History of the Sister City relationship

The first contact between Campbelltown and Koshigaya was between past Cr Greg Percival, OBE, and Mayor Shinichiro Shimamura at an Australia - Japan Community Exchange Sister City Emposium held in Tokyo in April 1982.

In November 1982, then Mayor Shimamura, accompanied by Mr Shinichi Yoshida, visited Campbelltown and participated in the Campbelltown City Festival of Fisher’s Ghost.

Informal discussions followed, which resulted in Council resolving to form a committee to investigate and report back on the establishment of a Sister City relationship.

In a Mayoral Minute dated 8 November 1983, the then Mayor, Cr Bryce Regan, recommended to Council the formation of a Sister Cities Committee made up of about 20 people drawn from the community and to act on behalf of the residents of Campbelltown in a bid to promote friendship, tourism, industrial, cultural and language exchanges between the two cities.

A party of Koshigaya residents led by then Mayor Shimamura visited Campbelltown in April 1984. At a formal ceremony, the proclamation establishing the Sister Cities relationship was signed by Mayor Shimamura on behalf of Koshigaya and Cr Bryce Regan on behalf of Campbelltown. The proclamation reads:

“Greetings.

Be it known to all that the City of Campbelltown in Australia and the City of Koshigaya in Japan proclaim the establishment of a Sister City relationship.

The people of both communities declare that they wish to further develop and promote a wide range of economic, trading, cultural, tourism, educational, sporting, entertainment and other activities of mutual exchange and benefit.

They aim to contribute to the promotion of mutual understanding and goodwill between the two cities as well as to enhance the friendly relations between Japan and Australia.”

During the visit, Koshigaya Park on the corner of Hurley Street and Camden Road was officially opened by Mayor Shimamura.