The 2025 U.S.-Japan Sister Cities Summit took place from the 16 to 19 September in Osaka, Japan, marking a historic convergence of significant milestones: the 170th anniversary of U.S.-Japan diplomatic relations, the 70th anniversary of Sister Cities International, and the 80th anniversary of bilateral relations since World War II ended.
Under the theme "Celebrating our Legacies, Empowering our Future," the summit brought together over 600 bilateral stakeholders, including representatives from all 460 U.S.-Japan Sister City partnerships, elected officials, and citizen diplomats. This gathering encouraged meaningful collaboration, explored innovative partnership opportunities, and focused on empowering the next generation of global leaders to strengthen international relationships through cultural and educational exchanges.
TAFISA was represented by Board Member Masanori Tamazawa, who participated in an expert panel on "Leveraging the Power of Sports Diplomacy," where he shared valuable insights on enhancing sport exchanges during upcoming mega sporting events, TAFISA programs and activities, and Active Cities Strategy. 
As a part of the summit, key stakeholders were invited not only to celebrate this milestone by to also:
- Cultivate the next generation of leaders and cultural bridge builders
- Explore opportunities for economic development between both countries
- Participate in programming at the Osaka World Expo
- Strengthen bilateral partnerships
- Rejuvenate dormmate relationships affected by the COVID year
The summit was a great opportunity to network and we are glad to have been a part of this celebration. For more information - https://sistercities.org/sci-japan/
