FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2004

UWAJIMA, JAPAN BECOMES HONOLULU'S 23RD SISTER CITY

            Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris and Uwajima Mayor Hirohisa Ishibashi will sign a Sister City Agreement today.  Uwajima will become Honolulu's 23rd Sister City, joining cities in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe that include: Hiroshima, Bombay, San Juan, Caracas, Mombasa and Bruyeres in France.

            The ceremony will take place in the courtyard of Honolulu Hale on Monday, June 14, 2004 at 10:30 a.m.   It will include remarks by both mayors, signing of the agreement and the exchange of gifts between the two cities.  The program will also include performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band and Halau Hula Olana under the direction of Kumu Hula Olana Ai.

            Honolulu and Uwajima are linked by the tragedy involving the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru.  The ship, a training vessel of Uwajima Fisheries High School, was struck and sunk in Hawaiian waters in February 2001 by the United States submarine USS Greenville.  The collision resulted in the death of nine people on board the Ehime Maru.

            The ceremony is expected to conclude at about noon.

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