1. Nagasaki/Saint Paul Sister City Relationship
Al Zdrazil
Rotary Club of Saint Paul Sep 28, 2010

2. Nagasaki, Japan lies at the head of long bay which forms the best natural harbor on the island of Kyushu, the southern most island of the four major islands of Japan. This position made it a natural port for trade with outside nations, even during Japan’s period of isolationism. As a result, it became a center of Portuguese and Dutch influence in the 16th to 19th centuries.
By the 17th century in Japan the Emperor had become very weak and the country was run by many warlords. One of the warlords known as , Toyotomi Hideyoshi united the country under the shogunate. He moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo, which is now known as Tokyo. Under the shogun, the Emperor became a ceremonial figurehead while Japan was in reality run by the Samuri class lead by the Shogun. This started to change in 1853 when Admiral Perry forced the opening of Japan to foreign trade. Because of the changes that this brought about in Japanese society, the Emperor was able to regain control of the country. This became known as the Meiji Restoration.
Before the Dutch arrived in Japan, the Portuguese, were present in Kyushu.  They were eventually perceived as interfering, especially by the Jesuits trying to convert the locals.  The Portuguese were forced out, the Dutch were allowed to stay in a very limited way

3. The Dutch were allotted a postage stamp sized artificial island in the harbor called Dejima.  Prior to this Dejima had been used as a prison island. The Dutch were mostly not allowed off the island, to keep Japan closed from the rest of the world.  To the extent possible, and very often in secreat, Nagasaki was also the center of Christian influence in Japan

4. . In 1596, in response to a suspected invasion of Japan by Spanish forces the Shogun ordered the crucifixions of twenty-six Catholics in Nagasaki on February 5 of that year They are known today as the "Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. This is a present day monument to those martyrs. Despite persecution, Nagasaki remained a center of Western and Christian influence.

5. This Oura Catholic Church was built in the 1860’s and is a national cultural landmark today.
With the opening of Japan to the west, Nagasaki resumed its place as a major center for trade with the west and western learning. Nagasaki continued to thrive as a major port and university city.

6. All of this ended on August 9, 1945 when the second atomic bomb was dropped over Nagasaki. The city was almost totally destroyed. 73,884 people were killed outright and several hundred thousand residents died of radiation poising, disease and starvation.
But, Nagasaki rebuilt, with a commitment to retain its position as an important connection with the world outside Japan. It also committed itself to peace and to promote a world where no other person would have to suffer the effect of an atomic bomb.

7. This is a monument in the Nagasaki Peace Park marking ground zero of the atomic blast. It is surrounded by a peace park and Nuclear Holocaust museum.

8. This is the part of Urakami Cathedral that remained standing after the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki, Japan. It had been built in 18 97

9. This is the St. Mary’s Cathedral that was built in 1959 to replace it.

10. This is the Peace Statue at the head of the park
This is the Peace Statue at the head of the park. Arranged from this statue are numerous displays from cities and countries around the world honoring the spirit of peace

11. In 1955, the City of St. Paul and the City of Nagasaki formed a sister city relationship. The first such relationship between the United States and Japan. This is the City of St. Paul memorial Constellation Earth, Statue by Paul T. Granlund

12. Nagasaki has rebuilt itself as a very modern and dynamic city
Nagasaki has rebuilt itself as a very modern and dynamic city. It has a busy port,

14. nightlife

15. And many international visitors

16. It also has a Saint Paul Street

18. In 1974, the Rotary International Convention was held in the Twin Cities. At that convention, Mitsuji Iwanaga of Rotary Club of Nagasaki and Jim Aldridge of the Rotary Club of St. Paul met and started a relationship between the two clubs that lasts to this day. In 1975, The Rotary club of st. paul hosted 3 members of the rotary club of Nagasaki and concluded a formal agreement to creat a sister club relationship.

19. The first act was to begin direct youth exchanges
. The first act was to begin direct youth exchanges. This remains one of the few if not the only direct exchange of high school students between Rotary clubs allowed by Rotary International. The relationship has also led to many visits by Nagasaki Rotarians to St. Paul and St. Paul Rotarians to Nagasaki.

21. 1984

22. Kaori Tako

23. In 1981, the Rotary Club of St. Paul sent a totem pole to Nagasaki to be displayed at the entrance the Nagasaki Nuclear Holocaust Museum. This is a picture of Jerry Meigs and James Aldrich in front of the pole as it is packed and ready to be trucked to Northwest Airlines for shipment to Nagasaki. We do not have any pictures of the actual pole, but we know that it was 29 feet tall.
Also, in 1982 a group of Rotarians lead by Mitsuji Iwanaga visited the St. Paul club.
In 1985, 33 people lead by Mitsuji Iwanaga, who at the time was the District Governor in Nagasaki visited out club to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the sister city relationship.

24. In 1995, a large group of Nagasaki Rotarians lead by Keisuke Tanaka visited St. Paul. Here they are being welcomed to our meeting.

25. In 1995, St. Paul Rotary President Bill Cammack represented us at a Rotary Conference in Nagasaki. Also, Rotarians from Nagasaki visited us lead by President Keisuke Tanaka.
In 1999: President Elect Chuck Graham visited Nagasaki and gave a presentation to the Rotary Club of Nagasaki.
In 2006, another group of Rotarians visited St. Paul to commemorate the 50 aniversary of the sister city relationship and the 30th year of our youth exchange program. Unfortunately, it appears that nobody took pictures.

26. And, fortunately Jim Aldrich was still around to enjoy their visit.

27. After 20 plus years, the original totem pole had to be replaced
After 20 plus years, the original totem pole had to be replaced. Under the direction of Bill Cammack and Ray Lefto this totem pole was carved and shipped to Nagasaki to replace the 1981 pole

29. Shige Nakamura

30. A presentation to Rotary Club of Nagasaki by then president of Rotary club of St. Paul Marj Griffing

31. And past president Bill Cammack

32. Unfortunately, this totem pole was not properly treated to withstand the hot humid weather of Nagasaki and by2008 it had to be removed because of structural weakness caused by sever fungus infestation. The Rotary Club of Nagasaki has planted a flower garden at that location until a more permanent replacement can be provided.

33. It had to be taken down before it fell down.
We have been communicating with the Nagasaki Rotary club about a suitable replacement for this pole. Several in our club feel that it would no longer be appropriate to send another totem pole. It does not represent Minnesota. It does not represent St. Paul. And it is stereotypical of American Indians.

34. One suggestion has been to send a scaled down version of the vision of peace that is in our St. Paul City Hall. It does represent St. Paul and it does represent the American Indian theme that is so important to the Nagasaki Rotarians.

35. So where are we now
1. We continue to exchange students every other year.
2. Although, we continue to have a special relationship with the Rotary Club of Nagasaki. We need to reinvigorate our relationship.
3. We need appoint a representative to the St. Paul Nagasaki Sister City Committee
4. We need to replace the statute at the entrance to the Nuclear Holocaust Museum.
5. We need to decide on how our relationship will look in the future.