by Although it is an initiative related to the popular anime “Crayon Shin-chan” set in Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture, is it outside the mosquito net? The fact that the agreement between the three prefectures related to the characters was concluded without Kasukabe City has caused a stir in the local area.
The agreement was signed in July this year by the three prefectures of Saitama, where the main character Shinnosuke Nohara’s (Shin-chan) family lives, Akita, the hometown of Shin-chan’s father (Hiroshi), and Kumamoto, the hometown of Shin-chan’s mother (Misae), and Futabasha, the original publisher. Concluded.
It was named the “Family City Agreement” to ”let us work together like a family to attract tourists from all over the country and promote mutual exchanges.”
A stamp rally has already started in all municipalities in Saitama Prefecture, and a tourism PR video has already been released. Mutual PR at product fairs, mini travel fairs at commercial facilities, cooperation with airlines and railway companies, and more.
However, Kasukabe City has been promoting the fact that it is “Shin-chan’s town” daily. Although it is a movement at the prefectural level, there are voices of disappointment that the agreement was concluded without residents.
At the plenary session of the city council on the 7th of this month, Councilor Hideo Mizunuma asked, “I cannot shake the feeling that Kasukabe City, my town, is ‘outside the mosquito net’ in the story of the conclusion of the Family City Agreement so far.”
According to the city, Futabasha had provided information that they would be signing an agreement with the three prefectures, and the city was looking for ways to cooperate. Makoto Hyuga, general manager of the general policy department, told the city council, “From now on, we would like to actively involve and cooperate with our city, which is here.” However, the details of the cooperation have yet to be considered.
A prefectural official said, “We have no intention of keeping Kasukabe City ‘outside the mosquito net.’ Therefore, we should welcome the announcement of cooperation. It will be very lively. We want to discuss what kind of cooperation we can do.” I am sending (Jun Sato)
