WEEKLY KAGOSHIMA on the Web

(Mar.22-28, 2010)


Source:http://373news.com/modules/pickup/article.php?storyid=22899

Correction&reading by Patrick / Jingle by Shu&Naoya
「姶良市」誕生
　「姶良市」（姶良、加治木、蒲生）が３月２３日、新設（対等）合併により発足し、市役所本庁と各総合支所で開庁式などのセレモニーがあった。
同市誕生は「平成の大合併」としては鹿児島県内最後で、９６あった県内の市町村数は４３市町村（１９市２０町４村）になった。
　市長職務執行者となった厚地和幸旧蒲生町長は「旧３町住民がともに手を携え、創意工夫し英知を結集すれば、力強く発展する可能性を秘めた市になる。職員と一致団結してその実現に傾注していきたい」と式辞を述べた。
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“Aira City” set-up to end “Heisei merger”
Newly set-up “Aira City” was constituted on March 23 as the result of a town merger on equal terms among Aira, Kajiki and Kamo towns; and a ceremony was held at the main hall and branch offices in each region to commemorate the opening of their offices.
The establishment of the city, via town merger, had become the last case of its kind in the state-sponsored “Major consolidation of Heisei era,” in which a large number of municipalities had been merged to become larger autonomies, and with the effect of seeing the number of municipalities in the prefecture fall to 43 (19 cities, 20 towns and 4 villages) from 96.
During the ceremony, the mayor of former Kamo Town and who now has become the mayor of the new city, Mr. Atsuji Kazuyuki, said in his address that he and staff members would devote themselves to the flourishing potential of the new city in order to achieve vigorous development, while at the same time gather the wisdom of all residents from the former three towns.
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＜コメント＞
Newly set-up “Aira City” was constituted on March 23 as the result of a town merger on equal terms among Aira, Kajiki and Kamo towns; and a ceremony was held at the main hall and branch offices in each region to commemorate the opening of their offices.

Newly set-up：新設された　　　(was) constituted：制定された　　　as ~ towns：姶良、加治木、蒲生の対等合併の結果　　　(was) held：行われた（took place）　　　commemorate ~ offices：各役所の開庁を記念して


The establishment of the city, via town merger, had become the last case of its kind in the state-sponsored “Major consolidation of Heisei era,” in which a large number of municipalities had been merged to become larger autonomies, and with the effect of seeing the number of municipalities in the prefecture fall to 43 (19 cities, 20 towns and 4 villages) from 96.

Establishment：設立　　　via…：・・・を通じて　　　had ~ era：〈姶良市の設立〉は国が後押しする「平成の大合併」としては最後である　　　autonomies：自治体（単数形はautonomy）　　　with ~ 96：その影響（３町の姶良市への合併による影響のこと）で県内の自治体の数は96から43（19市20町４村）になった


During the ceremony, the mayor of former Kamo Town and who now has become the mayor of the new city, Mr. Atsuji Kazuyuki, said in his address that he and staff members would devote themselves to the flourishing potential of the new city in order to achieve vigorous development, while at the same time gather the wisdom of all residents from the former three towns.

During：・・・の間　　　mayor：市町村の長　　　address：（口頭・書面での正式な）あいさつ（formal speech）　　　he ~ city：彼（厚地和幸市長のこと）と職員は紳士の可能性を開花させるために尽力する　　　in order to…：・・・するために　　　at ~ time：同時に　　　gather ~ towns：旧３町住民の英知を結集する


〈タイトル〉
“Aira City” set-up to end “Heisei merger”：「姶良市」設置で「平成の合併」に終止符

いわゆる「平成の大合併」は、地方自治体の行財政基盤の強化を目的に1999年に「合併特例法」が改正〔*１〕され、総務省の推進の下で推し進められました。法改正により、「合併特例債」など様々な財政優遇措置〔*2〕が与えられ、1999年に全国で3232あった市町村は、法律の期限である3月31日時点で1727にほぼ半減しました。また、合併により「市」の数が「町」の数を上回る現象も起きました。
みっち（担当講師）


Source ＞＞南日本新聞ホームページ　373news.com
http://373news.com/modules/pickup/article.php?storyid=22899
＜参照＞
*1　平成17年4月1日から平成22年3月31日までの5年間の限時法
*2　総務省「合併推進のための財政措置」：
http://www.soumu.go.jp/gapei/sochi.html
3　YOMIURI ON LINE「平成の大合併が終了」：
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/news/20100331-OYT1T00699.htm
4　Asahi.com「市が町より多くなった」：
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0307/TKY201003070250.html

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