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Japan-United States Sister City Association (JUSSCA)

日米姉妹都市協会(ジャスカ)

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Our History

Japan-United States Sister City Association (JUSSCA)

The sister city program was instituted in the United States on September 11, 1956 at the White House Conference when then U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed a national citizen diplomacy initiative. The first sister city relationship between a U.S. city and a Japanese city had been established just one year prior in 1955 between the City of St. Paul, Minnesota and the City of Nagasaki, Japan. This was followed by sister city partnerships between the cities of Sendai and Riverside, California in March, 1957, the cities of Okayama and San Jose, California in May, 1957, and the cities of Yokohama and San Diego, California in October, 1957. Today, over 450 sister city/town and state/prefectural relationships exist, representing the world’s largest and oldest such partnerships for both Japan and the United States.

WHAT WE DO

Sister City Exchange

With support from federal governments, corporations and individual partners and members, JUSSCA provides sponsorships and funding to Japanese local sectors, especially smaller cities/towns and prefectures with their existing American sister city partners for Japan-U.S. sister city and state/prefectural programs. JUSSCA aims to benefit both American and Japanese sister city communities by providing international assistance and resources to Japanese subnational governments and nonprofit organizations in Japan to cultivate people-to-people grassroot exchanges for diplomatic, cultural, educational, sports, and economic purposes.

In 2025, the U.S. and Japan will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its first sister city partnership.

WHAT WE DO

JUSSCA Programs

Sponsorships & Grants

JUSSCA applies for American and Japanese federal government grants to administer and distribute the funds to sponsor Japan-U.S. sister city and prefectural programs.
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Memberships

JUSSCA's individual and corporate memberships help to fund the organization's operations and the resources and sponsorship it provides Japan-United States sister city...
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Student Exchange Alumni

The Japan - United States Sister City Association Student Exchange Alumni is a dynamic network dedicated to fostering connections and professional growth ...
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Today, over 450 sister city relationships exist between Japan and the United States

Sponsors