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[Maire J?osa?a OEerEurgermeisterr/on Osaka
Sindaco d?i Osa?a CITY HALL Map Osaka
fifcafrfe are Osafqa OSAKA, JAPAN Trefeito (fa Osa?a
July 24 2018

The Honorable London Breed
Mayor
City and County of San Francisco

Dear Mayor Breed,
Mayoral Opinion on San rancisco-Osaka Sister City Relationship

On behalf of the citizens of Osaka, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on
your inauguration as the Mayor of San Francisco and to offer my best wishes toward the
further success and development of San Francisco under your leadership.

Since October 7, 1957, Osaka and San Francisco have held sister city af?liation and have
consistently facilitated exchanges in many ?elds involving business, education, and arts.
The City of Osaka, however, has currently reached a state where we must altogether
reevaluate our sister city relationship with San Francisco and terminate the sister city

af?liation.

Allow me to explain the background to why we have reached this decision and the
dialogue we have had with San Francisco on this matter thus far.

To this day, there still remains disagreement among historians regarding the number of
?comfort women,? the degree to which the former Japanese Army was involved, and the
extent of the wartime harm, yet uncertain and one?sided claims are inscribed onto the
Comfort Women Memorial plaque as historical facts. Moreover, the previous Mayor of
San Francisco signed on November 22, 2017 the resolution to accept the Comfort Women
Memorial as a gift with provision of artwork maintenance and mandated to place the
Comfort Women Memorial and plaque upon public property as an expression of the will
of the City and County of San Francisco.

Since August of 201 5, either I or the previous Mayor of Osaka had voiced concerns to the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the late Mayor Edwin Lee about the Comfort
Women Memorial and plaque for eight times. I not only expressed my apprehension about
the effect of the memorial and plaque but also implored for the city government?s careful
discretion and for the memorial and plaque to not be placed on public property.

THE CITY OF OSAKA

THE OSAKA
CITY HALL, OSAKA, JAPAN

Even after our determined effort, San Francisco still accepted the Comfort Women
Memorial and plaque as an expression of the will of the city, and it bereaves me to say
that this has negatively impacted our sister city relationship. During this period, the City
of Osaka has received many opinions from Osaka citizens and people in Japan articulating
how they ?nd the adoption of the Comfort Women Memorial and plaque regrettable.

The above summarizes the timeline and my reasoning for the termination of our sister
city relationship.

On the other hand, if you hold the wish to maintain an environment in which the citizens
. of San Francisco and Osaka can resume our friendly exchange as we have over the years,
it can be accomplished by relocating the Comfort Women Memorial and plaque off the
city?s public preperty. I would have no objection to the continuation of our sister city

relationship.

Regarding this matter, I sincerely wish to hear. your honest thoughts and intentions as the
new Mayor of San Francisco. I still genuinely believe in continuing our sister city
relationship which supports grassroots exchange by our citizens. Depending on your
astute judgment, I have faith that we can prevent the major consequence of having to end
our sister city relationship. However, if it is determined that your of?cial stance is aligned
with the late Mayor Lee, I believe that the City of Osaka would have no alternative but to

terminate sister city relations.

I do realize that you have just begun your tenure as the new Mayor, but I will be deeply
obliged if you can inform me about your views some time by the end of September.

Please accept this in the form of an open letter to widely reach the citizens of both cities

so that they can understand my views.

Respectfully yours,

 

Hirofumi Yoshimura
Mayor