Event Report:
What is future urban development that transcends local boundaries?
Part 1

While working on the "Megurumeku Project," a food and agriculture-themed community at Mitsubishi Estate, where I work, I thought, "Rather than being confined to the local area, bringing together various players might lead to regional revitalization." After meeting Okazumi and thinking about the intersection of food and urban development in the region, the idea for this summit was born.

Mitsubishi Jisho Design main job is to plan and design buildings. However, at the root of all of this is the big idea of "urban development." While creating buildings, our aim is to "create communities."

I have been living in Oga City for 71 years, and there is no better place than this. Beautiful scenery, over 140 kinds of fish to catch, and the traditional culture of Namahage. Even though the population is declining, everyone thinks Oga is a great place. Right now, good winds are blowing in Oga. One of them is offshore wind power generation. Akita Prefecture is the place where offshore wind power generation in Japan started. I want to contribute to global decarbonization.

The other is "the wind of altruism." Starting with Okazumi-kun, young people are speaking with the desire to somehow revitalize the region. I am very happy that young people with altruistic hearts have come. I am impressed by their challenge without being bound by conventional concepts, and I would like to support them together. Creating a new culture will change Oga, change Akita Prefecture, and change Japan. Everyone, let's have fun together today!

Sales dropped drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I still had time, so I went for walks and thought about what I could do. Then I had an idea: "Miyazaki alone can't do it, but if we connect the whole of Kyushu, there is something we can do." For example, Miyazaki Prefecture does not produce wheat, but if you look at Kyushu as a whole, it produces about 30% of the wheat in Japan. Until now, there was no idea of uniting people in a wide economic zone, such as promoting products that are not attracting attention together. As a result, many new products were born and became successful throughout Kyushu.

As a new value axis, we call things that can only be done in this town "super local." Local doesn't mean a place, it means people and experiences, things that everyone is proud of in the town, things that can only be experienced there. When you say "regional" or "rural," you immediately only notice social issues. Instead, we need to look at values. Thanks to the "Megurumeku Project," I was able to come here from the edge of Miyazaki and connect with you all, and I feel that we are living in an interesting era.

I'm originally from Fukuoka Prefecture, and moved to Akita Prefecture in 2014 when I started working at the Akita City brewery, Aramasa Sake Brewery. People often ask me, "Why are you working so hard even though you're not from Akita?" But I feel indebted to Akita. Before I came to Akita, I was mentally exhausted. But I made up my mind and came here, thinking that there might be something in Akita.

I am alive now thanks to the support of the Aramasa Sake Brewery, the people of Akita who have held my hand and pulled me up. I truly feel like I am being kept alive by the people of Akita. I want to give back to Akita. And the way to do that is to create jobs in the town. When I said that, so many people have helped me. When I ask people who have come to me through sake, "We need your help, so can you give us 1% of your life?", most of them give about 10%.

In fact, the three of us, including Ryo Ishida, who will be speaking later, and Ina to Agave CFO Saito, will be starting a town development company on March 22, 2023, which is Oga City Day (Oga Machi Kikaku Co., Ltd.). We would like to rebrand Unosaki Coast as a new content other than alcohol. If you are listening to this presentation and think you could do something together, please let us know.