Westmoreland and Tottori, Japan Mark 10 Years of Partnership

The parish of Westmoreland and Tottori Prefecture in Japan are marking 10 years of friendship.

A celebratory event to observe the milestone was held on Monday (Aug. 31) at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, which included the handover of US$3,750 to the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation to support young people in the western parish.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, noted that the decade-long partnership, which began with a friendship agreement in 2016, has developed into meaningful cooperation in sports, education, culture and community development.

“Today, we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the twinning agreement between Westmoreland and Tottori, a milestone that speaks to the strength and longevity of the friendship,” she said.

She pointed to the sister-school agreement signed in 2025 between Iwami Senior and Little London high schools, which facilitated the participation of 12 students from Westmoreland in an exchange programme in Tottori last August.

She said that such exchanges are helping young people in Jamaica and Japan to build lasting friendships and broaden their understanding of each other’s cultures.

The Minister also highlighted Tottori’s long-standing support for Jamaica’s athletes, noting that the prefecture has hosted and fully funded training camps for Jamaica’s national teams since 2007, following the World Athletics Championships in Osaka.

She welcomed the renewed agreement signed earlier that day for Jamaica’s training camp ahead of the 2027 World Athletics Championships, saying it underscored Tottori’s continued investment in Jamaica’s sporting excellence.

Senator Johnson Smith also commended Jamaican athlete, Christine Day, who has been serving in Tottori as a Sports Exchange Advisor, for her role as a cultural and sporting ambassador.

Governor of Tottori Prefecture, Shinji Hirai, in his address, said that the sister-region relationship had taken on special significance following the severe impact of Hurricane Melissa on Westmoreland.

He said the people of Tottori were deeply affected by news of the devastation and subsequently launched a charity movement to assist the parish.

Drawing on Tottori’s own experience with major earthquakes, Governor Hirai said the region understood the importance of solidarity and recovery.

“We sincerely wish their restoration from last year’s disaster. We will do our best for you,” he pledged, while reaffirming Tottori’s commitment to strengthening the partnership.

Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Kohei Maruyama, described the relationship as “a friendship between West and West”, noting that Westmoreland is Jamaica’s westernmost parish while Tottori is located in western Japan.

He said that what began through athletics had expanded to include young people, educators, public officials, artists and local communities.

Reflecting on a visit to Westmoreland in January, Ambassador Maruyama said the parish’s beaches and green hills reminded him of Tottori, expressing hope that the relationship would “deepen its roots, extend its branches, and bear new flowers” in the years ahead.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, in his remarks, commended the partnership as an example of effective international cooperation at the local level.

He said Jamaica had benefited significantly from Japan’s support in communities across the country, including through grassroots programmes in neighbouring St. Elizabeth.

Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, Councillor Danree Delancy, also hailed the 10 years of cooperation, which has facilitated student exchanges, training opportunities for local government staff, cultural exchanges and visits by Japanese students and technical personnel.

He expressed confidence that the Westmoreland-Tottori relationship will continue to produce opportunities for learning, cultural exchange and development for many years to come.