By Tom McClimon
September 17, 2012

Led by U.S. Conference of Mayors Vice President Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, a Conference of Mayors delegation traveled to Hiroshima and Tokyo, August 4-11, for the 10th Japan – United States Mayors Fellowship Exchange Conference. Prior to the summit, August 8 in Tokyo co'sponsored with the Japan Association of City Mayors, the mayors traveled to Hiroshima to participate in ceremonies marking the 67th anniversary of the atomic bombing.

The Conference of Mayors delegation, in addition to Smith, consisted of Columbus (OH) Mayor Michael Coleman, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, and Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. Six Japanese mayors participated in the session, including the President of the Japan Association of City Mayor, Nagaoka Mayor Tamio Mori.

The major focus at the Tokyo summit was “Disaster Prevention for Cities.” This issue was of particular importance to the Japanese mayors due to last year’s tragic earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan. Smith helped to open the meeting by stating, “Each disaster brings its own challenges. Mayors need to respond to those challenges and meet the needs of their citizens.” Two mayors from the impacted areas, Mayor Tsuneaki Iguchi from Iwanuma and Mayor Makoto Kobayashi from Hachinoha spoke on their cities’ relief and reconstruction efforts. Coleman and Stodola talked about emergency preparedness programs in their cities. The executive directors of both organizations – Cochran and Yoshiyama – pledged their respective organization’s cooperation in the future.

While in Tokyo, the mayors also had the opportunity to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Disaster Prevention Center and Disaster Prevention Park, where they saw how the city helps prepare its residents for future disasters, especially earthquakes.

Prior to going to Tokyo, the mayors went to Hiroshima to participate in the 67th anniversary events of the atomic bombing. Smith and Cochran were invited to lay a wreath of flowers at the Peace Memorial, the only Americans to invite to do so. Later, the Conference of Mayors delegation laid a wreath at the park bench in Peace Park donated by the Conference of Mayors in 2005, and is the only item in Peace Park donated by an American organization. Before departing, the mayors met with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui.