Officials from Nachikatsuura, Japan visited city hall September 26 in recognition of the historic cultural exchange program

The City of Monterey Park was pleased to welcome Mr. Yuuto Yoneji and Mr. Shin Masuda, two senior officials with the planning department of Nachikatsuura, Japan, to city hall on September 26, 2017. The occasion commemorates the 50^th Anniversary of the Monterey Park-Nachikatsuura sister city relationship established in 1967.

Situated in the Wakayama prefecture on the Pacific coast of Japan, Nachikatsuura was the first to become a sister city with Monterey Park. Established by Monterey Park residents, in particular Terry Suzuki, the program plays an important role in providing residents of both cities with the opportunity to discover another culture and foster cross-country relationships. This is accomplished through cultural events and programs like the Cultural Ambassador Program. In this program, both cities choose high school students to become ambassadors for their city. These students participate in an exchange in which they tour the respective areas and stay with locals for a period of time.

Yoneji and Masuda play an integral role in this student exchange program. During their September 25-29 visit, the guests met with Monterey Park’s mayor, council member liaison and other city representatives to recognize the anniversary. Their stay also include tours of the Monterey Park Fire and Police Departments as well as trips to other notable southland locations including the Japanese National Museum and Dodger Stadium.

The City of Monterey Park values the longstanding partnership and history of cultural exchange with the City of Nachikatsuura and the respective sister city organizations, and is honored to host representatives Yoneji and Masuda.

The City of Monterey Park’s other sister city relationships include: Morelia, Mexico; Yung-Ho, Taiwan; Quanzhou, China; and Yeongdeungpo-Gu, Korea.