KASUKABE, Saitama -- A park themed on the popular anime "Crayon Shin-chan" is being planned for the roughly 1.3-hectare former city hall site in this eastern Japan city north of Tokyo.

The Kasukabe Municipal Government has signed a basic agreement related to its new park development project with "Kasukabe partners consortium," consisting of six companies led by Showa Kougyo Co., also based in the city.

The municipality is introducing the Park-PFI, or Park-Private Finance Initiative system, for the first time to utilize private-sector ideas and expertise for park development and management and selected one of two proposals. Under this system, the operator can set up and run facilities such as restaurants within the park, using part of the revenue to cover the park's maintenance costs.

According to the consortium's plan, a "Crayon Shin-chan Cafe & Shop" will be operated in the park, offering character-themed food and original merchandise. The overall park will be designed as a public space for everyday use, while also aiming to create a space where visitors can get a sense of the world of "Shin-chan," which is set in the city.

The opening date is to be determined, but the city says it aims to open "as soon as possible." The management and operation period is set for 20 years.

At the signing ceremony held on May 8, Mayor Kazuhiro Iwaya said, "I understand that the concept of the new park is 'Kasukabe Shin-chan Park.' We will do our utmost to make the park a comfortable place filled with smiles, especially for families with children."

Showa Kougyo President Seiju Yokota said, "Since this is an important park that will serve as a central hub for the city, it is essential to operate it continuously over the next 20 years. Rather than viewing the park as a 'point,' we want to see the entire city as a 'surface' and create a flow of people that encourages circulation throughout the area."

(Japanese original by Yoshitaka Hagiwara, Saitama Higashi Bureau)