Osaka Prefectural Emblem
"Sennari-byotan" (a thousand gourds), which was used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, is used as the motif. The letter O of Osaka is combined with three other circles, symbolizing hope, prosperity and harmony. This emblem was officially adopted on the 100th anniversary of the Osaka Prefectural Government (June 21, 1968).
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What we do
The Osaka Prefectural Government, California Office performs the following functions:
1. Disseminate general information about Osaka related to trade, investment and travel.
2. As the North American office, collect information about the North American economy and culture and support Osakan business ventures in the region.
3. Promote cultural and business exchanges with every region of North America and Osaka Prefecture.
4. Beginning with the California Government, form tight networks with the local governments of the North America.
Osaka Prefecture has a friendship pact with the state of California. Since 1947, Osaka City and San Francisco have been linked as sister cities, and will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of that agreement this year. Through the Osaka-San Francisco Sister City Association, we are currently planning a commemorative event for next year.
Additionally, Osaka University opened its San Francisco Educational Research Center in September of 2004,coordinating student exchanges and instruction in America and Canada. Together our two offices collaborate in planning mutual events and proactively coordinate seminars on biotechnology and a variety of other topics.
The heart of our office is business matching services between Osakan and American companies and the promotion of Osaka. Recently our focus has been on developing a new face for Osaka especially innovative plans in biotechnology, IT and other fields, and renovating the canals of Osaka.
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History of ties between Osaka and California
While Osaka City and San Francisco have been sister cities since 1957, Osaka Prefecture and California's sister state relationship is more recent. In November of 1994 then Governor Nakagawa Kazuo signed a memorandum of bilateral cooperation with then Governor Pete Wilson. Our office was established later in April 1997, and we are currently looking upon our ninth year in San Francisco.
For more information on the Kanrin Maru Monument in San Francisco (pictured on left), please click here. |
