A seminar on the ILC was held for all students of Miyako Commercial High School (in Sokei, Miyako City) on September 12th, where students learned about the economic spillover effects the ILC would have on the region. This year, these students run the “Miyako Commercial HS Department Store” where they will practice customer service in English with foreign guests for the first time. Should the ILC be realized, then these students will prepare to be able to negotiate with the foreign researchers that will make their home in Iwate.

Ayumi Ueno, Director of ILC Promotion at the Iwate Prefecture Office of Science and ILC Promotion, gave the seminar as part of a prefectural initiative. He explained that if the ILC is realized, there will be an estimated influx of around 3,500 foreign researchers who will make their homes in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures. “They will visit the coast of Iwate on the weekends, so there needs to be efforts taken to make this a more multicultural society,” he urged.

Haruki Yamamoto, a second-year student in the information course, said, “I want to learn more about cultures outside of Japan. Many foreign people will visit the international research facility that will house the ILC, so I hope it helps Iwate rebuild from the 2011 disaster.”

Miyako Commercial High School is one of eight ILC Promotion Model Schools designated by the prefectural government. These students will learn how to do customer service in English for foreign guests on October 10th, and on the 27th they will practice dealing with foreign customers at their department store.