World championship renews Sister City bond between Townsville and Iwaki

Two ex-mayors who formed a relationship between Japan and Townsville quietly met for lunch at Ardo, reflecting on both bright and dark times that both cities faced together in the past 30 years.

Ex-Mayors Tony Mooney and Japanese sister city Iwaki's Mitsuhide Iwaki meet for Japanese food at Ardo Hotel, continuing a city relationship lasting more than 33 years. Picture: Supplied

Two ex-mayors who established a Sister City relationship between Japan and Townsville more than 30 years were able to re-establish a long-held friendship, because of the Multisport World Championships.

Ex-Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney and Iwaki former Mayor Mitsuhide Iwaki met for lunch at Terasu on Saturday, where they reflected on the establishment of the Sister City Connection in 1991, and the history of both cities since.

“It was really a personal thing,” Mr Mooney said.

“I’d like to just make a plea, I suppose, to not forget that it (Sister Cities) is based on friendships, personal relationships, and people to people, and if there’s an economic underpinning, it definitely helps.”

Mr Iwaki, who carries the same surname as the city he formerly represented, was also a past Justice Minister and currently the president of the Japanese triathlon union, and he had visited North Queensland as part of a delegation of competitors.

Iwaki competitors have frequently been drawn to their sister city Townsville, with runners in 2017 competing in the marathon, including Miyuki Takano and Masaki Hirayama.

Zinc exports were the primary motivator between both cities’ connection, which flowed from the Port of Townsville to Iwaki’s port of Onahama.

Mr Mooney recalled that Iwaki’s proximity to the ocean within the Fukushima region made it vulnerable to the devastation of the nuclear disaster and tsunami in 2011, which prompted financial aid from its North Queensland sister city.

And Iwaki remembered this when Townsville was impacted by the monsoon in 2019, and between the city and its council’s member club donated 1.1m yen, which had equated to $15,000 at the time.

A document of the establishment of the Iwaki-Townsville Sister City connection formed in 1991. Picture: Supplied

Mr Mooney hoped the relationship was not taken for granted, and he said it was not as strong as it had been in the past.

But it depended entirely on the political will of local councils.

“The fact we’re on the map there, the fact they come here and that they still look for those opportunities to bring kids here to learn, and they had a rugby team as well … that came down.

“The future of it, I’m uncertain of it, but I really appreciate the opportunity to catch up with my old friend.”

Townsville has six sister city relationships including Iwaki and Japanese city Shunan.

It also has ties to Port Moresby, Chinese cities Changshu and Foshan, and Korean city Suwon.

Originally published as World championship renews Sister City bond between Townsville and Iwaki