By Natasha Fujimoto
PROMOTING cultural connection, commercial opportunities as well as the lasting bonds of friendship, international sister cities have long been a tradition utilised across the globe in an effort to draw the frenetic world closer together.
Breathtakingly beautiful and hometown to arguably the greatest baseballer the world has ever seen in Shohei Ohtani, Oshu City, has proudly been Greater Shepparton’s sister city in Japan since 1979. Nestled in the far northeastern prefecture of Iwate, on Japan’s main island of Honshu, Oshu City is steeped in long histories and traditions that can be witnessed today in the prefecture’s numerous stunning temples and shrines as well as in their famed Nambu ironware and lacquerware.
A strategic planning coordinator in Oshu City Council, Akira Kamei has been visiting Shepparton for over two decades, forging mutually beneficial relationships between the two cities, particularly in agriculture and economic development.
Recently concluding his most recent visit earlier this month, Kamei san was pleased to share with The Adviser, a few of his most enduring impressions of Greater Shepparton as enjoyed and experienced through a foreign lens. Detailing fascinating parallels and differences between the sister cities, Kamei san said:
I have been involved in nurturing the relationship between the sister cities for about 20 years and I feel a strong sense of responsibility in connecting the two, and I hope to continue building a mutually beneficial relationship, particularly in agriculture and economic development.
Greater Shepparton is a city that continues to grow, where people are bright and full of energy. By comparison, Oshu City, which has a population of approximately 110,000, is experiencing a population decline. But what we share is an abundance of nature and a character of vibrancy in the people.
The beautiful Goulburn River and Victoria Park Lake- where people gather, is the most striking environmental difference to me.
But [just like Greater Shepparton] is renowned for its agriculture and innovative industry, Oshu City is known as a’ rice-producing region’, where high quality branded rice is being cultivated. The city also has a thriving machinery and metal processing industry, as well as a growing semiconductor industry.
Looking forward to continuing his role in fostering an ever-stronger connection between Greater Shepparton and Oshu City, Kamei san said he hopes to continue visiting the region for many years to come, not only to strengthen the ties of mutually beneficial economic development but to ensure a lasting bond of friendship and cultural exchange.
