Derby welcomes delegation from its Japanese twin Toyota City
Published: 30 October 2023
The delegation visited sites around the city, including Derby Cathedral.
Dignitaries from Toyota City in Japan have visited Derby to mark 25 years of a twinning agreement between the two regions.
Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and South Derbyshire District Council signed the agreement in 1998 and have worked with Toyota City to bring about mutual benefits in terms of economy, environment, education, culture and sport ever since.
Toyota City’s Mayor, Toshihiko Ota, and Chairperson of the City Council, Fumiya Kimoto, were joined by other dignitaries from Toyota City on a trip to Derby and the wider Derbyshire area this week.
During the visit, Derbyshire’s three local authorities reaffirmed their commitment to working with Toyota City as part of the international partnership, which has brought thousands of jobs and huge investment to Derbyshire over the last 25 years.
While in Derby, the delegation visited Allestree Park to find out more about the rewilding project before taking in other important sites in the city. The rewilding project, which involves Derby City Council, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the University of Derby, is the largest urban rewilding project in Britain, so has national significance as well as being important to the city.
During the visit, representatives from the Derby Parks Team and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT) outlined the project and shared the benefits of rewilding in Derby.
From Allestree Park, the delegation toured some of the city’s key development sites, including Derby Market Hall and Becketwell. Derby's Market Hall has moved a step closer to completion, with the search for creatives, makers and traders being launched last week.
The group also visited Derby Cathedral to see the Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon and, during the afternoon, enjoyed a tour of Rolls-Royce.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Derby City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Culture and Tourism, who spent the day with the delegation, said: “It was our great pleasure to welcome our partners from Toyota City to Derby.
“We were proud to showcase the great work being done in Derby, including the Allestree Park rewilding project. This felt particularly appropriate as Japan has a deep understanding of sustainability and people’s relationship to the natural environment.
“Over the past 25 years, the relationship between Toyota City, Derby and Derbyshire has gone from strength to strength and created many economic, cultural and educational benefits.
“Spending valuable time with the delegation from Toyota City was time very well spent. We learned many things about each other’s cities, shared ideas and continued to nurture our mutually respected friendship. We continue to celebrate 25 years of partnership and look forward to strengthening our special relationship in the future.”
The friendship between Toyota City, Derby and Derbyshire goes back to 1989, when the Toyota Motor Company chose Burnaston to base its first European car factory.
Toyota City was originally called Koromo and was renamed Toyota City in 1959, in recognition of the success of the Toyota Manufacturing Company and its founders the Toyoda family. Mrs Akiko Toyoda, who is chairperson of the Toyota Cultural Promotion Foundation, was a member of the visiting delegation.
Delegates from Derby City Council are due to make a reciprocal visit to Toyota City next month.