[July 2022]
A New Era of Sister City Exchange

I arrived in Sydney in mid-June. As our readers may know, one of CLAIR’s main missions is to support exchange between local governments in Japan and Australia/New Zealand. Since arriving in Sydney, l was fortunate to have opportunities to go on two business trips within a two-week period. The first was to Chatswood to visit Willoughby City Council and the second was to Lismore to visit the City Hall and disaster-affected areas and to attend the Lismore Lantern Parade. Both of these trips were for sister city-related events.

There are 1786 sister city relationships between local governments in Japan and other countries as of July 1, 2022. Within this, Japan has 107 sister city relationships with Australia and 44 with New Zealand. For Japan, Australia is the country which Japan has the fourth largest number of sister cities with and New Zealand is the tenth largest. There is a long history of sister city relationships between Japan and Australia/New Zealand. The first sister city relationship between Japan and Australia was established in 1963, and the first between Japan and New Zealand was established in 1973. It is pleasing to see the large number of friendly relationships Japan has with Australia and New Zealand.

I have heard that people in Australia and New Zealand generally have a good impression of Japan, and I believe this is due in part to the interactions and exchange activities under the many sister city relations.

Much like the rest of the world, physical interactions and exchange between Japan and Australia/New Zealand had been restricted over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the three countries have been gradually relaxing their restrictions, I anticipate that the interactions between Japan and Australia/New Zealand will gain momentum and steadily make up for lost time. On the other hand, I think that online interaction will be more active than ever before. I believe that a combination of in-person and online interactions will become the new standard style of interaction in the future.

CLAIR Sydney will continue to support and facilitate the further development of partnerships between Australia/New Zealand and Japan, and I will make all efforts to accomplish this goal.

カテゴリー: From the Executive Director

Uncategorised

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

     

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  •  環境問題への取組を調査するため、7月下旬~8月上旬にかけて滋賀県立彦根工業高等学校の高校生1名および引率者1名がオーストラリアを訪問し、クレアシドニー事務所は、7月29日にはオーストラリアの概要(文化、風習等)についてブリーフィングを実施し、7月31日にはブリスベンの訪問先企業へのアテンド行いました。

    ブリスベンの訪問先においては、カーボンニュートラルの観点から、カギケノリという海藻を用いて畜産動物が排出するメタンガスを減少させる取り組みについての情報を得ることができました。生徒が、将来は自らも環境のための取り組みを実施したいとの思いから、積極的にミーティングに臨んでいる姿が印象的でした。

    当事務所は今回、ブリーフィング及びアテンドのほか、ブリスベンの訪問先企業に対するアポイントメント取得のサポートも行いました。
     クレアシドニー事務所は、今後もオーストラリアでの調査に取り組む日本の自治体の活動を支援していきます。

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  •  名古屋市とシドニー市の姉妹都市交流は、2025年に45周年を迎えます。11月24日(金)には、豪州多文化主義政策交流プログラム(11月27日から12月2日まで)参加にあわせて渡豪した名古屋市職員がシドニー市役所を訪問しました。
     両市の姉妹動物園(タロンガ動物園と東山動物園)の交流の状況や名古屋市における国際交流についての情報共有に加えて、2023年12月に予定されている松雄副市長のシドニー市訪問の事前打ち合わせが行われ、クレアシドニー事務所はこの訪問をアテンドしました。
     節目の年を2年後に控え、両市の交流がさらに活発になるよう、クレアシドニー事務所は引き続き支援して参ります。