLAIR

The KIRA website is linked to Daily life information sponsored by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). The CLAIR home page provides information on healthcare, education, housing, and transportation in 13 Languages.
● URL： 　http://www.clair.or.jp/e/

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Kashiwa Newsletter in Three Languages

Now you can view articles from the city newsletter in English, Spanish, and Chinese by clicking "Foreign Language" at the top of the Kashiwa City official website (http://www.city.kashiwa.lg.jp/).

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