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YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - Hiroshi Nakada, the mayor of Yokohama, Japan’s second largest city, is to visit San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco between October 25 and November 3. During his visit, the Mayor will conduct inter-city diplomatic activities such as attending anniversary celebrations of sister-city relationships, meeting with his counterparts, and strengthening relationships with local companies and organizations.
In San Diego, Mayor Nakada will attend the 50th anniversary reception to celebrate the sister-city relationship between Yokohama and San Diego. The Mayor will make a speech at the University of California San Diego titled “The Age of Metropolis - Challenges of Yokohama,” through which he will demonstrate that the City’s responsibilities have now gone beyond domestic administration to include inter-city diplomacy as well. The Speech will be given during the ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of academic exchange agreement between Yokohama City University and the University of California San Diego.
In Los Angeles, the Mayor will attend to the opening ceremony of the Los Angels Representative Office of the City of Yokohama. The City’s U.S. branch, which aims attract American businesses to Yokohama and to promote exchange with other cities in the U.S., was originally in New York. The office in New York was closed as of March 31 this year, and Yokohama’s U.S. branch is now moved to Los Angeles as of October 30, 2007. The decision to relocate its U.S. base was made by the Mayor, who took into consideration that a number of IT companies and biotechnology companies are concentrated in California. It is such industries that Yokohama is aiming to attract. In addition to this opening ceremony, the Mayor will also visit Mr. Antonio R. Villaraigosa, the mayor of the City of Los Angeles to strengthen the ties between the two cities.
In San Francisco, the Mayor will attend to the opening ceremony of Yokohama City University California Office, which is being established to expand the university’s international networks. He will also attend a commemorative seminar aiming to promote the University’s academic-industrial alliance with local companies and organizations.
The city of Yokohama has developed intercity relations with cities around the world. This year the City has promoted international exchange activities with cities in France, Germany and China.
◆ About Yokohama
Yokohama lies on a peninsula around Tokyo Bay, approximately 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the capital of Japan. Home to over 3.6 million people, Yokohama is Japan’s second largest city. The city has built its economic base largely through business with foreign countries since the early days of modern Japan. Today, Yokohama is Japan’s second largest trading port in terms of volume. The city sincerely welcomes foreign enterprises, international conferences and a wide variety of international events.
◆ Schedule
| Date | Place | Plan |
| Thursday, 25 October | Arrive at San Diego | |
| Friday, 26 | San Diego | ・Courtesy call on Jerry Sanders, the mayor of the city of San Diego ・Ceremony for the renewal of the academic exchange agreement between Yokohama City University and University of California San Diego (a commemorative speech) |
| Saturday, 27 | San Diego | ・Cultural exchange festival |
| Sunday, 28 | San Diego | ・Ceremony to plant the memorial tree and the celebration lunch |
| Monday, 29 | Los Angeles | Transfer to Los Angeles ・Courtesy call on Antonio R. Villaraigosa, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles |
| Tuesday, 30 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles・Opening ceremony of Los Angeles Representative Office of Yokohama |
| Wednesday, 31 | San Francisco | Transfer to San Francisco |
| Thursday, 1 November | San Francisco | ・Opening ceremony of Yokohama City University California office |
| Friday, 2 | San Francisco | ・Depart from San Francisco |
| Saturday, 3 | Arrive at Narita Airport |
◆ Sister Cities and Sister, Friendship Trade Cooperation Trade Cooperation Ports of Yokohama
| Sister-Friendship Cities（８） | San Diego, Lyon, Mumbai, Manila, Odessa, Vancouver, Shanghai, Constantza |
| Sister-Friendship Trade Cooperation Ports （６） | Oakland, Vancouver, Shanghai, Melbourne, Dalian, Hamburg |
| Partner Cities （３） | Beijing, Busan Metropolitan City, Taipei |