On October 14 Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe met with Mayor of London Boris Johnson during his trade mission to Japan.
At the meeting the governor said, “I hope that London and Tokyo will continue to work together, taking the lead to solve problems faced by metropolises around the world.”
Following the meeting the governor and mayor signed the Joint Declaration to establish a friendship city relationship between Tokyo and London. The two cities also agreed to engage in exchanges and cooperation in the areas of urban development, the environment, cultural exchange, transport, tourism, and hosting major sporting events.
A joint press conference was held after the signing, at which the governor said:
By learning about London’s experience in making the 2012 Games a great success, as well as the legacies that were created, I hope to make the Tokyo 2020 Games a success. Using the opportunity presented by the Games, I then hope to realize our policies aimed at making Tokyo the best city in the world.
After the joint press conference, the governor attended the welcoming ceremony to mark the establishment of the friendship city relationship held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. Later in the day, at a tea ceremony hosted by the governor at Meiji Jingu Shrine, the mayor enjoyed experiencing Japanese traditional culture.
The Joint Declaration on the establishment of a friendship city relationship between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Greater London Authority and the Memorandum of Understanding on exchange and cooperation between the two cities can be read in full here. This follows the recent launch of the Tokyo Brand Promotion Campaign (‘& Tokyo’) and Tokyo’s Basic Strategy for City Diplomacy.
