Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: February 9, 2024

HONOLULU—Governor Josh Green, M.D., and Governor Tokihiro Nakamura of Ehime Prefecture, reaffirmed the Hawaii-Ehime sister-state agreement on Friday, February 9, 2024. The State of Hawaii and Ehime Prefecture established their sister-state relationship in 2003 and have enjoyed more than 20 years of mutually rewarding exchanges.

“The Sister-State reaffirmation signing formalized the furthering of relationships between the State of Hawaii and Ehime Prefecture in the areas of commerce, education, sports, and cultural exchanges,” said Governor Green.

More than 30 government, business and community representatives from Ehime Prefecture traveled to Honolulu from Matsuyama City, Ehime, to participate in various activities to commemorate Hawaii’s 20th Anniversary Sister-State Relationship with Ehime Prefecture. The celebrations were supposed to take place last year but were postponed due to the Maui wildfires.

The relationship was born of tragedy in Hawaiian waters on February 9, 2001, when nine people aboard the Ehime Maru lost their lives after a collision with the USS Greeneville. Since that day, Hawaii and Ehime have bonded and continued to pursue acts of goodwill and friendship:

• Identical memorials stand in Kakaako Waterfront Park and Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture.
• The Ehime-Hawaii Goodwill Baseball Tournament between youth teams of Ehime and Hawaii began in 2002. This year, the tournament will take place in Ehime and youth baseball players and their families from Hawaii will participate in activities with their counterparts there.
• Numerous educational exchanges have taken place with middle-, high school, and university students between Hawaii and Ehime.

Photos from the sister-state reaffirmation signing are here; photo credit Office of the Governor. Videos are available here; video credit DBEDT.

About the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation-sector job growth.

About the Business Development and Support Division (BDSD)
The Business Development and Support Division of DBEDT promotes industry development and economic diversification by supporting existing and emerging industries in Hawaii and by attracting new investment and businesses to the state. Learn more at: https://invest.hawaii.gov.

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Media Contacts:
Laci Goshi
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
808-518-5480

Dennis Ling
Business Development and Support Division Administrator
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism