BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hayward
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LEBANON -- The residents of Kokufu-Cho believe the children are their future. In August, three eighth-grade Japanese students and a chaperone are to visit Lebanon and forge a sister-city relationship, City Manager Richard Hayward said.
"The mayor and city council (of Kokufu-Cho) believe that the way to build international understanding is to have young people get to know other cultures and other people so they will carry that through their lives," Mr. Hayward said. "The Japanese look into the future, much more than we do. We would send over old people, while they would send over young people."
The three students can stay only Aug. 3-5, Mr. Hayward said, because they can't miss too much school. Their visit will consist of tours of the historic districts, the Golden Lamb Inn, schools and, of course, McDonald's. For one of the nights, they'll stay with Councilman John McComb and his family.
Mr. Hayward is trying to set up a visit to one of the Japanese companies in Lebanon, such as Fujitek.
The city will present the students with a plaque in recognition of the special relationship between the two communities. Mr. Hayward hopes to make the sister-city designation official within the next few months.
Having a sister city makes Lebanon more marketable to international companies, Mr. Hayward said, by presenting the perception the city welcomes other countries and cultures.
The two communities, which are similar in size and demographics, also can share governing tips.
Mr. Hayward's relationship with Kokufu-Cho officials began in 1995, when he visited the city -- on the northern coast of Japan's main island -- as a Clair Fellow.
The program was sponsored by the Japanese Local Government Center for International Relations and was designed to encourage cooperation and relationship among U.S. and Japanese cities.
