In August 2025, the City of Atlanta and the City of Fukuoka, Japan, celebrated a milestone anniversary: 20 years of the Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City partnership.
Atlanta and Fukuoka’s Sister City relationship began in 2005 when former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and former Fukuoka Mayor Hirotaro Yamasaki recognized the potential that our two cities shared in economic growth and cultural exchange.
Since 2005, the sister cities across the Pacific have been collaborating on people-to-people exchanges, engaging in cultural activities, and benefiting from a robust economic relationship that has positioned Japan as one of the top investor countries in the state of Georgia.
To mark the 20th anniversary in 2025, Fukuoka Mayor Sōichirō Takashima led a delegation of Fukuoka City Council members, students, and other government representatives to Atlanta for a week of commemoration.
To kick off the week, Mayor Andre Dickens and Mayor Takashima met for an engaging conversation on student exchange and the importance of empowering young people in both of our cities. Atlanta and Fukuoka share the belief that our future depends on ensuring every young person has the opportunity to succeed.
In fact, each city enshrined its commitment to youth with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the City of Fukuoka and Atlanta Public Schools. This MoU institutionalized the Fukuoka-Atlanta Youth Exchange Program, which has operated since 1996 to develop global talent and serve as a cultural bridge between Atlanta and Fukuoka.
The Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs (MOIIA) welcomed this year’s cohort of the Fukuoka-Atlanta Youth Exchange Program to the City of Atlanta, where they got a glimpse of City Hall history and learned how MOIIA seeks to create a welcoming environment for our visitors across the globe.
Moreover, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Fukusho High School established a Sister School Declaration, intended to expand on their existing partnership in school exchanges and support the Japanese language program at Coretta Scott King.
In addition to the Mayoral meeting, Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman and Council Member Jason Dozier welcomed seven Fukuoka City Council representatives to Atlanta City Hall. The discussion centered on challenges that both cities face and the innovative policies and solutions each city is implementing to address issues of housing, transportation, and sustainability.
To wrap up the activities, the Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, as well as the City of Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks, and City Council President Doug Shipman, joined the Japan-America Society of Georgia for their Annual Gala and a special unveiling of the newest Oribe lantern and Satsuki azaleas, gifted to the Atlanta Botanical Garden by the City of Fukuoka. The lantern and azaleas are available for the public to enjoy at the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Japanese Garden.
During her remarks at the Annual Gala, COO Burks highlighted Atlanta’s unique capacity for cultural exchange and future progress:
“One of our city’s greatest strengths is its ability to grow because of the ties and friendships we have built across borders and across cultures, positioning us for greater connectivity, expanded opportunity, and a stronger global reputation.”
This important anniversary brought Fukuoka to Atlanta and continues to honor two decades of collaboration and friendship, reaffirming our shared commitment to building a brighter future through global connection.
