［August 2012］
Introducing our new Director, Yasuhiko Tanabe

It is a great honor to introduce myself as the seventh director of the Japan Local Government Centre (CLAIR, Sydney). Established in 1994, our mission has been to help develop the relationship between Japanese local governments and those of Australia and New Zealand.  As the new director, I would like to do my best to foster sister city and sister school relationships, exchange information about challenges local governments are facing, and support former and future JET (Japan Exchange Teaching) program participants.

If you are interested in any of these matters, please feel free to contact us.

I entered the Ministry of Interior (now Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) twenty years ago. For half of my career, I have worked for the central government, and for the rest of it, I worked for local governments.  During my time as a government official, I have been involved in many ways with disaster response.

In 1995, after the Great Hanshin Earthquake happened, I was delegated to CLAIR New York to research the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) system.

In 2004, just after the Great Sumatra Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami occurred, I was dispatched to Phuket, Thailand, as team leader of the Japanese Helicopter Rescue Team.

In 2011, when the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck Japan, I was Director General of Aomori prefecture which was severely hit by the tsunami. Headed by the Governor, we worked hard to rescue and help the victims and to reconstruct our communities with the kind support from all over the world including Australia and New Zealand.

I would like to share with you what we have learned through these tremendous disasters.

Since my wife and I came to Sydney, we have been enjoying various kinds of delicious dishes and spectacular views. Above all, we are very happy with the warm hospitality we have received from the local people here.

My recent career is as follows:

Apr 2009 – Mar 2012 Director General of General Affairs,

Aomori Prefectural Government

Apr 2007- Mar 2009 Planning Director, Local Tax Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

Apr 2004 – Mar 2006 Disaster Management Specialist, Fire and Disaster Management Agency, MIC

Apr 2002 – Mar 2004 Director of Finance

Tottori Prefectural Government

Again I am very happy to work with you here and looking forward seeing you soon.

Yasuhiko Tanabe

Director