Five thousand miles from Keizer, across the Pacific, officials of a Japanese city gathered before cameras.
The mayor and leaders of Iyo warmly greeted their counterparts gathered on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the Keizer City Council chambers.
And in the ensuing televised ceremony, Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark and Iyo Mayor Kuninori Takechi each made statements ahead of formally establishing a sister city partnership between the two cities.
The declaration was a first for the city of Keizer, seeded by a student exchange program that has brought Japanese junior high school students to the area in recent years.
The Iyo mayor talked of the value of those visits, including his time joining the entourage.
“They not only improved their language skills but also gained a deeper understanding of different cultures and the importance of international exchanges,” Kuninori said.
He said he looked forward to both cities continuing exchanges and growing economic and cultural ties. He spoke in Japanese, his remarks translated by an assistant.
Clark reciprocated – with her words of English translated into Japanese in Iyo.
“We have much in common, such as agriculture, business education and the arts. We have learned we have much to gain from collaboration,” Clark said. “May our friendship grow and flourish.”
With that, a white-gloved assistant handed the Iyo mayor two forms of the sister city agreement – one in English, one in Japanese.
In Keizer, Clark was joined in the ceremony by all but one member of the city council. A stand atop the dais held the national flags of the U.S. and Japan.
The Iyo city council members likewise attended in their chambers, a stand there also bearing the national flags of each country.
In population, Iyo nearly mirrors Keizer’s population of just under 40,000. It is in the prefecture of Ehime, a government subdivision similar to a state or province. The city is located about 500 miles from Tokyo.
“Maybe because of a mild climate and the fact that this area seldom suffers damage from typhoons, people in Ehime Prefecture are said to be gentle and easygoing, essentially satisfied with their life, and conservative,” according to the Iyo city website.
The area grows mandarin oranges and chestnuts and, according to the city website, “Iyo city boasts the best production of bonito flakes in Japan.” Bonito flakes are made from tuna and used in soup stocks and for seasoning.
The three-page sister city agreement states: “Keizer and Iyo aim to foster global connections, promote cultural and educational exchange, encourage economic collaboration, and explore joint initiatives that strengthen both communities.”
AloJapan.com