Naju-si and Kurayoshi City, Japan, Form Sister City Relationship... Discuss Exchange and Cooperation Plans

Published 30 Jul.2024 11:12(KST)

The delegation from Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, which has maintained a strong relationship with Naju City, Jeollanam-do through a sister city partnership for 31 years, visited Naju to mutually explore ways to activate future-oriented exchanges.

Naju City (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 30th that on the 29th, during a meeting at the city hall's Ihwa Room with the Kurayoshi City delegation, they discussed cooperation plans between the two cities including youth cultural experiences, agriculture, sports, and invitations to various events.

On the 29th, Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju City, held a meeting with the delegation including Hirota Kazuyasu, Mayor of Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, an international sister city, to discuss mutual cooperation plans such as youth cultural exchanges during the vacation period.
[Photo by Naju City]

The delegation, led by Kurayoshi City Mayor Hirota Kazuyasu and City Council Chair Fukudani Naomi, arrived on the 28th.

During their 2-night, 3-day visit, they visited their sister city Naju on the 29th for discussions and on-site inspections, and attended the 15th Korea-Japan Joint Seminar held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the same day.

The visit to Naju was a reciprocal visit following Mayor Yoon Byung-tae’s visit to Kurayoshi City in November last year to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister city relationship.

In particular, the meeting was arranged to specifically discuss and propose cooperative projects in various fields such as youth cultural exchanges during school vacations, operation of promotional booths for agricultural specialties, and invitations to festival events.

About ten people attended the meeting, including the two city mayors, Chair Fukudani of the city council, Kim Gwan-yong, vice-chair of the Naju City Council, officials related to exchange fields, and interpreters.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “International sensibility is very important to grow as a global talent, and from this perspective, the visit of Kurayoshi City’s youth to Naju during next winter and spring vacations will be a good opportunity. I hope to expand cooperative projects aiming for continuous exchanges rather than one-off interactions.”

He continued, “Both cities are rich in historical and cultural resources and have developed agriculture as a key industry, but they share common challenges of revitalizing rural and old downtown areas due to depopulation. Let us strengthen mutual cooperation on development plans in three fields: bio-agriculture, tourism, and new energy industries.”

Additionally, he proposed, “During the festivals of both cities, I hope to operate promotional booths for exchange cities and specialty product sales, and exchange lists of mutually invitational events such as the integrated festival in October and marathon competitions, so that exchange projects in each field can be sequentially promoted.”

Mayor Hirota Kazuyasu said, “I am very pleased that youth exchanges can resume after the COVID-19 pandemic. I empathize with the common challenge of depopulation in old downtown areas, and let us seek cooperation plans through increasing exchange populations in agriculture and tourism.”

The two city mayors then exchanged souvenirs. Mayor Yoon presented a tea set and tea cultivated at Bulhoe Temple, while Mayor Hirota gifted local specialties such as wasabi oil.

After the meeting, the Kurayoshi City delegation conducted an on-site inspection of Naju’s Yeongsan River Garden Project, which aims for a 5 million tourist era and is a key project promoted by Naju City, as well as the Naju Eupseong Stamp and Rickshaw Tour linked to the top 10 tourist attractions.