Tokyo, Japan – September 3, 2024 – In an effort to foster peace and understanding between our nations, the Japan-United States Sister City Association (JUSSCA), chaired by actor and philanthropist Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai), announced a special event aimed at strengthening the vital connections between Japan and the United States through over 450 existing sister city partnerships. Sister-city relationships serve as a cornerstone of citizen diplomacy, creating lasting bonds between communities around the world. Recognizing this, JUSSCA is thrilled to announce the launch of the JUSSCA Alumni (a new student exchange program), Subnational Diplomacy Grant, Japan-United States Leadership Summit, and annual conference initiatives specifically designed to strengthen people-to-people ties between Japan and US cities.
The event on September 3rd, 2024, at the U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel’s residence brought together a diverse group of stakeholders invested in strengthening Japan-US relations, including Japanese governors and mayors, business executives, government officials, university presidents and community leaders from both Japan and the United States. “Relations between countries are built on relations between people. Through the more than 450 partnerships between cities across the United States and Japan, citizens, local leaders, and communities are forging friendships and deepening ties between our two nations,” said U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. “What started as a peace initiative nearly 70 years ago has evolved into a program that empowers people, promotes business and educational exchange, and highlights the capacity of citizens and local communities to build bridges and bonds across borders and boundaries.”
Shin Koyamada stated, “We are honored to launch the inaugural JUSSCA event in Japan, a platform dedicated to enhancing people-to-people ties. Our mission is to promote sister city partnerships, revitalize exchange programs, and connect leaders, especially focusing on strengthening youth connections between our two great nations at the subnational level.”
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 event was sponsored by the United States-Japan Foundation.
For further information on JUSSCA and the microgrant initiative, please visit:
Media Contacts:
JUSSCA
info@jussca.org
Patrick McEachern
Embassy of the United States of America Assistant Press Attaché
TokyoPress@state.gov