By Tom McClimon
March 28, 2011

In the wake of the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant uncertainty in Japan, The United States Conference of Mayors sent a message to Tatsuro Yoshiyama, Secretary General of the Japan Association of City Mayors – the Conference of Mayors sister organization – to offer assistance to the Association and its members. The Conference of Mayors has over a quarter century relationship with the Japanese mayors’ organization.

The following is the text of Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran’s message to the Secretary General:

Dear Secretary General Yoshiyama:

Our hearts continue to go out to our friends of long standing, The Japanese Association of City Mayors staff in Tokyo, representing all the Mayors of Japan.

For over 25 years we have continued to support one another through sharing best practices, and supporting each other through the challenges we all face in supporting our members and their staffs through difficult economic times and disasters.

The current earthquakes and after effects of the tsunami with the radiation fear due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the thousands injured, dead or missing has caused our Mayors to ask me to reach out and inquire more specifically what we can do for the Japanese Association of City Mayors as you do your best for your members during this tragic time in the history of Japanese people and Japanese cities.

Today, The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) are all members of the Japanese Association of City Mayors!

As the Secretary General in America, I ask the Secretary General in Japan to let me know what we can do to help you, your staff, your members and your organization during this critical time.

I look forward to hearing from you as we continue our very strong, deep and special long standing relationship of our two great Mayor organizations of the world.

As ever,

Sincerely yours.

Tom Cochran, Secretary General (CEO and Exec Director), The United States Conference of Mayors

The following message was sent by Secretary General Yoshiyama:

Mr. Thomas Cochran:

We are sincerely grateful for your prompt and heartfelt message of sympathy for the earthquake disaster we are suffering at this time. We have already received a great deal of assistance from your country, which we appreciate very much. We are now concentrating our utmost efforts for relief of residents in the affected areas and recovery of devastated sites.

Lastly, we sincerely wish for the health and success of Mr. Cochran, the Secretary General, and all your staff.

With warmest regards

Tatsuro Yoshiyama, Secretary General, Japan Association of City Mayors

“We expect to hear more from the Japan Association of City Mayors in the days and weeks ahead as to ways the Conference of Mayors can be of assistance to them and their members,” stated Cochran. “We will pass that information on to our mayors. In the meantime, we want to know from our mayors what their cities might be doing to assist in the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plants relief efforts.”

A number of American mayors and cities have undertaken initiatives to assist Japanese cities, especially those with sister'sister city relationships.

Conference of Mayors First Vice President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued a statement: “On behalf of all Angelenos, I want to extend our thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan, as well as to the family and friends of victims affected by this horrible tragedy. The city of Los Angeles stands ready and willing to help in any way it can to ease the suffering and aide in the recovery of this devastating earthquake.”

Riverside (CA), which has a sister city partnership with Sendai, one of the hardest hit areas of the earthquake, initiated a fundraising drive that has raised nearly $100,000 that will be sent directly to the people of Sendai. Chicago will hold a Chicago Sister Cities Japan Earthquake Relief Fundraiser to benefit the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund. Mayor Richard M. Daley is serving as the Honorary Chair. New Orleans has created a NOLA Japan Quake Fund to administer donations to earthquake relief efforts. Following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans sister city, Matsue, donated over $48,000 to hurricane relief efforts. In addition, at total of over $40 million in relief funds was donated by Japanese businesses and governments. In addition, many cities across the United States have organized fundraisers and events to raise money to send to Japan.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is interested in hearing what cities are doing to assist in the Japanese relief efforts. That information should be sent by e-mail to Tom McClimon on the Conference staff at mcclimon@usmayors.org.