The City and County of Honolulu and the City of Uwajima, Japan, celebrated the 20th anniversary of their sister city relationship with a re-signing ceremony in Mission Memorial Auditorium. The event reaffirmed the strong ties between the two cities, which were first formalized on June 14, 2004, following the tragic sinking of the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru in 2001. The tragedy led to the creation of an educational and cultural exchange program, which has helped develop a meaningful, powerful, and unbreakable connection between Honolulu and Uwajima.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Uwajima Mayor Fumiaki Okahara presided over the ceremony, alongside Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters and Uwajima City Council Chair Toru Matsumoto.
“The bond between our two cities is built on mutual respect, shared values, and a deep sense of friendship,” said Mayor Blangiardi. “Over the past two decades, we have strengthened these ties through cultural exchange, education, and collaboration. The renewal of our agreement today marks another step forward in our journey together.”
A highlight of the event was the symbolic exchange of gifts between the two cities. Mayor Blangiardi presented a custom-made lei hulu (feather lei) to Mayor Okahara. The lei hulu was designed with colors inspired by Uwajima’s emblem — red representing the sun, blue for the sea and sky, and green symbolizing nature. Gold accents pay tribute to Oʻahu’s ʻilima flower, and the center of the lei featured nine sections in remembrance of the nine crew members who perished in the Ehime Maru tragedy.
In return, Mayor Okahara presented a commemorative plaque made of Akoya pearls, a symbol of perseverance and enduring friendship. The plaque featured an embedded pearl on a map, representing the cities’ intertwined destinies, and incorporated the Hawaiian maile design to honor their lasting peace and unity.
As part of the celebration, the City of Uwajima recognized several individuals for their dedication to fostering goodwill between the two cities. Mayor Okahara presented the Uwajima Distinguished Service Award to Reyna Kaneko, President of the Japan-America Society of Hawaiʻi and President of the Ehime Maru Memorial Association, along with other members of the association. Their ongoing efforts in preserving the memory of the Ehime Maru and strengthening ties between Honolulu and Uwajima have been instrumental in the success of this sister city relationship.
The sister city relationship between Honolulu and Uwajima was established in 2004 in response to the Ehime Maru tragedy. In February 2001, the USS Greeneville, a U.S. Navy submarine, collided with the Ehime Maru off the coast of Oʻahu, resulting in the loss of nine lives. The Japanese fishing trawler had departed from Uwajima Fisheries High School on a training voyage when the accident occurred. The formalization of the sister city relationship in 2004 served as a step toward healing and fostering a deeper cultural and educational exchange between the two cities.
