Since the Fukushima disaster (March 11, 2011), Nice has been proudly proclaiming its support for the affected country. On behalf of the deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, Rudy Salles welcomed the mayor of Kamakura, Takashi Matsuo, at the City Hall’s commissions room. The deputy in charge of Tourism and International Relations then went to meet with the Japanese community in Nice.
An 8.9 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale shook Japan to its core on March 11, 2011. The infamous Fukushima nuclear plant disaster is the symbol of the crisis affecting the country.
Nice did not wait for the spring 2011 disaster to show its solidarity with Japan. The fifth largest city in France has been twinned with Kamakura, a seaside resort with views of Mount Fuji, since 1966. Christian Estrosi’s support for his Japanese counterparts is unwavering.
On Wednesday, the mayor of Kamakura, Takashi Matsuo, was present with the Japanese nationals of Nice-Côte d’Azur at the City Hall premises. The deputy mayor of Nice was noticeably absent, but he was represented by his delegate in charge of Tourism and International Relations, Rudy Salles.
Matsuo moved by Nice’s support
Under the benevolent gaze of the Consul General of Japan in Marseille, Daini Tsukahara, the centrist reminded that the city “felt deeply concerned by the disaster faced by a friendly country” and expressed the “desire to introduce Kamakura to the French, because there is more to Japan than just Tokyo” (smile) !
Today, no fewer than 250 Japanese are members of the Association of Nice-Côte d’Azur Nationals (ARJNCA). This organization is supported by the City, which subsidizes it to the tune of 14,000 euros per year.
The mayor of Kamakura, Takashi Matsuo, struggles to comprehend the extent of this support: “I saw on Twitter that Christian Estrosi was very concerned about Japan (sic). That Nice supports the country to this extent moves me. Today, we are alone on the path to reconstruction.”
