Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Important information from Fukuoka City】

The special fixed relief benefits

This is just a reminder, but the application deadline for the 100,000 yen special relief benefits is drawing near. It is August 31st. Applications were sent to everyone who registered by April 27th as a Fukuoka City resident. Please make sure you get your application in by the deadline! If there is anything that you don’t understand please call 092-401-0826 for help or information. Again that number is 092-401-0826. This phone service is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and consultation is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali.

And, Love FM has been broadcasting a special 5 minute program to help you understand more about the special relief money. The program is called “Life in Fukuoka Special Edition-Understanding the Fixed Relief Benefits in 5 Minutes" and it is on every Monday and Saturday at 1:53pm in English.  You can also listen to this special program as a podcast at anytime on the Love FM Homepage so definitely check it out.

About Drunk Driving

Moving on to a more sobering topic, I don't know if you know, but on August 25^th, 2006, a horrific drunk driving accident occurred. In the Higashi ward, 3 children were killed by a drunk driver. That accident prompted Fukuoka City to take serious actions against drunk driving so that it would never happen again. However, despite these measures, people continue to drive drunk. In fact, in 2020, there have already been 39 incidents involving drunk drivers. Drunk driving is a crime!

After drinking, operating a motor vehicle, motor bike or bicycle is not permitted.

Lending a car to someone who has drunk, or encouraging or forcing someone who is driving to drink is also, absolutely, not okay. And if you know that someone has been drinking, you should not ride in their car.

If you drink and then drive, the possibility of getting involved in an accident is dangerously high. Your judgement and the attention you need for safe driving is reduced. Your ability to recognize high speeds or dangerous situations will be impaired and the time it'll take you hit the brakes will be delayed.

So, it is important that each and every one of us remembers “Do not drink and drive, Do not let others drink and drive! “ This year is the 14^th year of that terrible accident and from the 25^th to the 31^st of August, in remembrance, Fukuoka City Hall will have a “Messages of Life” exhibition in the first floor lobby. So, let us reflect on the tragedy that drunk driving causes, remember the victims and get rid of drunk driving together.

【Obon】

Today I want to talk about Obon, which is generally what comes to mind when one thinks about August in Japan. Have you heard of Obon? I’m guessing most of you have unless you are brand new to Japan, but just in case, I’ll give you a little intro to it. Obon is a Buddhist custom, and it is believed in Japan that during this period, the spirits of one’s ancestors return home. As such, loving family members and relatives gather to give thanks to their ancestors and pray that those in this world live safe and peaceful lives. Obon is typically the 4 days from the 13th to the 16th of August however in some parts of the Kanto area, it is between the 13th and the 16th of July. Regardless, this is why on TV around these times that you hear about the Obon Rush because if everyone heading back to their hometowns. In the US we don’t really have anything like this the closet approximation I could make might be Thanksgiving. Families typically gather for Thanksgiving dinner, meaning a lot of people go home over that holiday causing a rush like the Obon rush. However the feeling is completely different. In both cases you’re often gathered with family and there seems to be a lot of food, I’ve participated in the Obon custom here, but with Obon there is sometimes a bit of sadness remembering those who have died and well as nostalgia recalling those times past. Thanksgiving seems noisy, busy and loud! That’s just my experience though!

【Information from Fukuoka City on the special fixed relief benefits】

The application deadline for the 100,000 yen special relief benefits is August 31st. Applications were sent to everyone who registered by April 27th as a Fukuoka City resident. Please make sure you get your application in by the deadline! If there is anything that you don’t understand please call 092-401-0826 for help or information. Again that number is 092-401-0826. This phone service is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and consultation is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali.

And Love FM is also running a special broadcast called the 5 minute guide to understanding the special fixed relief benefits. The English broadcast for that is on every Monday and Saturday at 1:53 pm.

【Multilingual phone interpretation hotline for ward offices】

Next, I have information on a phone interpretation service available to foreign residents. Whether you need help with your resident’s card, aren’t sure about what you need to do when you move house, or have questions about national health insurance, taxes or even garbage, there is a phone interpretation service available for you to use to check with the ward offices.

Interpretation is available in 18 languages, among them are English, Chinese , Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali, and the phone number is 092-753-6113. Again, that is 092-753-6113. When you use this number, after you have spoken to someone at the interpretation center, you will be connected to your ward office. Make sure you tell the interpreter in which ward you live and what you are calling about. For example, you might say something like “ I live in Higashi ward and I need the certificate showing proof of earnings.”, in which case you’ll be connected to the person in charge of issuing those papers for the Higashi ward. From there, you, the ward office person and the interpreter can continue your conversation. And, if you go to the ward office in person, don’t worry, just use your phone to ring up this service if you need any interpretation help.

【Mountain day】

Mountain day was started in 2016 as a day to give thanks to the mountains for the riches they provide us with and to provide people with the opportunity to get to know the mountains better. Now it seems that June is the only month without a national holiday now that Mountain Day" has been added to the calendar in August, which actually had no holidays before the addition.

I think it’s pretty nice that there are national holidays nearly every month. I know a lot of people can’t get time off normally because they are so busy working and no doubt these holidays come as a nice break in their busy schedules.

This year, due to COVID-19, the Olympics have been postponed until next year. However because they were supposed to take place this year, the date of Mountain day was shifted to August 10th, so make sure you don’t mix up the date!

【Information from Fukuoka City on the special fixed relief benefits】

The application deadline for the 100,000 yen special relief benefits is August 31st. Applications were sent to everyone who registered by April 27th as a Fukuoka City resident. Please make sure you get your application in by the deadline! If there is anything that you don’t understand please call 092-401-0826 for help or information. Again that number is 092-401-0826. This phone service is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and consultation is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali.

And Love FM is also running a special broadcast called the 5 minute guide to understanding the special fixed relief benefits. The English broadcast for that is on every Monday and Saturday at 1:53 pm. So make sure you check that out.

【Be careful of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Red back spider and the blue-ringed octopus!】

In the summer there are a few poisonous creatures you should be careful about, including the Red Imported Fire Ant, Redback Spider and the Blue-ringed Octopus.

The Red Imported Fire Ant is a reddish-brown ant between 2.5 and 6 millimeters in length . If you are stung, you’ll feel a burning pain an some people may go into anaphylactic shock if they have a strong allergic reaction to the sting.

The Redback Spider is a venomous spider that likes to make its home in warm, sunny locations like around potted plants, under drain lids and under benches.

The spiders are about 1 centimeter in length but 3-4 centimeters with its legs stretched out. It has a black body with a red hourglass shape on its abdomen. If you are bitten you may experience pain, a fever and nausea.

If you discover the red imported fire ant or Redback spider, do not touch it with your bare hands and use an insecticide to kill it. If you are bitten, please go to the hospital immediately.

And the blue ringed octopus has been seen both in and outside of Hakata Bay. It is up to 10 centimeters long and has a distinctive blue ring pattern that appears on its body when it is agitated. It has the same deadly poison as a blowfish and in the worst case, can result in death if bitten. If you are bitten, do not try to suck the poison out with your mouth, try to squeeze it out by hand and get to a hospital right away.

【500 yen Lunch Meal】

So, what are you thinking about for lunch today? What do you usually do? Are you a convenience store lunch kind of person or do you pack your own lunch? I often pack my own lunch but I love a good a deal and around the Fukuoka area there are a number of places that do the “one coin” or 500 yen deals and one of my favorite places happens to be Saizeriya. Not only are there pasta lunches, which you would expect, but there's also curry, doria and hamburg choices as well. If I'm feeling really hungry or just being greedy, I can get two lunches, stuff myself and not break the bank. I can even go back for dinner later, order off the regular menu and still find myself with cash in my pocket. Maybe I sound like a cheapskate, but who doesn't want good value for their money? I guess what I'm having for lunch today is pretty obvious, hey?

【Preparing for heavy rain and evacuations while taking into consideration COVID-19】

In Japan, we often get typhoons. And so, it's best to check in advance what we need to do to for when the heavy rains come.  If you look at Fukuoka City's homepage, you can check hazard maps and get information on disaster prevention. If you check Support for Foreign residents, you'll find disaster prevention information for foreign residents so make sure you check that important information regularly.

In order to protect your life, it's important to know to where you should evacuate and to do that you need to plan in advance. First, take a look at flood and landslide hazard maps. You need to know if the area where you live poses any kind of danger.

If your home is in a safe location or if you live in a condominium or apartment where the higher floors are a safe place even if a disaster occurs, then do not leave your home and make sure you stay tuned to the TV, radio or other media to receive updates as information comes in.If your home may be in danger, then you need to either escape to an evacuation center or to a friend's home. Make sure you check a hazard map to ensure that your escape path is a safe one.

When you do evacuate, there are a few things that you should absolutely bring with you. These are things like water, some kind of food, clothes, hygiene or health supplies, a flash light, medicine, face masks and a thermometer. At the very least, you need to have three days worth of these supplies prepared.

This year, with the spread of COVID-19 , we need to take extra care and so if you are at an evacuation center, please wear a mask, wash  your hands and practice cough etiquette.

For emergency information on disasters, please visit Fukuoka City's Facebook page for foreign residents called (Global Community Fukuoka) or the Fukuoka City International Foundation's Facebook page. In addition, through Fukuoka City's disaster prevention mail, LINE and the disaster prevention application TSUNAGARU Plus, you will receive notifications so be sure to use these as well.