Key Facts
• August 13, 2025: Kitami City and Manzai Association sign agreement in Tokyo.
• Agreement aims to revitalize Kitami City through the power of laughter.
• Kitami faces challenges like population decline and aging demographics.
• This is the first agreement of its kind between a local government and the Manzai Association.
• Attendees included Manzai Association President Nobuyuki Hanawa (47) and Executive Director Nobuyuki Tsuchiya (46).
• Kitami Mayor Naotaka Tsuji emphasized the role of laughter in community building.
• October 4, 2025: Joint autumn festival planned in Kitami City.
• Nobuyuki Hanawa referenced local curling team ‘Loco Solare’ with the phrase “Sodane.”
• Comedian Masao Miura (51) joked about the mayor’s university diploma, adding humor to the event.
Summary
On August 13, 2025, Kitami City in Hokkaido and the Manzai Association signed Japan’s first-ever ‘Laughter Agreement’ at the Asakusa France-za Toyokan Theater in Tokyo. The initiative aims to address Kitami’s population decline and aging issues by fostering a vibrant, laughter-filled community. The agreement was signed by Manzai Association President Nobuyuki Hanawa, Executive Director Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, and Kitami Mayor Naotaka Tsuji. Mayor Tsuji highlighted the importance of laughter in revitalizing the city and announced a collaborative autumn festival on October 4, 2025. The event featured lighthearted moments, including Hanawa’s reference to the local curling team ‘Loco Solare’ and comedian Masao Miura’s humorous remarks about the mayor’s university diploma. This groundbreaking partnership underscores the potential of comedy in regional revitalization.
