By Tom McClimon
September 12, 2005

Following the 60th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing events in Hiroshima, Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran traveled to Tokyo and Hanoi to further strengthen relationships with mayors in these two countries.

On August 8, Cochran held a meeting with the Secretary General of the Japan Association of City Mayors (JACM) at their offices in Tokyo. The Conference of Mayors has a long relationship with JACM dating back to the late 1980s.

In their discussions, the two directors pledged to continue to work together to hold annual Japan-US Cities Summits to focus on issues of mutual concern. The next Summit is planned to be held in the United States in 2006.

On August 10, Cochran traveled to Vietnam and met with Phung Huu Phu, Chairman of Hanoi's People's Council. Phu is the top local official in Hanoi and is also a member of Vietnam Central Committee. The People's Council is the local representative body for the city.

Meeting for the first time with the head of a city in Vietnam, Cochran reviewed ways that the Conference of Mayors has worked with cities, mayors, and local government organizations in other countries. Exchanging "best practices" between cities has proven to be a useful tool in establishing partnerships.

Phu expressed his interest in working with American cities and forming a relationship with the Conference of Mayors. He accepted an offer from Cochran to attend an upcoming U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting and pledged to work together to establish visits between mayors of the two countries.