Rui Moreira: "We are opening a window to the future in the relationship between Porto and Nagasaki"

The Mayor of Porto was received by the governor of Nagasaki, Kengo Ooishi, as part of Rui Moreira's visit to Japan, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 480 years of friendship between the two countries and the 45 years of Porto's twinning with that Japanese city.

The governor again expressed his gratitude for the hospitality of his visit to Porto, last June, and mentioned the various influences of the Portuguese presence in the country of the rising sun since the 16th century. For the future, the governor expects relations between both cities to become increasingly active.

On the agenda of the day, Rui Moreira also met with the Honorary Consul of Portugal in Nagasaki, Masatoshi Miyawaki, visited Oura Cathedral and Glover Garden, where the curator, Matsuda Megumi, and Dejimara, an artificial island in the bay of the Japanese city, site of a former Portuguese trading post, were present.

Greater dynamism in the Porto-Nagasaki relationship

In the speech given during the farewell dinner, offered by the local authorities, the Mayor of Porto confirmed "the strength of the partnership between Porto and Nagasaki, as well as the longevity of the cultural affinities that unite our two countries".

“We are opening a window into the future in the relationship between Porto and Nagasaki”, the Mayor said.

The Mayor of Porto stressed that "the historical, cultural and affective ties that link our two countries remain strong. It is very comforting to know that the traces of Portugal's passage through Japan remain alive, occupying a prominent place in the memory and identity of this country".

Today, Rui Moreira stressed, "Portugal and Japan share fundamental values such as respect for peace, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. They are also important partners both in the environmental conservation of the oceans and in the defence of a free and open maritime order. In addition, the two countries have been strengthening their trade relations and strengthening investment".

The Portuguese Mayor assured that "like Japan, our city is also proud to preserve its traditions and maintain a strong and distinctive character. This does not mean, however, that Porto is not open to other cultures and worldviews".

Regarding the 45th anniversary of the twinning agreement between Porto and Nagasaki and now, its renewal, the Mayor left a guarantee: "We want this future to bring greater dynamism to the relationship between the two cities not only in cultural dialogue and civilizational issues, but also in areas of great economic, scientific and technological potential".

During the dinner, the Mayor of Nagasaki, Suzuki Shiro, and the Governor of Nagasaki, Ooishi Kengo, also spoke. A toast followed to the future of relations between the two countries and, above all, the two cities.

The Mayor of Porto carried out an intense program, which included a visit to the Japanese national parliament (Diet Building) in Tokyo, a meeting with the Portuguese ambassador to Japan, Vitor Sereno, the signing of the renewal of the twinning agreement with Nagasaki, a visit to the emblematic sites that mark the atomic tragedy and the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, designed by the architect Kengo Kuma, who signs the project for the reconversion of the Campanhã Slaughterhouse, in partnership with the Porto architects' office OODA.