U.S. proposes concluding sister park agreement between Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Pearl Harbor National Memorial, taking Hiroshima Summit as opportunity
Jun. 23, 2023
by Keiichi Nohira, Staff Writer
On June 22, the Hiroshima City government announced it will conclude a sister park agreement between Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in the city’s Naka Ward and Pearl Harbor National Memorial in the U.S. state of Hawaii on June 29. The city government said the United States had made a proposal of the agreement in connection with the summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations (the G7 summit) held in the city in May. The city government said a partnership between the parks related to the beginning and the end of the war would serve as a bridge with which they can use to bear sorrow related to the past, overcome animosity, and seek peace and reconciliation in a future-oriented fashion.
According to the city government, a memorial for the victims of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which marked the beginning of the war between Japan and the United States, stands in Pearl Harbor National Memorial. The agreement stipulates the parks will: hold exhibitions utilizing war-related materials of both parks, share information about peace education in Japan and the United States, and share the know-how of volunteers supporting the parks, among other things. The agreement will be effective for five years after it is signed. This is the first time for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to conclude a sister park agreement.
In April, Richard Mei, United States Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, proposed the sister city agreement to the Hiroshima City government, saying the United States hopes to conclude the agreement with the summit as an opportunity, as both parks aim to promote peace and mutual understanding among those involved in the Pacific War. The city government said it decided to accept the proposal, thinking the agreement will promote visits to Hiroshima.
On June 29, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will sign the agreement at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.
(Originally published on June 23, 2023)
On June 22, the Hiroshima City government announced it will conclude a sister park agreement between Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in the city’s Naka Ward and Pearl Harbor National Memorial in the U.S. state of Hawaii on June 29. The city government said the United States had made a proposal of the agreement in connection with the summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations (the G7 summit) held in the city in May. The city government said a partnership between the parks related to the beginning and the end of the war would serve as a bridge with which they can use to bear sorrow related to the past, overcome animosity, and seek peace and reconciliation in a future-oriented fashion.
According to the city government, a memorial for the victims of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which marked the beginning of the war between Japan and the United States, stands in Pearl Harbor National Memorial. The agreement stipulates the parks will: hold exhibitions utilizing war-related materials of both parks, share information about peace education in Japan and the United States, and share the know-how of volunteers supporting the parks, among other things. The agreement will be effective for five years after it is signed. This is the first time for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to conclude a sister park agreement.
In April, Richard Mei, United States Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, proposed the sister city agreement to the Hiroshima City government, saying the United States hopes to conclude the agreement with the summit as an opportunity, as both parks aim to promote peace and mutual understanding among those involved in the Pacific War. The city government said it decided to accept the proposal, thinking the agreement will promote visits to Hiroshima.
On June 29, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will sign the agreement at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.
(Originally published on June 23, 2023)
