Through the Eyes of the former Consul General Yamada (June, 2017 - July, 2020)
2017/9/7
The Mayor of Seattle and the Governor of Washington: Everyone is Connected to Japan
I wrote about festivals in my last post, so this time I would like to discuss my more formal work. One of my important jobs as Consul General is to become acquainted with local administrators and legislators. With them, I share matters that are of interest to Japan and ask them to take those matters into consideration in their day-to-day work, so that if a problem happens to arise, we can use our established connection, talk things through, and together, take the first steps towards a solution.For this reason, as soon as I arrived at my post, I made courtesy visits to local government and legislative leaders. There are 36 municipalities in Washington with sister-city ties to Japan. Of course those cities are important, but there are also many other cities and counties that are important to Japan. Additionally, the heads of the different divisions of state government and regional economic development committees are of vital importance. In short, I am trying to meet as many people as I can. I have been surprised that, when I had a chance to talk with those I had the pleasure of meeting, everyone seemed to be connected to Japan in some way, and expressed an interest in and sympathy towards Japan.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee is a member of the Democratic Party. After twice serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1994, and from 1999 to 2012, he was elected Governor of Washington State, and is now in his second term. He has a strong interest in green energy and environmental issues, and authored a book on the subject. Looking towards the future of Washington State, which is continuing to experience robust growth in the fields of aerospace, IT and the life sciences, Governor Inslee stresses an investment in education. He is set to become the Chair of the Democratic Governors Association in December of this year, and with an increased number of opportunities for national attention, the local newspaper has reported that he might be considering a run in the 2020 presidential election.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee is a member of the Democratic Party. After twice serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1994, and from 1999 to 2012, he was elected Governor of Washington State, and is now in his second term. He has a strong interest in green energy and environmental issues, and authored a book on the subject. Looking towards the future of Washington State, which is continuing to experience robust growth in the fields of aerospace, IT and the life sciences, Governor Inslee stresses an investment in education. He is set to become the Chair of the Democratic Governors Association in December of this year, and with an increased number of opportunities for national attention, the local newspaper has reported that he might be considering a run in the 2020 presidential election.
Governor Inslee told me that around 20 years ago, when he was living in Yakima, a city in the eastern part of the state, he hosted two Japanese high school students as a homestay family. One of those students, at their welcome party the day they arrived, became so ill after eating too much beef that the Governor’s family was concerned for the student’s life. The high school student did not speak English, and the Governor’s family did not speak Japanese; (the now Governor) Inslee found himself praying that his feelings would somehow reach the student. When I said, “That event could have killed your political career, I suppose,” he laughed out loud and said, “The next day, he was much better, and was eating steak again.”
Last year in June, Governor Jay Inslee and Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kenichiro Sasae signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between Japan and Washington State. Japan is a critical partner for Washington in agricultural, marine and forest products, as well as in the high-tech industry.
During our meeting, he spoke of the importance of youth exchange, listing a number of universities that host a large number of Japanese international students. He also spoke of his hopes for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), which is currently undergoing flight tests in Moses Lake. Governor Inslee enjoys hiking and cycling, leading some to refer to him as one of America’s “Fittest Governors.” In front of a picture of Mount Rainier, a mountain which looks rather similar to Mount Fuji, and which Governor Inslee has climbed a number of times, we took a commemorative photograph. The picture is one that the Governor himself painted.
During our meeting, he spoke of the importance of youth exchange, listing a number of universities that host a large number of Japanese international students. He also spoke of his hopes for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), which is currently undergoing flight tests in Moses Lake. Governor Inslee enjoys hiking and cycling, leading some to refer to him as one of America’s “Fittest Governors.” In front of a picture of Mount Rainier, a mountain which looks rather similar to Mount Fuji, and which Governor Inslee has climbed a number of times, we took a commemorative photograph. The picture is one that the Governor himself painted.
The Mayor of Seattle, Ed Murray, is a Democrat. He became the Mayor in 2014 after his previous positions in the State House of Representatives and the State Senate. Last year he travelled to Japan, and paid visits to Seattle’s sister city, Kobe, as well as Tokyo. Mayor Murray is famous for advancing Seattle’s earthquake countermeasures. Seattle is located on top of a fault line, and is known to have a history of large earthquakes. In 2001, an earthquake south of Seattle near the state capital, Olympia, caused significant damage to the area’s infrastructure, including the highway viaduct that runs along Seattle’s coastline. It was determined that another earthquake might cause the viaduct to collapse. In response, a plan was implemented to bore a tunnel in the earth for the highway to pass through, and to demolish the viaduct and redevelop the waterfront. Construction of the tunnel is underway, and the heavy machinery that is being utilized for excavation is a product of the Hitachi Zosen Corporation.
Mayor Murray has been out publicly as gay since 1980. He played a big role in the passage of a bill in the Washington State Legislature in 2006 which banned employment, insurance and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals, and ended a debate that had spanned almost 30 years. His committed efforts later led to state marriage equality laws. As I mentioned in a past post, he and Michael Shiosaki, who is Japanese-American, are married. Seattle is developing rapidly, and the major issues involve grappling with problems characteristic of a growing city, such as traffic congestion. During our meeting, Mayor Murray spoke in depth of the connection between Japan and Seattle by asking me, “Are you going to the Bon Odori festival that’s happening at the Japanese temple in the city this weekend? I’m going,” and also by discussing the traditions and connections between Seattle and its very first sister city, Kobe, Japan.
Next year, Seattle will see a new mayor, likely from the two female contenders who led in the August 1 primaries out of 21 candidates. In Washington State, the selection methods for mayors vary from one municipality to another. Some are elected directly by eligible voters, while others are chosen by and sometimes from among city council members; Seattle’s mayoral elections are of the former. These two candidates will now advance to the general election that is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November (November 7, this year).
Today I’ve introduced these two people, but there are many other local leaders with a variety of connections to Japan. These include the Mayor of Lynnwood, who was once an English teacher in Japan, and Attorney General of Washington Bob Ferguson, whose wife traveled all over Japan and made many wonderful memories while working there as an English instructor. Everyone has been openhearted and warm, an embodiment of the soul of the State of Washington.