INAWASHIRO, Fukushima - Inawashiro municipality announced on Sept. 12 its decision on preferred bidders for repurposing two schools in the town which closed due to school consolidation.
The bidders are a group of corporations including DMC aizu Co. an operator of Inawashiro Ski Resort, which made a bid to reuse the former Higashi Junior High School, and Tenkyo, a whisky manufacturer in Aizu Wakamatsu, which offered a plan to utilize the former Azuma Junior High School.
福島県猪苗代町は9月１２日、学校統合に伴う町内の廃校２校について利活用の優先交渉権者が決まったと発表した。旧東中は猪苗代スキー場などを運営するＤＭＣａｉｚｕ（ディーエムシーアイヅ、同町）らの法人グループ、旧吾妻中はウイスキー製造の天鏡（会津若松市）が校舎の活用を図る。
DMC aizu and other companies are planning to transform the school into a themed facility called the Samurai Dojo, where tourists can experience history and traditional culture. In addition to setting up a sales area for local agricultural and specialty products, the group aims to attract a Japanese language school for foreign students.
Tenkyo’s plan is to use the first floor of the school building along with the former gymnasium as a whisky aging warehouse.
ＤＭＣ社のグループは、世歴史や伝統文化が体験できる観光施設としてのサムライ道場を計画している。地元の農産品や特産品の物販エリアを設けるほか、外国人留学生向けの日本語学校の誘致も目指す。天鏡は校舎１階と体育館を使ってウイスキーの熟成倉庫として活用する予定。
The company began full-scale whisky production on Sept. 1 as an affiliate of Lion Dor Corp. The distillery is located in the factory of brewery Eisen Shuzo in Bandai, its affiliate company, and the whisky will be aged for 10 years, with the aim of shipping in 2034.
天鏡は、リオン・ドールコーポレーションの関連会社として９月１日からウイスキー製造を本格稼働している。蒸留所は関連会社の榮川酒造（磐梯町）の工場内に整備し、10年間熟成させて２０３４年の出荷を目指している。
The two schools closed in March 2022 following the integration of three of the town's junior high schools, and the municipal government had been soliciting applications from the public for a business to utilize the space since May of this year. The town and two companies will now proceed with discussions and move to conclude their contracts.
“We hope to secure new employment and invite migration,” said a town official.
２校は町内３中学校の統合で２２年３月に閉校となり、今年５月から活用事業者を公募していた。今後は町と２社で契約締結に向けた協議や手続きを進める。町の担当者は「新しい雇用確保や移住促進に期待したい」と話している。
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