A long and enduring friendship was celebrated last week when the mayor of Chuo City Council in Tokyo, Yoshihide Yada, visited Sutherland Shire Council on Thursday to meet with mayor Carmelo Pesce and shire councillors.
Mr Yada was here to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sutherland Shire-Chuo City Sister City Relationship.
Chuo City is one of 23 wards which make up Tokyo.
Mr Yada was first elected mayor of Chuo City in 1987 and has been elected for eight consecutive terms in direct elections by Chuo residents.
In 1989 the then Shire president Michael Tynan held a civic welcome for 32 students visiting Australia from Chuo City.
From that point, Mayor Yada and Michael Tynan corresponded with each other which led to the sister city agreement.
One of the most generous and lasting gifts has been the Chuo City Garden at Sutherland which opened in 1993. Construction was paid for by the Chuo City Government.
In 1994 after Sutherland Shire was hit by its worst bushfire emergency one of the first expressions of sympathy was from Mayor Yada who sent the proceeds of a collection from Chuo City school students to help those who lost their homes and possessions, totalling nearly A$23,000.
Other gifts and donations from Chuo City have included 5 million yen in 1996 to celebrate the fifth anniversary between the two councils and again in 2001 to celebrate the 10th anniversary.
These funds were put in trust and are used to help fund the onging student exchange program between the two councils.
