On August 24, 2012, the Japanese delegation of City of Sumoto (Japan) headed by Mayor M.Takeuchi visited Smolny.
On August 24, 2012, the Japanese delegation of City of Sumoto (Japan) headed by Mayor M.Takeuchi visited Smolny.
The guests were welcomed by I.O.Lonskiy, Deputy Chairman of St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations. The prospects of bilateral cooperation were discussed, including the format of Sumoto participation in the annual program “Japanese Spring” and “Japanese Autumn” in St.Petersburg.
The delegation visited St.Petersburg by the invitation of the district administration of Kronstadt, as the City of Sumoto is a partner of Kronstadt.
Within the confines of the Japanese delegation visit, on August 22 through 28, the official meetings were held and the educational, artistic, sporting and social institutions were visited; the sightseeing in St.Petersburg and Kronstadt took place, as well as the photo exhibition “Japan is with Us”.
In Kronstadt Youth Palace, a concert with the participation of artistic groups from Kronstadt and Sumoto was performed. At the concert, the Japanese guests played the traditional Japanese instruments – koto, sho, and ryuteki, as well as piano and famous Japanese drums.
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Kronstadt provides extensive contacts and exchanges of delegations with Japan. On February 11, 2006, the City of Sumoto incorporated Village Gosiki. The agreement, concluded by the twin cities of Gosiki and Kronstadt in July 2001 was therefeore inherited by the newly-united City of Sumoto. The agreement involves active economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation, the exchange of business delegations, students, and employees of the social sphere. In 2011, the delegation of
Kronstadt visited Sumoto within the framework of the events devoted to the 10th anniversary of signing the agreement between the twin cities.
Kronstadt and Japan have long-lasted historical ties: 160 years ago, in October of 1852, the frigate “Pallada” left Kronstadt for Japan, with the Russian embassy aboard, headed by Admiral E.Putiatin. It was he who, two years later, managed to conclude the first Russian-Japanese Treaty – Treaty of Shimoda. In 2012, the head of the Administration of Kronstadt visited City of Simoda to attend the ceremonies that marked the opening of the Kronstadt Square.