Visit of Consul General Saito to the cities of Hakodate and Sapporo (March 28 and 29, 2023)
Temporarily back in Japan, Consul General Saito was on official visit to the cities of Hakodate and Sapporo on March 28 and 29. Hakodate is the sister city of Halifax in Nova Scotia, and 2022 marked the 40th anniversary of their twinning. Conscious that revitalization of bilateral relations that have been impacted by the pandemic will require a concerted effort, the Consul General met with Hakodate Deputy Mayor Naoko Hirai and exchanged ideas and opinions with representatives of the Hakodate-Halifax Association. Additionally, he met among others in Sapporo the Hokkaido International Bureau Director and discussed various topics such as the current state of prefecture-level exchanges. He also had the opportunity to discover the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies of Hokkaido University and learn more about the most recent development in research in Japan. This type of visit reinforces the Consulate General of Japan’s determination to continue to offer its support to interregional cooperation.