The City of Homer is hosting head Japanese Consul Kiyohiko Hamada from Anchorage to speak at the regular city council meeting on Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. Hamada will brief the city about the future of student and city official exchanges with Homer and sister city, Teshio, located in Hokkaido, Japan.

“We look forward to his insights on cultural exchange as we continue to celebrate what is approaching the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship in 2025,” Lori Pond, assistant to the city manager, said in a press release last week.

“Sister city relationships have been shown to have measurable direct economic benefits, including in tourism, trade, and sometimes even development,” the consular office said in the release. “They also create cultural and educational people-to-people links that provide opportunities for citizens.”

Eight Alaska communities have sister city relationships with cities in Japan: Ketchikan with Gero; Kenai with Akita; Anchorage with Chitose; Fairbanks with Monbetsu; Palmer with Saroma; Sitka with Nemuro; and Seward with Obihiro.

According to the consular office website, sister city relationships are independently developed and maintained by volunteers with the support of local elected officials in their communities. Each sister city organization pursues activities important to both communities, including economic, educational and cultural exchanges.

Other features of the consular office in Anchorage are to promote trade, investment and cultural ties between Japan and Alaska.

Hamada assumed his duties leading the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage on Jan. 1. Prior to coming to Anchorage, he worked at the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine, according to an introductory greeting on the website.

The public is invited to attend the Homer City Council meeting either in person at Homer City Hall or by Zoom. To participate by Zoom visit the City of Homer’s website for a link.