Osaka Terminates the 61-year-old Sister-City Relationship with San Francisco

​On October 1, 2018, on a news program, Osaka Mayor Yoshimura indicated a termination of sister-city relationship between Osaka and San Francisco. The following day, the Osaka Municipal Government said that it has sent a document to officially end its 61-year-old sister-city ties with San Francisco.[1]

On October 4, 2018, Mayor Breed released the following statement in response:[2]
“One Mayor cannot unilaterally end a relationship that exists between the people of our two cities, especially one that has existed for over sixty years. In our eyes, the Sister City relationship between San Francisco and Osaka continues today through the connection of our people, and San Francisco looks forward to strengthening the bonds that tie our two great cities together.

Japan and Japanese-Americans have a unique and rich history in San Francisco that has left a lasting and beneficial impact on our City. We are one of three cities in the nation with a Japantown neighborhood, which is an important part of what makes San Francisco a great, diverse city.

The San Francisco Comfort Woman Memorial is a symbol of the struggle faced by all women who have been, and are currently, forced to endure the horrors of enslavement and sex trafficking. These victims deserve our respect and this memorial reminds us all of events and lessons we must never forget.”

[1]https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/10/03/national/osaka-severs-sister-city-ties-san-francisco-comfort-women-statue/#.W7VMG2hKg2w

[2]https://sfmayor.org/article/statement-mayor-london-breed-sister-city-relationship-between-san-francisco-and-osaka