Sister Cities New Zealand Conference in Wellington

Posted on May.13, 2015 by admin

From 9-11 April, we attended the Sister Cities New Zealand (SCNZ) Conference in Wellington, and the SCNZ Workshop at Government House, the official residence of the Governor-General of New Zealand.

During the conference we gave a presentation about the trend of sister city activities between New Zealand and Japan, how Japanese local governments are working to attract overseas tourists and the kinds of support CLAIR offers them. We also promoted the Rugby World Cup in 2019, which Japan will host for the first time, and the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.

We exchanged views with many attendees and shared ideas about sister city activities with them during both the conference and workshop sessions. CLAIR wishes to continuously support sister city and sister school activities – if you have something you want to know concerning Japanese local governments, or you have information you would like to share, please feel free to contact us.

We are always impressed with the dedication of SCNZ in their activities and their tireless work to fulfil their goals –have a look at their article on page 4.

We are more than happy to put a message from your council, school or organisation in our Newsletter – please contact our office for further information.

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On Sunday, 20 September, CLAIR Sydney hosted a booth at Japan and Friends Day 2026, held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Organised by the Japanese Society of Gold Coast, the event gave us an opportunity to showcase the many attractions of destinations across Japan.

Many visitors stopped by our booth to ask for recommendations for their next trip to Japan. Some also shared what they love about Japan’s beaches and how they differ from those on the Gold Coast. It was wonderful to meet so many people whose travels had deepened their appreciation for Japan’s nature, food and traditional culture.

CLAIR Sydney looks forward to continuing to share the diverse attractions of destinations across Japan with people in Australia and New Zealand through events like this.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and we hope to see you again!
On Sunday, 13 September, the JCS Japan Festival in Chatswood 2026 was held in Chatswood, in Northern Sydney. The event was organised by the Japan Club of Sydney (JCS).

Attendees enjoyed Japanese culture through Japanese food stalls and hands-on experiences such as sumi-e ink painting and origami, as well as taiko and karate performances. According to the organiser, approximately 5,000 people attended the event, creating a lively atmosphere throughout the day.

CLAIR Sydney hosted a booth showcasing tourist destinations and unique attractions of regions across Japan, including destinations beyond the well-known “Golden Route”. We also held a ring toss game for visitors who followed our Instagram account or completed a survey about their travel experiences in Japan. The activity was enjoyed by visitors of all ages, from young children to adults. Our booth welcomed a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, giving them an opportunity to discover the diverse attractions of Japan.

We hope this event helped more people discover the many attractions of regions across Japan and inspired them to explore destinations beyond Japan’s best-known tourist spots in the future. Thank you to everyone who visited our booth!
On Wednesday, 9 September, a farewell reception was held in Campbelltown, New South Wales, for a student delegation visiting Koshigaya City in Saitama Prefecture, Campbelltown’s sister city, later this month.

At the reception, the students performed “I Am Australian”, a widely loved song inspired by Australia’s history and culture, as well as the Japanese song “Kaeru no Uta” (“The Frog Song”). The students had reportedly been practicing enthusiastically in preparation for their exchange with the people of Koshigaya, and their hard work was clearly reflected in their lively performances.

Since establishing their sister-city relationship in 1984, Campbelltown and Koshigaya have maintained exchanges for more than 40 years through initiatives such as the opening of parks named after each city and organising reciprocal student exchange programmes. We would like to extend our deepest respect and appreciation to everyone who has contributed to strengthening the friendship between the two cities, and hope that the ties nurtured over many years will be passed on to future generations and continue to grow for years to come.

Consul-General Yamanaka of the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney (centre left), Cr Darcy Lound, Mayor of Campbelltown (centre right), and the student delegation.

CLAIR Sydney staff at the reception with Mr Terry Cotty, President of the Campbelltown-Koshigaya Sister Cities Association (centre).
On Thursday, 3 September, three representatives from Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, including Deputy Mayor Yamaguchi, visited the CLAIR Sydney office during their visit trip to Australia to attend the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC 2026).

CLAIR Sydney provided a briefing on recent developments in Australia and outlined key differences between the administrative systems of Japan and Australia.

The delegation also shared information about Obu City’s initiatives, including its sister-city exchanges with the City of Port Phillip in Victoria. The sister-city relationship was originally established with the former City of St Kilda in November 1993, before St Kilda was amalgamated into the City of Port Phillip in June 1994.

We hope the delegation found the visit both informative and enjoyable.

CLAIR Sydney supports a wide range of initiatives undertaken by Japanese local governments in Australia and New Zealand. If you require assistance with your activities, please feel free to contact us.
From 9 to 11 September, CLAIR Sydney participated in the 2026 Taituarā Annual Conference in New Plymouth, New Zealand, which brought together local government professionals from across the country, including senior council executives and managers.

As local governments face a rapidly changing environment shaped by fiscal constraints and ongoing reforms, the conference featured a forum for discussions on a wide range of topics. Through presentations, case studies, panel discussions and group workshops, participants examined effective leadership and organisational management, disaster and climate change response, and the use of artificial intelligence.

A session titled “Strengthening communities through arts and culture” explored the role of cultural policies and events in strengthening community connections, fostering local identity and enhancing residents’ wellbeing.

CLAIR Sydney will continue to follow the latest developments in local government across Australia and New Zealand and provide Japanese local governments with information and insights to support their policymaking and international activities.

Photos: Taituarā
From 25 to 27 August 2026, a delegation from Hyogo Prefecture, led by Vice Governor Yutaka Morimoto, visited Perth, Western Australia to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between Hyogo Prefecture and Western Australia.

During the visit, the delegation exchanged views with senior representatives of the Western Australian Government, including Premier Roger Cook, and signed a new joint statement aimed at further promoting exchanges between the two regions. As part of Hyogo Prefecture’s efforts to promote the use of hydrogen and support the transition to clean energy, the delegation also visited relevant facilities and engaged in discussions with local companies involved in the hydrogen sector.

It is hoped that this visit will further strengthen the longstanding relationship between Hyogo Prefecture and Western Australia and contribute to the continued development of exchanges across a wide range of fields.

A report on the visit is available on the Hyogo Prefecture International Affairs Division website (Japanese):

https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/sr13/20260916.html

CLAIR Sydney supported the delegation by assigning a staff member to accompany the visit, providing on-the-ground assistance and sharing information on current developments and local insights in Australia.

If your organisation is seeking support for initiatives in Australia or New Zealand, please feel free to contact us.
From 3 to 5 September, the Global Cities New Zealand (GCNZ) Conference 2026 was held in Christchurch, New Zealand, bringing together sister city representatives from across the country and beyond.

Christchurch is one of New Zealand’s leading international exchange cities, maintaining sister city relationships with 7 cities and regions worldwide, including Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, as well as Adelaide (Australia), Christchurch (UK) and Seattle (United States)

Held under the theme “New Frontiers”, this year’s conference explored new possibilities for international cooperation among local governments. Discussions focused on how emerging digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, can be utilised to share knowledge, experiences, and public service data among municipalities.

Participants examined how such collaboration can help local governments address common challenges and improve services for their communities, moving beyond the traditional one-to-one exchanges primarily focused on people-to-people interaction and friendship.

A stone lantern donated by Kurashiki City in the Bridges of Friendship Garden at the University of Canterbury

CLAIR Sydney participated in the conference, hosting an exhibition booth to introduce our activities and initiatives. We also strengthened our connections with sister city representatives from across New Zealand, including Hiromi Morris, Emeritus President of GCNZ.

Following the conference, Andrew McGeorge of the Christchurch-Kurashiki Sister City Committee kindly showed us around Christchurch. At the University of Canterbury, we visited the Bridges of Friendship Garden, established to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship. Within the garden stands a stone lantern donated by Kurashiki City, symbolising the longstanding friendship between the two cities and their history of exchanges since they became sister cities in 1973.

Participation in the conference gave us a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the significance of sister city exchanges and explore new opportunities for international cooperation between local governments.

CLAIR Sydney at the conference with a GCNZ Board member (centre) and a representative from the Embassy of Japan in New Zealand (second from right)
On Tuesday, 1 September, CLAIR Sydney welcomed members of the Niigata Prefectural Assembly Delegation, who were visiting Australia to conduct on-site visits aimed at expanding market opportunities for Niigata products and attracting more tourists to the prefecture.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CLAIR Sydney provided a briefing on its activities, as well as an overview of Australia’s demographics, economy and history of multiculturalism. During the Q&A session, a range of topics were discussed, including the distribution of Japanese agricultural products in Australia, the characteristics of promotional activities undertaken by Japanese local governments and ways to engage with former JET Programme participants.

In addition to the briefing, we also supported the delegation by arranging appointments with organisations they wished to visit. We hope that our support contributed to making their visit a meaningful and productive one.

CLAIR Sydney supports a wide range of initiatives undertaken by Japanese local governments across Australia and New Zealand. If your organisation is interested in receiving support for initiatives in the region, please feel free to contact us.
On Monday, 7 September 2026, a JET Programme Pre-Departure Orientation was held at the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney for the 5 new JET Programme participants scheduled to depart for Japan in mid-to-late September.

During the orientation, a staff member from the Consulate-General, who is also a former JET participant, shared practical advice to help participants prepare for their upcoming assignments, including things to keep in mind when working and living in Japan. She also shared insights from her own experience as a JET participant and answered questions from the group.

CLAIR Sydney provided an overview of CLAIR’s role in the JET Programme, including the training and support available to JET participants. We also introduced the JETAA (JET Alumni Association), highlighting how participants can continue to draw on their JET experience and contribute to strengthening the relationship between Japan and Australia after completing their assignments.

We sincerely hope that the new JETs can make the most of their time in Japan by gaining a wide range of experiences and broadening their perspectives. Through grassroots exchange and connections with local communities, we hope they will play an active role as bridges between Japan and Australia.

We wish all 5 participants the very best and hope they have a rewarding and unforgettable experience in Japan!

For more information about the JET Programme, please visit the official website below:

https://jetprogramme.org/en/about-jet/
On 3 and 4 September, CLAIR Sydney supported the Fukuoka Prefectural Government in operating its booth at the Asia-Pacific Hydrogen Summit, held in Adelaide, South Australia.

The booth showcased Fukuoka Prefecture’s hydrogen initiatives, including work led by the Hydrogen Energy Test and Research Center, as well as technologies and products presented by 2 Fukuoka-based companies.

The booth welcomed many visitors, including representatives from the NSW Government, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fukuoka Prefecture on hydrogen cooperation in 2023, as well as government officials, hydrogen-related businesses and researchers. The strong interest and lively discussions highlighted the growing opportunities for international collaboration in the hydrogen sector.

CLAIR Sydney continues to support Japanese local governments in Australia and New Zealand. If your local government is interested in undertaking activities in the region, please feel free to contact us to discuss how we can assist.