天皇誕生日祝賀レセプション（ケアンズ）〔2022年3月3日〕

Located in southwestern Yamaguchi Prefecture at the western end of Honshu, Japan’s main island, Ube City is known for its greenery, flowers, and sculptures, and for the harmony between its rich natural environment and vibrant art scene. Ube, which actively promotes international exchange, first began developing ties with Newcastle, New South Wales, in the 1970s after local companies started importing coal from Australia. This connection led to the establishment of a sister-city partnership on 21 November, 1980.

Since then, the two cities have continued to strengthen their relationship through exchanges in a wide range of fields, including education, culture, and sport. Youth exchange has been a particular focus, and to date, a total of 367 secondary school students from Ube have visited Newcastle through the program. These experiences have provided the participating students with valuable opportunities to broaden their horizons and take their first steps into the wider world.

Each year, participating lower secondary school students visit the Sydney Office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) on the day they arrive in Australia. There, they receive briefings on Australian culture and global career opportunities, making the visit a valuable experience as they begin to consider their future study and career paths.

When students begin their homestays in Newcastle, they initially tend to rely on gestures and struggle to communicate using their limited English vocabulary. However, as they share meals, laughter, and everyday experiences with their welcoming host families, they soon overcome the language barrier and come to feel like genuine members of the family. Attending local high schools, paying courtesy visits to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, and enjoying Japanese cultural activities such as kendama (a traditional cup and ball toy), bozu-mekuri (a traditional card game), and origami with members of the Newcastle community, students help bring the people of the two cities even closer together.

Students return home saying, “I realised that when you open your heart, people can truly connect with one another,” and “In the future, I want to pursue a career that allows me to work on the global stage.” The newfound confidence on the students’ faces as they arrive back at the Yamaguchi Ube Airport speaks to just how profoundly their experiences in their sister city have transformed their outlook on life.

The history woven together by Ube and Newcastle continues to be carried forward by the bright smiles, curiosity, and spirit of adventure of these young people. Looking ahead to the 50th anniversary of their sister-city partnership in 2030, Ube remains committed to further strengthening and deepening this valuable relationship.

The following section introduces some of the events helping to revitalise the local community in Ube City.

Ube City is the birthplace of Hideaki Anno, Chief Director of the “EVANGELION” Series. The citywide revitalization event Machijuu EVANGELION (“EVANGELION All Over Ube City”) was launched after JR Ube-Shinkawa Station served as a model for one of the locations featured in the series.

From its first edition in 2021 through its fifth in 2025, Machijuu EVANGELION has been warmly received by a wide range of visitors. As part of the event, two sculptures unique to Ube City have been unveiled: the “Spear of Longinus” sculpture and the “EVA’s Hand” sculpture.

This year, Ube Machijuu EVANGELION 2026 will be held under the theme “Ube Awakens!”

Visitors can look forward to a wide range of experiences unique to Machijuu EVANGELION, bringing together the world of EVANGELION and the distinctive appeal of Ube City.