Long Beach-Yokkaichi Sister City Association

Founded in 1963

MISSION STATEMENT
“To create rapport between the cities by exchanging cultural, civic and educational ideas and issues and to promote better understanding and friendship between the United States and Japan.”

Yokkaichi Mayor Mori and Speaker Higuchi Celebrate 60th Anniversary in Long Beach  (August 11-14, 2023).

Friday, August 11
The Yokkaichi delegation of six arrived at LAX and consisted of the following dignitaries:

     Mr. Tomohiro Mori, Mayor of Yokkaichi City
     Mr. Ryoma Higuchi, Speaker of the Yokkaichi Assembly
     Mr. Hidenori Araki, Director, Policy Promotion Department
     Mr. Koichi Shimizu, Director, Secretariat of Yokkaichi City Assembly
     Mr. Tetsuji Okada, Manager, Secretarial and International Relations Division
     Mr. Shinsaku Okuchi, Secretarial and International Relations Division

First on the agenda was a visit to City Hall.  Due to the unavailability of Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who was suddenly called out of town, Jeff Williams, Community Engagement Director and Montserrat Pineda Community Engagement and Youth Liaison Deputy, led the group on a tour of City Hall. The meeting between Mayor Richardson and Mayor Mori was rescheduled for Monday.

Later that evening, the 60th Anniversary Celebration Dinner was held in the beautiful dining room of the Keesal Young and Logan Law Firm.  The dinner was attended by Vice Mayor Cindy Allen, Harbor Commissioner President Sharon Weissman, Harbor Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal, Councilwoman (6th District) Suely Saro, Japan Consul General Kenko Sone, Mie Kenjinkai President Tom Ota, and Sister Cities of Long Beach President Susan Redfield.  Special guests were Dick Miller and Matt Jones.  Mr. Miller was the second teacher from Long Beach to visit Yokkaichi as a Trio member since the program’s inception in 1965.  Matt Jones was a Yokkaichi English Fellow in 1989. A special moment of the evening occurred when Speaker Higuchi asked Matt Jones, “Do you remember me?  I was one of your students.”  It was a surprise to all, especially for Matt.

Saturday, August 12
To prepare for the rededication of the Yokkaichi Friendship Garden on 7th and Federation, Long Beach Parks and Recreation planted seven cherry trees and spruced up the garden beds. 

The rededication ceremony began at 10:00 AM with a rousing performance by Kokoro Taiko.  Mike Vaughn, President, Long Beach-Yokkaichi Sister City Association introduced special guests Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Councilwoman Kristina Duggan (3rd District), and Long Beach Parks and Recreation Director Brent Dennis.

Speaker Higuchi gave everyone a special treat by demonstrating special Aikido moves using a spear.

Mayor Rex Richardson, Mayor Tomohiro Mori, Speaker Ryoma Higuchi, and Mike Vaughn then gathered at a table for the signing of a special memorandum.  The signing of the document proclaimed an agreement to continue the sister city relationship for an additional 10 years.

After the signing, the group walked through the red Torii gate (a gift from Yokkaichi to Long Beach in 1989) and gathered around a covered boulder.  Both mayors, Higuchi, Duggan, and Vaughn, unveiled the boulder that revealed a bronze plaque, a gift from Yokkaichi to Long Beach, commemorating the 60th Anniversary relationship. The plaque was inset in a sculpted boulder by local sculptor Trace Fukuhara.

Monday, August 14
The Yokkaichi Delegation met with Mayor Richardson in his office early in the morning.  Gifts were exchanged and Mayor Mori extended an invitation to Mayor Richardson to visit Yokkaichi in November.

At 10:00 AM, the Yokkaichi delegation met at the Miller House, the home of CSULB president Jane Conoley, for a discussion of the Middle Schools Program, a pen-pal and video program between Long Beach and Yokkaichi students.  Participating in the discussion were Brian Tom of Rogers Middle School and Christine Thai from Standford Middle School, as well as students Alaina Catillo, Sela Hacegaba, and Liam Balmeo.  This new and successful program was spearheaded by LBYSCA Board members Sharon Duffy, Karen Phillips and Jobelle Caday.

After the meeting, the delegation then met with Courtney Russell, Vice President of Strategic Relationships of the Long Beach Visitors Bureau, for a tour of the Long Beach Convention Center. After an extensive tour of the facilities, the delegation was treated to an elegant buffet at Bogart’s.

To cap off the Yokkaichi Delegation’s 4-day visit was a tour of the harbor arranged by the LB Port and attended by Harbor Commissioner president Sharon Weissman and Joel Perla, LB Port Manager of Marketing and Economic Development.

The 60th Anniversary will be celebrated in Yokkaichi in November 2023.
 

City of Long Beach
Mayor Rex Richardson
Vice Mayor Cindy Allen
Jeff Williams
Montserrat Pineda
Kristina Duggan
Suely Saro

Long Beach Port
Sharon Weissman
Bonnie Lowenthal
Joel Perla
Joel Hacegaba
Shana Espinoza

Long Beach Parks and Recreation
Brent Dennis

Long Beach Visitors Bureau
Courtney Russell

 

Keesal Young & Logan Law Firm
Richard Brown and KYL Staff

CSULB
Jane Conoley

Kokoro Taiko

Trace Fukuhara

Rogers Middle School
Brian Tom

Stanford Middle School
Christine Thai
Alaina Castillo
Sela Hacegaba
Liam Balmeo

Press Telegram
Rich Archbold

Rafu Shimpo
Gwen Muraoka

 

City of Yokkaichi
Tetsuji Okada
Shinsaku Okuchi

Sister Cities of Long Beach
Susan Redfield
Ann Heusser
Malou Marino
Lynn Wen

Long Beach-Yokkaichi Sister City Association
Joe Aihara
Sharon Duffy
Victor Fukuhara
Kristi Lanzit
Karen Phillips
Mary Scramek
Hiromi Takahashi
Saya Tsong
Aki Vaughn
Mike Vaughn
Jun Wallech
Megumi Wallech
Roy Wood