JIRO Local, Now

Hello, this is Jiro. I hope you’ve all been doing well. Lately, both Japan and Korea have been hearing the term “regional decline” more and more often. As young people leave for cities in search of jobs and education, many local communities are slowly losing their energy and momentum. How should we make sense of this reality, and what direction should regions take in the years ahead? To explore these questions, we sat down with Professor Nobuo Akai, a leading scholar who has spent many years researching local public finance and decentralization in Japan. Professor Nobuo Akai (Osaka University) Name : Nobuo Akai Affiliation : Osaka University Areas of Expertise : Public Economics, Decentralization

 Hello, this is Jiro 🙂 Starting this month, we’re excited to introduce Jiro Letter , a monthly magazine that explores local places and the stories behind them. Each issue is published in Korean, English, and Japanese , so more readers can connect with local communities. For our very first issue, we’re heading to Eumseong County, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea . Inside, you’ll find stories about Geobuknori (Turtle Play) , a traditional folk ritual performed during the Seolseong Cultural Festival, along with insights into the factors behind Eumseong’s recent population growth , and a curated list of local eateries loved by longtime residents . Come take a closer look at Eumseong right now.

 Hello, this is Jiro! Today, we’d like to properly introduce who we are and why we do what we do. Jiro is a project team formed by Korean university students who share a common concern: the quiet disappearance of local regions—and with them, someone’s hometown, memories, and everyday life. Rather than standing by, we asked ourselves a simple question: “What can we do, right now?” That question became the starting point of Jiro, and it continues to guide our work in regional revitalization. To keep things easy and engaging, let us introduce ourselves through a short Q&A.