[Ashibetsu, Hokkaido] From Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad to City Council Member: Regional Revitalization That Delves into the "Core of Administration" Revealed at DAO-Mane Study Session
Aruyarm Inc. held a DAO-Mane Study Session in Ashibetsu, Hokkaido, featuring 'Mr. Shinmura,' who transitioned from the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad to a city council member. The session shared practical knowledge on regional revitalization that engages with the core of administration.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 18:10
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 09:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 15, 2026 at 09:03 (95h 31m after Collected)
Aruyarm Inc. (Headquarters: Sapporo, CEO: Hiroaki Hatanaka), a company promoting regional revitalization through NFTs, utilized its Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad DAO Solution to hold a DAO-Mane Study Session for squad members who have relocated.
We welcomed 'Mr. Shinmura,' who moved from Shibuya, Tokyo, served in the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad (Forestry Division), and is now a member of the Ashibetsu City Council, as our lecturer. He shared raw, practical knowledge for changing a region from its core, covering his journey of resigning mid-term to run in the 2019 unified local elections, administrative reforms he could only achieve as a city council member, and practical know-how for running in the upcoming unified local elections next year.
What is a DAO-Mane Study Session?
The missions and environments for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad vary greatly by municipality, and it's often called a 'job with no right answer.' However, numerous replicable learnings exist on the ground across the country, such as practical knowledge, failures, and ways to interact with people that cannot be measured by numbers.
Aruyarm Inc. conducts these study sessions with the aim of 'transforming the experience of each squad member from a personal one into cross-cutting learning.'
By having squad members who are achieving results in the field speak for themselves, we create a more practical and realistic learning environment for incoming squad members and those currently facing challenges.
Themes of the DAO-Mane Study Session
This study session is not just about sharing know-how; it features content focused on the 'process leading to results,' such as:
- Organizing the mission required by the municipality
- The behind-the-scenes of daily, steady activities
- Building trust with local residents and the town hall
- Practical examples of social media outreach and creating a 'relationship population'
- Things that didn't go well and current challenges
It is designed so that squad members can participate while thinking, 'How can I apply this to my own region?'
This Session's Theme
Mr. Shinmura on 'From Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad to City Council Member in Ashibetsu, Hokkaido: Preserving the Region by Engaging with the Core of Administration.'
In this study session, Mr. Shinmura, active in Ashibetsu, explained with practical examples:
- The story behind choosing the 'exit strategy' of becoming a city council member after three years with the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad
- Administrative reforms achieved as a city council member (e.g., Free Mission Division, Zero Carbon City Declaration)
- Reforming the current situation where there is no game processing facility, despite capturing 1,200 deer, 800 raccoons, and 25 brown bears annually in Ashibetsu
- The concept of preserving Ashibetsu High School and establishing a 'Natural Animal Science Department'
- Practical know-how for running in the unified local elections on April 25, 2027
A particularly noted point was his consistent stance that 'to preserve the region, it is necessary to be involved in the core of administration.' An approach of changing the direction of the administration itself from the position of a council member, who has certain authority as a representative of the citizens, was shared, going beyond methods like event management or starting a business.
Case Study ①: The Path of a City Council Member Chosen as an 'Exit Strategy' for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad
Mr. Shinmura moved to Ashibetsu in 2016 as a member of the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad (Forestry Division). During his term, he was energetically involved in activities such as developing pet food from deer meat, commercializing Kuromoji medicinal herbs, holding deer meat curry classes, and opening a private lodging (a first for Ashibetsu). At the same time, he says he constantly felt a sense of urgency about 'how to produce results in a three-year term.'
Exits such as employment at the forestry cooperative or chainsaw work at a forestry company were presented, but he decided he would 'get bored with just forestry.' Sparked by a casual remark, 'Why don't you just become a council member?' during a barbecue with friends, he resigned from the squad mid-term and ran in the 2019 city council election, winning his first term.
Initially, he faced a strong headwind, with people around him threatening that 'there's no room for a new guy.' Nevertheless, including his second election in 2023, he has shown through his own career that being a council member is a possible 'next career' option for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad.
Case Study ②: Old Administrative Systems That Can Only Be Changed by a Council Member
As a city council member, Mr. Shinmura has made numerous proposals in general questions and committee meetings, and has actually moved the system.
A representative achievement is the creation of the 'Free Mission Division' for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad. Previously, recruitment was limited to frameworks like the agriculture or forestry divisions, but he established a new proposal-based recruitment slot for those who want to say, 'This is what I want to do.' This created an entrance for diverse human resources to enter the region.
He has also promoted the realization of the 'Zero Carbon City Declaration' and the installation of air conditioners in the aging city hall. Currently, he is working towards further achievements, including a review of the hot spring ticket system for those over 70, which has only a 20% utilization rate, the establishment of an all-weather playground, and the expansion of the Yubari Training Room's use.
'A council member doesn't have budget authority and is in an audit-like position. However, you have many opportunities to talk with department heads, directors, the mayor, and the vice-mayor. You really do.'
We welcomed 'Mr. Shinmura,' who moved from Shibuya, Tokyo, served in the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad (Forestry Division), and is now a member of the Ashibetsu City Council, as our lecturer. He shared raw, practical knowledge for changing a region from its core, covering his journey of resigning mid-term to run in the 2019 unified local elections, administrative reforms he could only achieve as a city council member, and practical know-how for running in the upcoming unified local elections next year.
What is a DAO-Mane Study Session?
The missions and environments for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad vary greatly by municipality, and it's often called a 'job with no right answer.' However, numerous replicable learnings exist on the ground across the country, such as practical knowledge, failures, and ways to interact with people that cannot be measured by numbers.
Aruyarm Inc. conducts these study sessions with the aim of 'transforming the experience of each squad member from a personal one into cross-cutting learning.'
By having squad members who are achieving results in the field speak for themselves, we create a more practical and realistic learning environment for incoming squad members and those currently facing challenges.
Themes of the DAO-Mane Study Session
This study session is not just about sharing know-how; it features content focused on the 'process leading to results,' such as:
- Organizing the mission required by the municipality
- The behind-the-scenes of daily, steady activities
- Building trust with local residents and the town hall
- Practical examples of social media outreach and creating a 'relationship population'
- Things that didn't go well and current challenges
It is designed so that squad members can participate while thinking, 'How can I apply this to my own region?'
This Session's Theme
Mr. Shinmura on 'From Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad to City Council Member in Ashibetsu, Hokkaido: Preserving the Region by Engaging with the Core of Administration.'
In this study session, Mr. Shinmura, active in Ashibetsu, explained with practical examples:
- The story behind choosing the 'exit strategy' of becoming a city council member after three years with the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad
- Administrative reforms achieved as a city council member (e.g., Free Mission Division, Zero Carbon City Declaration)
- Reforming the current situation where there is no game processing facility, despite capturing 1,200 deer, 800 raccoons, and 25 brown bears annually in Ashibetsu
- The concept of preserving Ashibetsu High School and establishing a 'Natural Animal Science Department'
- Practical know-how for running in the unified local elections on April 25, 2027
A particularly noted point was his consistent stance that 'to preserve the region, it is necessary to be involved in the core of administration.' An approach of changing the direction of the administration itself from the position of a council member, who has certain authority as a representative of the citizens, was shared, going beyond methods like event management or starting a business.
Case Study ①: The Path of a City Council Member Chosen as an 'Exit Strategy' for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad
Mr. Shinmura moved to Ashibetsu in 2016 as a member of the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad (Forestry Division). During his term, he was energetically involved in activities such as developing pet food from deer meat, commercializing Kuromoji medicinal herbs, holding deer meat curry classes, and opening a private lodging (a first for Ashibetsu). At the same time, he says he constantly felt a sense of urgency about 'how to produce results in a three-year term.'
Exits such as employment at the forestry cooperative or chainsaw work at a forestry company were presented, but he decided he would 'get bored with just forestry.' Sparked by a casual remark, 'Why don't you just become a council member?' during a barbecue with friends, he resigned from the squad mid-term and ran in the 2019 city council election, winning his first term.
Initially, he faced a strong headwind, with people around him threatening that 'there's no room for a new guy.' Nevertheless, including his second election in 2023, he has shown through his own career that being a council member is a possible 'next career' option for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad.
Case Study ②: Old Administrative Systems That Can Only Be Changed by a Council Member
As a city council member, Mr. Shinmura has made numerous proposals in general questions and committee meetings, and has actually moved the system.
A representative achievement is the creation of the 'Free Mission Division' for the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad. Previously, recruitment was limited to frameworks like the agriculture or forestry divisions, but he established a new proposal-based recruitment slot for those who want to say, 'This is what I want to do.' This created an entrance for diverse human resources to enter the region.
He has also promoted the realization of the 'Zero Carbon City Declaration' and the installation of air conditioners in the aging city hall. Currently, he is working towards further achievements, including a review of the hot spring ticket system for those over 70, which has only a 20% utilization rate, the establishment of an all-weather playground, and the expansion of the Yubari Training Room's use.
'A council member doesn't have budget authority and is in an audit-like position. However, you have many opportunities to talk with department heads, directors, the mayor, and the vice-mayor. You really do.'