Published: October 11, 2008 11:52 pm         

Bridging cultures

City building relations by hosting Japanese delegation

Sixteen years after Todd Miller and his family moved back to Logansport from Japan, he volunteered to host members of a delegation from Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture during their visit here Saturday.

At the time he volunteered, he never imagined he would know one of the Japanese visitors.

“My wife called at 2 p.m. and said, ‘you won’t believe this,’” Miller said Friday evening.

Miller, a former Honda employee, met Akiko Saeki and her husband, Junya, while working in Japan. He learned Friday that Saeki, the head of the Women’s Leadership Delegation, would be among those traveling from the Tochigi Prefecture to Indiana this weekend as part of the Social and Cultural Developmental U.S. Study Tour.

“Her husband sat right across from me,” Miller said. “He was one of the closest friends I had while I was there. I got to know them really well.”

Saeki was thrilled when she saw Miller’s name on the host family list.

While her husband, Junya, has since passed away, the Miller family was excited to reunite with their long-time friend.

“It’s so coincidental,” Miller said. “It’s a work of God. It’s amazing.”

A total of 26 future leaders, mostly women, and four staff members from Tochigi Prefecture are currently touring Indiana to help build international relations between the two sister states, said Theresa Kulczak, executive director for the Japan-America Society of Indiana.

The group landed in Indiana on Thursday evening and toured several locations in Indianapolis, including Eli Lilly, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

On Saturday, the group traveled to Logansport to tour Memorial Hospital and the Eshelman Farm in Galveston. After the tours, group members split off to meet their American Homestay host family for dinner and evening activities.

Today, the group will travel to the Mississinewa 1812 Festival, visit Riverside Park and enjoy a farewell dinner with their host families, community leaders, members of the Japan-America Society of Indiana and Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

The trip was arranged through the Japan-America Society of Indiana in April. Around the same time, community leaders from Logansport traveled to Mibu Town in Tochigi Prefecture with hopes of establishing a sister city relationship.

This was the first visit to Logansport by a Japanese delegation.

“The stay in Logansport is to bond more deeply with the heart of Indiana,” said Kulczak.

For Saeki, she said she hopes to bring what she has learned in Indiana back home to Japan.

“As a woman leader, what I’m interested in is what we can do to better our community,” she said through a translator. “We would like to learn how American women can balance home and work.”

Saeki said the women’s delegation was impressed by the female business owners they met while in Indianapolis. She said the American women were very independent and seemed responsible.

“They were passionate and energetic,” she said. “We could see they love what they do.”

Visitor Fumiko Kawasaki said she hoped to see if the image she has of Americans is true.

“When I’m in Japan, I have an image of Americans,” she said through a translator. “They are very free.”

Hiroshi Wakui, the leader of the Tochigi Prefecture youth delegation, hoped to learn more about America during his visit, He also hoped to practice his English while in Indiana.

“First of all, we understand the cultural differences from where we are from,” he said through a translator. “We would like to immerse ourselves and learn from examples. Also, what we learn from Logansport, we want to take back and use it.”

Wakui, who works as an auto mechanic in Japan, said his favorite part of the visit was stopping at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation President Skip Kuker said he looked forward to traveling with the group today as it concludes its visit.

He said the visit is important and will help both Logansport and Tochigi Prefecture in the future.

“It’s all about taking these steps in trying to have a long-term exchange of ideas, education and arts,” he said. “If we want to go there, we have places to go, and if they want to come here, they can come to Logansport.”

Denise Massie can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or via e-mail at denise.massie@pharostribune.com