Japan-Washington Relations
Sister Cities
The relationship between Japan and Washington State is very close, not only at the level of trade relationships, but also at the interpersonal level. There are currently 36 sister-city (including one city-county) and one sister-state relationships between Japan and Washington State, providing opportunities for exchanges and understanding between the people of both places. Washington also has a sister-state relationship with Hyogo Prefecture that is supported in the Seattle area by the Hyogo Business and Culture Center, Montana's sister state is Kumamoto Prefecture and information about that relationship can be found through the Kumamoto Plaza in Montana.
Washington State
| State |
Prefecture |
Signing Date |
| Washington |
Hyogo (Honshu) |
October, 1963 |
| City/Town |
Prefecture |
City/Town |
Signing Date |
| Seattle |
Hyogo |
Kobe City |
October, 1957 |
| Bellingham |
Chiba |
Tateyama City |
July, 1958 |
| Tacoma |
Fukuoka |
Kitakyushu City |
June, 1959 |
| Spokane |
Hyogo |
Nishinomiya City |
July, 1961 |
| Everett |
Yamaguchi |
Iwakuni City |
August, 1962 |
| Auburn |
Hyogo |
Tanba City |
July, 1968 |
| Kent |
Hyogo |
Tanba City |
November, 1968 |
| Renton |
Hyogo |
Nishiwaki City |
July, 1969 |
| Bremerton |
Hiroshima |
Kure City |
September, 1969 |
| Bellevue |
Osaka |
Yao City |
November, 1969 |
| Wenatchee |
Aomori |
Kuroishi City |
October, 1971 |
| Yakima |
Aomori |
Itayanagi Town |
February, 1972 |
| Walla Walla |
Hyogo |
Sasayama Town |
August, 1972 |
| Tukwila |
Tokushima |
Miyoshi City |
November, 1979 |
| Olympia |
Hyogo |
Kato City |
April, 1981 |
| Moses Lake |
Yamagata |
Yonezawa City |
May, 1981 |
| Cammas |
Shizuoka |
Hamamatsu City |
September, 1981 |
| Wenatchee |
Aomori |
Misawa City |
October, 1981 |
| Edmonds |
Aichi |
Hekinan City |
April, 1988 |
| Pullman |
Hyogo |
Kasai City |
November, 1989 |
| Chehalis |
Shizuoka |
Hamamatsu City |
October, 1990 |
| Ferndale |
Chiba |
Minami-Boso City |
October, 1991 |
| Kititas County |
Hyogo |
Sanda City |
April, 1992 |
| Sequim |
Hyogo |
Shiso City |
June, 1993 |
| Federal Way |
Aomori |
Hachinohe City |
August, 1993 |
| Everett |
Miyagi |
Ishinoaki City |
August, 1993 |
| Kelso |
Shizuoka |
Makinohara City |
December, 1994 |
| Port Angeles |
Aomori |
Mutsu City |
August,1995 |
| Camas |
Mie |
Hamamatsu City |
October,1995 |
| Vancouver |
Kyoto |
Joyo Town |
October, 1995 |
| Anacortes |
Akita |
Nikaho City |
September,1996 |
| Chelan |
Hyogo |
Kato City |
November,1996 |
| Longview |
Saitama |
Wako City |
October 1, 1999 |
| East Wenatchee |
Aomori |
Misawa City |
August, 2001 |
| Lakewood |
Okinawa |
Okinawa City |
January, 2002 |
| Port Townsend |
Hyogo |
Ichikawa Town |
October, 2002 |
Top
Montana State
| State |
Prefecture |
Signing
Date |
| Montana |
Kumamoto (Kyushu) |
July, 1982 |
| City/Town |
Prefecture |
City/Town |
Signing Date |
| Livingston |
Gunma |
Naganohara |
October, 1991 |
Top
Northern Idaho
At present there are no sister city relationships in Northern Idaho. (Source: The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) as of March 31, 2007)
Top
