Mayor Jeanne Marie Napolitano and the Newport City Council invite members of the public to a remembrance ceremony for Kiyoshi Iketani, former mayor of Newport’s sister city of Shimoda, Japan on Thursday, June 17th at 10 a.m.
The ceremony will be held in the section of Vernon Park known as Cherry Tree Park.
Mr. Kiyoshi Iketani, who was mayor of Shimoda for 16 years and was very active with the sister city program, passed away on Friday, June 4th at the age of 89. Mr. Iketani was elected to Shimoda’s City Council in 1971 and served for four terms. He went on to become mayor from 1984 to 1998.
Mr. Iketani visited Newport consistently from 1986 and created the student exchange program between the two cities which continued through 2018. Hundreds of students have participated in the exchange over the past few decades.
On his 1988 visit to Newport, Mayor Iketani and Newport Mayor Robert J. McKenna planted a cherry tree in front of Newport City Hall. It continues to bloom to the delight of Newport citizens each spring. On July 23, 1995 Vernon Park was rededicated as Cherry Tree Park by mutual agreement by then mayors Kiyoshi Iketani and David F. Roderick, Jr. to mark the collection of cherry trees in the park which were donated by Mayor Iketani and others from Shimoda City.
Mr. Iketani was a member of the Newport Shimoda Club and participated in ceremonies welcoming citizens of Newport attending the Black Ships Festival in Shimoda each May. He also welcomed many delegations from Newport to his catering office in Shimoda, Japan where he entertained them with traditional Japanese-style boxed lunches.
Mr. Iketani is survived by his daughter, Izumi Iketani. Shimoda, Japan and Newport have been sister cities since 1958. The sister city program provides opportunities for citizens to learn about, experience and explore other cultures through long-term community partnerships.
Mayor Napolitano and other dignitaries will speak at the ceremony. Those wishing to attend may park on Caswell Avenue or Freeborn Street.
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