#Japan #NEC #Yachiyo #UR Urban Development #Yachiyo City

Comprehensive Cooperation for a Healthy Community

On September 26, 2023, several organizations, including the UR Urban Development Corporation, Yachiyo City in Chiba Prefecture, NEC Corporation, Hitachi, and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., came together to sign a memorandum aimed at enhancing public health within the area. This initiative focuses on the UR rental housing complex in Yachiyo City and is designed to promote the well-being of residents while revitalizing the community.

The key objective of this memorandum is to enhance health services and community engagement through diverse initiatives. In this fiscal year, a range of practical services will be demonstrated over the next six months at the Takatsu housing complex in Yachiyo City, focusing on improving residents' health and stimulating local activities. By leveraging insights from academic institutions, the project will implement various services, such as applications that encourage outdoor activities and social participation, as well as the operation of small electric vehicles within the community to further assess the impact on health improvement and community vitality.

Background

The collaboration traces back to September 29, 2017, when UR Urban Development and Yachiyo City signed an agreement to utilize UR rental housing for community development. Recently, the partners have shifted focus towards health care, particularly promoting exercise and wellness among UR housing residents and surrounding communities. This new memorandum marks an expansion of this initiative, now incorporating NEC, Yamaha, and Hitachi into the effort for a comprehensive approach to a healthy community.

Prior to this memorandum, NEC, Hitachi, and Yamaha had been conducting individual discussions and demonstrations with UR Urban Development since the fiscal year 2021, particularly at the Takatsu housing complex. The newly established partnership represents a more integrated framework for cooperation among the five entities moving forward.

Initiative Details and Roles of Each Company

In the Takatsu housing complex, various interventions aimed at enhancing residents' health will be implemented based on a thorough understanding of local challenges. This includes the development of community hubs that residents feel welcome to visit regularly, a user-friendly smartphone application for enjoyable engagement, and electric mobility options to encourage outdoor excursions for the elderly. Each of these services will undergo rigorous testing to measure their effectiveness and potential for scalability to other regions.

Roles of the Partners

• - UR Urban Development: Will coordinate and summarize the project, identify challenges, devise strategies, design outcomes, and oversee infrastructure development in the housing community in collaboration with academic institutions to analyze effectiveness.
• - Yachiyo City: Will facilitate discussions with stakeholders and coordinate local activity organizations, in addition to providing various data supportive of the program.
• - NEC: Responsible for understanding community challenges and developing frameworks for health and well-being initiatives along with assessing their impact.
• - Hitachi: Will provide a smartphone application that supports health improvement through increased social participation, rewarding users with points for reaching walking goals and attending events.
• - Yamaha Motor: Will offer green slow mobility solutions to address transportation issues and enhance residents' opportunities for going out in the Takatsu community and surrounding areas.

Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, UR Urban Development, Yachiyo City, NEC, Hitachi, and Yamaha are committed to advancing the 'Healthy Community' initiative centered on the UR rental housing. By utilizing each company's specialized abilities, this collaboration will address broader societal challenges such as declining birth rates and the fragmentation of community connections, ultimately fostering a multi-generational community where residents can feel secure and connected.

Contact Information

For inquiries regarding this initiative:

• - UR Urban Development: To discuss wellness initiatives and events, contact the East Japan Rental Housing Headquarters, Chiba Area Management Department at 043-296-7650 (attn: Akahori).
• - Yachiyo City Health and Welfare Department: Reach at 047-421-6737.
• - NEC Corporation: Inquiries on this project can contact Smart City Division at [email protected].
• - Hitachi: For project-related inquiries, visit Hitachi's contact page.
• - Yamaha Motor: For related questions, reach the Co-Creation & New Business Development Division at 0537-21-2554.