Nakama Mayor Kenji Fukuda Promotes Local Charm on YouTube Program 'Trying Something with the Mayor'

Ichini Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Suguru Takahata), operator of the political and election portal site 'Senkyo Dot Com,' is broadcasting a YouTube program titled 'Trying Something with the Mayor,' where local government heads across Japan take on various challenges to promote their municipalities. The 43rd episode features Kenji Fukuda, Mayor of Nakama City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Released on June 1st, the episode shows Mayor Fukuda promoting the city's appeal from in front of Nakama Station. Nakama City is a place where the nature of the Onga River, industrial functions, and residential areas coexist. It once flourished with coal transport from the Chikuho Coalfield and holds history that supported Japan's modernization, including the 'Onga River Pumping Station,' a component of the World Heritage site 'Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.' The city is also actively engaged in SDGs and environmental policies, promoting sustainable urban development. In this episode, the mayor explores the city using 'footpath' walking, a concept originating in the UK, to experience the local landscape and SDGs. The program was launched in May 2024 to address the crisis of potential municipal disappearance due to population decline and the difficulty voters face in understanding their leaders' policies. Mayor Kenji Fukuda, born in 1960 in Ishikawa Prefecture, was a former talent and actor before being elected Mayor of Nakama in 2017, currently serving his third term.