General Assembly of Abiko International Relations Association (AIRA) for FY2019 was held at the multi- purpose hall of Abiko Civic Plaza.(No.19-4)

Date & time: 26th April (Fri), 2019 13:00～15：00
Participants: Approx. 50 people

The General Assembly was chaired by Ms. Noriko Adachi, Director of Administration and started with word of opening by Ms.Wu Chun Xia from China, who is now learning at AIRA Japanese Language Class.
Following an address by AIRA President Mr.Yasuhiko Hesaki, Mr. Junichiro Hoshino (AIRA Honorary President and Mayor of Abiko City, represented by Vice Mayor Akira Aoki) and Mr. Yukio Shiina (AIRA Advisor and Chairman of Abiko City Council) gave words respectively.
The proposed items were discussed chaired by Mr.Hesaki. The business report and the settlement of accounts of FY2018 as well as the business plan and the business budget of FY2019 were discussed.
AIRA Vice President Ms. Fumiko Kitajima explained the business report of FY2018.  She described the whole report and then elaborated on the projects of each department.
Mr. Isamu Yoda, Accountant, reported about the settlement of income and expenditure of each accounting item and Mr. Shuuichirou Kurihara, Auditor, confirmed the report was correct and appropriate.
In the discussion session there was a proposal by a member to ask local companies to support AIRA Speech Contest and offer prizes for the contestants.  It was agreed that this proposal should be positively considered.  All the items on the agenda were approved as a result of deliberation.
Then, seven newly assigned directors, one new officer and nine attending directors were introduced.
Next, Vice President Hitoshi Ichikawa explained the whole business plan for FY 2019 and the directors of each department explained their projects.
Ms. Noriko Adachi : Director of Administration
Mr. Takayuki Nakamura : Director of Public Relations
Mr. Masamoto Uehara : Director of Foreign Language Courses
Mr. Kouichi Murakoshi (AIRA Vice President) : Representing Directors of Cross-Cultural Activities and Volunteer Activities
The contents of the business plan were almost unchanged from last year’s while Department of Foreign Languages Courses proposed to conduct “Spring Special Course (Travel English)” as a first trial.
The budget plan was reported by Mr. Isamu Yoda, Accountant, and the budgetary amount this year is a little more than \14,676,000, which is about \357,000 less than last year’s, taking possible decrease of students of foreign language courses into consideration.
Both the business plan and the budget plan were approved as a result of deliberation.
It was announced the two advisors would remain in the same position, which finalized all discussions and the General Assembly ended with the word of closing by Ms. Wu Chun Xia.
Note : The documents of the General Assembly are available at Secretariat.
Mr.Uehara emceed the party held in the same place after the General Gssembly.
In the party following Mr. Murakoshi’s opening address, Mr.Masatoshi Hojo (Yamashina Institute for Ornithology), Mr. Yoshifumi Kawaji (Leader of the AIRA English translation group), Ms. Masako Serizawa (Chairman of Standing Committee, General Affairs Planning of Abiko City Council) and Ms. Haruyo Sato (Principal of Hakusan Junior High School) made short speeches and talked about their deep attachment to AIRA. The party ended with the word of closing by Vice President Mr. Ichikawa.

(Translated by Katsumi Nakajima)