Sister City Relationships
YKK’s efforts to render benefit to others
Macon-Kurobe
The sister city relationship between Macon, Georgia and Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, Japan was established on May 10, 1977. The partnership was facilitated by YKK, which has large plants in both cities.
The sister city relationship was established to accomplish the following four objectives:
- Establish cultural and educational exchange programs
- Establish and create trade, industrial and commercial relationships between Macon and Middle Georgia and Kurobe, Japan
- Develop medical and health care interchange programs to benefit citizens of the two cities
- Share in programs of education and information so as to create understanding and goodwill between the people of Kurobe and Macon
In the four decades since the relationship was established, more than 500 students have visited each other’s cities. Every two years, students from Sakurai High School visit Macon for a one week home stay and cultural exchange. Every other year, students from Kurobe’s four middle schools visit Macon, while high school students from Macon visit Kurobe in alternating years.
The cities of Macon and Kurobe also have an active medical exchange between Navicent Health, Mercer University, and Kurobe City Hospital which dates from 2003. City officials have also actively engaged in exchange activities. To date, mayors Buckner Melton, George Israel, Lee Robinson, Tommy Olmstead, Jim Marshall, Jack Ellis, and Robert Reichert have all visited Kurobe together with delegations of comprised of city employees and business leaders.
The International Cherry Blossom Festival has also been a huge supporter of the sister relationship, with festival founder Carolyn Crayton making the voyage to Kurobe 6 times. Many students from Kurobe have had the rare opportunity to ride the YKK float in the Cherry Blossom Festival parade, to the great delight of participants and spectators alike.
Dublin-Osaki
The sister city relationship between Dublin, Georgia and Osaki, Japan (formerly Sambongi) was established on May 29, 1998. The partnership was facilitated by YKK AP, which has manufacturing facilities in both cities.
In the two decades since the relationship was established, more than 175 students and dignitaries have visited each other’s cities, with high school students from Dublin and Osaki alternating visits each year.
City officials have also actively engaged in exchange activities. Osaki mayor Buichiro Sato visited Dublin in March 2004 and Dublin mayor Phil Best visited Osaki (then Sambongi) in 2004 and 2019 together with delegations comprised of city employees and business leaders.
YKK AP takes great pride in its support for the sister city relationship and the close bonds of friendship that have been formed over the past 2 decades.
