Fukuoka governor OKs airport privatization

Fukuoka governor OKs airport privatization

FUKUOKA, Japan - Fukuoka Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa (C) expresses agreement with the proposed privatization of the central government-owned Fukuoka Airport in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, before the prefectural assembly's ad hoc committee on Nov. 20, 2014. Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima also has voiced his readiness to support the idea.

Sweden selects Fukuoka as base camp for 2020 Olympics

Sweden selects Fukuoka as base camp for 2020 Olympics

FUKUOKA, Japan - Swedish Olympic Committee President Stefan Lindeberg (C), Fukuoka Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa (2nd from L) and Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (2nd from R) pose in Fukuoka on Oct. 8, 2014, after signing a basic accord on the committee's selection of the southwestern Japanese city for a base camp of the country's delegation to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

U.S. insurance firm moves some HQ functions to Fukuoka

U.S. insurance firm moves some HQ functions to Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Japan - Mitsuru Imoto (C), president of MassMutual Life Insurance Co., poses with Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa (2nd from L) of Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on June 26, 2014, at a press conference to announce a plan to move some headquarters functions of the U.S. firm's Japanese subsidiary from Tokyo in August as part of disaster preparedness.

Japan's power-saving period begins

Japan's power-saving period begins

FUKUOKA, Japan - (from L) Fukuoka Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa, Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima and Kyushu Electric Power Co. President Michiaki Uriu distribute handouts calling for electricity saving near JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka City on July 2, 2012. A government-requested power-saving period began in Japan that day to cope with power supply constraints caused by the prolonged halt of nuclear reactors following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.

A booth to experience VR (Virtual Reality) badminton utilizing the high speed and large capacity of 5G

A booth to experience VR (Virtual Reality) badminton utilizing the high speed and large capacity of 5G

NTT DOCOMO's Kyushu branch office (Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City) opened the FGN 5G Laboratory at Fukuoka Growth Next (FGN), a business start-up support facility in Fukuoka City, on April 2. The lab will provide a demonstration environment for a wide range of companies, including those residing at FGN, in advance of the launch of 5th generation communication (5G) commercial services. At the opening event, Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima announced the priority development of the 5G communication environment for the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka. Examples of demonstrations by Seiko Denki Seisakusho, Living Robot (Date City, Fukushima Prefecture), and Quand (Yahatahigashi Ward, Kitakyushu City) were introduced. Fukuoka Growth Next (FGN), a support facility for business startups in Fukuoka City, December 2, 2019; Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Barca B to play friendly vs Avispa Fukuoka in June

Barca B to play friendly vs Avispa Fukuoka in June

FC Barcelona CEO Ignacio Mestre (L) meets with Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima, wearing Barca's uniform given by Mestre, at Fukuoka City Hall in southwestern Japan on April 17, 2015. FC Barcelona's B team will play a friendly match against J-League's second-division club Avispa Fukuoka on June 10 in Fukuoka. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Fukuoka mayor pumps hydrogen made from sludge into car

Fukuoka mayor pumps hydrogen made from sludge into car

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (C) pumps hydrogen, generated from a sewage biogas source in the sewage treatment process, into a fuel cell vehicle at a ceremony marking the completion of a hydrogen fuel facility in a water treatment center in Fukuoka on March 31, 2015. The facility, which started operating the same day, is capable of generating up to about 3,300 cubic meters of hydrogen a day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Same-sex couple in Japan

Same-sex couple in Japan

Miho Yamashita (L) and her partner Anri Ishizaki celebrate in Fukuoka on April 2, 2018, after the city office authorizes their same-sex partnership. Standing beside the couple is Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Fukuoka launches experiment to farm "sandless clam" on land

Fukuoka launches experiment to farm "sandless clam" on land

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (2nd from R) pours "asari" clam spats into a tank as the southwestern Japan city launches an experiment to farm "sandless clam" on land on July 28, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Sweden selects Fukuoka as base camp for 2020 Olympics

Sweden selects Fukuoka as base camp for 2020 Olympics

FUKUOKA, Japan - Swedish Olympic Committee President Stefan Lindeberg (C), Fukuoka Gov. Hiroshi Ogawa (2nd from L) and Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (2nd from R) pose in Fukuoka on Oct. 8, 2014, after signing a basic accord on the committee's selection of the southwestern Japanese city for a base camp of the country's delegation to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Kyodo)

Huge sinkhole disrupts Fukuoka, linked to subway work

Huge sinkhole disrupts Fukuoka, linked to subway work

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima speaks at a press conference in the southwestern Japan city on Nov. 8, 2016, after a huge sinkhole opened up beneath a major road near JR Hakata Station earlier in the day. While there were no immediate reports of injury, the city office said it suspects ongoing construction work for the Nanakuma Line subway may have caused the accident. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka (2nd from L), the world's oldest living person at 116, plays a board game, alongside Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (L), in the southwestern Japan city on Sept. 11, 2019, ahead of the annual Respect for Senior Citizens Day five days later. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest living person at 116, smiles after receiving a cake from Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima in the southwestern Japan city on Sept. 11, 2019, ahead of the annual Respect for Senior Citizens Day five days later. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka, world's oldest person at 116

Kane Tanaka (C), the world's oldest living person at 116, receives flowers from Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima in the southwestern Japan city on Sept. 11, 2019, ahead of the annual Respect for Senior Citizens Day five days later. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Centenarians in Japan hit record

Centenarians in Japan hit record

Japan's oldest living female, Kane Tanaka (C), 115, is honored by Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (L) in Fukuoka on Sept. 14, 2018. Tanaka was born on Jan. 2, 1903, the year the Wright brothers flew the world's first powered airplane. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Fukuoka prepares to resume traffic after filling huge sinkhole

Fukuoka prepares to resume traffic after filling huge sinkhole

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (L) speaks at a press conference on Nov. 14, 2016, as the southwestern Japan city aims to reopen a major road near JR Hakata Station that has been closed due to a huge sinkhole. Takashima said he expects the infrastructure ministry to take the initiative in probing the cause of the accident by setting up a third party panel. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Recovery work on utility lines continues in Fukuoka

Recovery work on utility lines continues in Fukuoka

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima meets with reporters on Nov. 9, 2016, after a meeting on fixing a huge sinkhole near JR Hakata Station in the southwestern Japan city. Takashima said he expects the collapsed road to reopen on Nov. 14. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Recovery work on utility lines continues in Fukuoka

Recovery work on utility lines continues in Fukuoka

Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima (standing) addresses a meeting on Nov. 9, 2016, on fixing a huge sinkhole near JR Hakata Station in the southwestern Japan city. Takashima said he expects the collapsed road to reopen on Nov. 14. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo