たばこの気持ち

2月22日、私はふるさと回帰支援センターに伺いました。

当センター事務局長様とは、同じ社宅、同じ部署の上司と部下（私）、同じOB会のメンバー、ビール飲み仲間でした。

当日は、福島県東白川郡4町村（塙町、棚倉町、矢祭町、鮫川村）が合同で、有楽町駅前にあるふるさと回帰支援センターの会議室をお借りし、午後6時半から移住セミナーを開催しました。

しかし、私は午後3時半から、初めて訪れたふるさと回帰支援センター内や活動概要について、事務局長様からご丁寧な説明を受けました。

彼は「移住は次善の策であり、日本の人口減少は止まらない。町民や関係人口による活性化と情熱こそが、生き残る道だ」と述べ、私は心から納得させられました。

On February 22, I visited the Furusato Support Center.

I met the Executive Director of the Center, who was my boss and subordinate (me) in the same company housing and department, a member of the same alumni association, and a beer-drinking buddy.

On the day of the seminar, four towns and villages in Higashishirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture (Hanawa Town, Tanakura Town, Yamatsuri Town, and Samegawa Village) jointly held an emigration seminar from 6:30 p.m. in a conference room at the Furusato Support Center in front of Yurakucho Station.

Before that, I wanted to introduce the people from the four towns and villages to the Executive Director, but due to circumstances on both sides, it was not possible to do so.

However, from 3:30 p.m. I received a careful explanation from the Executive Director about the inside of the Furusato Support Center, which I visited for the first time, and an overview of its activities.

He said, "Emigration is the next best thing, and Japan's population decline will not stop. The revitalization and passion of the town's residents and related populations is the only way to survive." I was truly convinced.