Long Beach-Yokkaichi Sister City Association

Founded in 1963

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

After the delegation’s arrival at LAX, they boarded a bus and toured a few city sites that included vista views of Long Beach from Signal Hill Park.  Led by Yokkaichi Mayor Toshiyuki Tanaka and City Council Chairman Kazuma Doi, the delegation then met with Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster at City Hall to sign a proclamation to continue the Long Beach and Yokkaichi sister cities relationship for the next 50 years.  After meeting with Mayor Foster and the Long Beach City Council, the delegates attended a lovely welcome banquet at Rancho Los Alamitos hosted by Pam Seager of the Rancho and the Long Beach Board members.

Day 2 was a visit to Tincher Preparatory School where the delegates received a warm welcome from the kindergartners waving Japanese flags.  Principal Dr. Kelly An led a tour of several classrooms which included students discussing their interpretations of a story they had read; a 1st grade computer math class; and a creative class where students were learning about the history of the Hammurabi Code by acting out scenes.

Next on the agenda was a tour via electric carts of the California State University campus and the state-of-the-art CSULB Recreation and Wellness Center.  After a lunch at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden and a presentation by the CSULB Center for International Studies, the delegates visited the Long Beach Art Museum.

On Day 3 eleven delegates met with Bob McLaughlin of the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and later with Kraig Kojian, Director of the L.B. Downtown Business Association, while two delegates from Yokkaichi City Hospital, Deputy Administrator Dr. Masayuki Miyauchi and Nursing Director Kiyomi Yoshihara, toured the ER at the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center thanks to Dr. Gary Moreau.

Margaret Madden of the Neighborhood Resource Center led the delegation on a bus tour of community businesses that culminated at the Mark Twain Branch Library where Head Librarian, Susan Taylor, hosted a tour; and Neighborhood Resource Center volunteers and LBYSCA board members brought potluck for all to enjoy.

Toshiba Yokkaichi Corporation General Manager, Mr. Tomoharu Watanabe, and 3 others from Toshiba Irvine met with Dr. Forouzan Golshani, Dean, College of Engineering, CSULB, to discuss developing relationships between Toshiba and CSULB.

Mr. Toru Mizutani of the Yokkaichi Symphony, spent the evening enjoying a rehearsal of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra with LBYSCA Board member, Jeanne Karatsu.

The final day of their stay in Long Beach kicked off with the re-dedication ceremony of the Yokkaichi Garden which had been relocated from Lincoln Park near City Hall to Long Beach Recreation Park on 7th Street.  Professor Keiji Uesugi and his students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona contributed to the landscape design as a class project.  Cherry trees and crab apple trees were donated by the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, SGI, the Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles, and landscape firm, S. C. Yamamoto, Inc.  Many thanks to the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Director, George Chapjian, and his staff who worked tirelessly to create a beautiful garden.

Invited guests witnessed the unveiling of a new garden plaque and a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the renovated Torii Gate, a gift from Yokkaichi to Long Beach in 1989.

After the garden re-dedication, the delegation attended a lunch meeting at the Port of Long Beach offices with Port Commissioner Doug Drummond. After the meeting, the delegates boarded the “Triumphant” of Harbor Breeze Cruises for a sightseeing tour of our harbor.

The busy day was capped off with the 50th Anniversary banquet at Khoury’s Restaurant.  The evening opened with the presentation of colors by the Boy Scouts of America Troop 303, led by Scoutmaster Stan Hadley. Dignitaries included former Long Beach mayors, Thomas Clark, Eunice Sato and Beverly O’Neill; Mr. Suga, the Deputy Consul General of Japan; Doug Drummond, Long Beach Port Commissioner; Doug Erber, President of the Japan American Society; David Zanatta, President of Long Beach Sister Cities, Inc., and the Tomio Ito Family of Ito Farms, long-time supporters of the LBYSCA.

Early next morning, the 13-member delegation departed LAX to return home to a work day in Yokkaichi.

The LBYSCA set a busy schedule to show the Mayor and his delegation as much as we could of our city during their short 4-day visit. We look forward to their return and a more extended visit.
 

Many thanks to the following for their assistance in making the Yokkaichi Delegation visit a success:

Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Yokkaichi Mayor Toshiyuki Tanaka, and Yokkaichi Speaker Kazuma Doi sign Proclamation to continue 50-Year Relationship.

Yokkaichi delegates observing students at Tincher Preparatory School.

Yokkaichi delegates touring downtown Long Beach.

Yokkaichi Garden Torii Gate Dedication Ceremony.
LB Parks & Recs Director George Chapjian and Mayor Tanaka

Mayor Tanaka with former LB Mayor Beverly O’Neill.

50th Anniversary Dinner Sponsors
Khoury’s Restaurant, Long Beach
November 8, 2013

Platinum Sponsor
Port of Long Beach

Silver Sponsors
Tomio Ito Family

Bronze Sponsors
Ted and Tomiko Ando Family
Victor & Masako Fukuhara
Hideo & Jeanne Karatsu
Kemi Oyewole
Lee & Jeanette Schelin
Mike & Aki Vaughn

Yokkaichi Garden Sign Sponsors
The City of Yokkaichi
Hideo & Jeanne Karatsu
John & Pat McMaster
Mr. & Mrs. Scott Warren
Yoko Pusavat

A very special thank you to photographer, Will Cullen,and to LBYSCA Associate Member, Jeanne Costello.