Four decades of ties between Hamilton and Japanese city, Saitama have flourished further this week with the visit this week of the Mayor of Saitama City, Hayato Shimizu, and his delegation, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of sister-city relations between the two cities.
The visit was an opportunity to reaffirm the strong and enduring ties that have connected the two cities since the signing of a Sister-City agreement on 14 May 1984, and explore opportunities to grow the relationship.
Saitama is the capital and largest city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan and borders Tokyo.
Saitama’s delegation included the Mayor, Council Chairman, selected Councillors and senior officials from the Bureau of Economic Affairs, Tourism and International Exchange Division. The delegation also included the son of the erstwhile Chairman who was involved in the signing of the sister-city agreement in 1984.
Welcoming the delegation, Mayor Paula Southgate said, “It was a great privilege to welcome Mayor Shimizu to Hamilton Kirikiriroa for this significant occasion. Saitama City is Hamilton’s longest-standing sister-city, and this anniversary is testament to the lasting friendship and deep bonds between our two cities.
“This week, we reaffirmed our ties, had in depth economic discussions and committed to exploring additional avenues for collaboration. We are jointly committed to delivering tangible benefits to both cities.”
Discussions covered a range of topics, including sustainable development,water innovation, sports performance and medical technology.
One of the highlights of the Hamilton-Saitama partnership is the annual exchange between schools. Each year, more than 70 students from junior high schools in Saitama City visit Hamilton to stay with local families, participate in school life, and enjoy what Hamilton and the Waikato region has to offer.
The delegation’s visit programme included a formal meeting at Council, a visit to the Maersk Hamilton Coldstore to see their end-to-end supply chain management, visits to Waikato Innovation Park, to connect with operations at Spring Sheep Milk Co and Greengrower (Indoor Vertical Farm), and a visit to the Hamilton Gardens.
Ewan Wilson, Chair of Hamilton City Council’s Economic Development Committee, said the visit was a significant opportunity to showcase city’s diverse economy and open further doors for Hamilton businesses.
Mayor Southgate and Councillor Wilson were joined by Japanese Consul General, Shinji Matsui, and Vice Consul, Kawashima, from the Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland, Hamilton City Council Chief Executive,Lance Vervoort, and Hamilton City Council’s Economic Development Programme Manager, Mike Bennett.
