Rhode Island General Assembly Marks March 31 As Japan Day At State House

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island lawmakers and guests gathered Tuesday at the State House to celebrate Japan Day and the state’s long relationship with Japan.

State Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa, D-Portsmouth and Bristol, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, D-Hopkinton and Westerly, hosted the event and introduced a resolution recognizing March 31 as Japan Day to honor what the General Assembly described as the warm relationship between Rhode Island and Japan.

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The event was timed to coincide with the 172nd anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Peace and Amity on March 31, 1854. According to the event announcement, that treaty resulted from the first official diplomatic contact between the United States and Japan in 1853, when Commodore Matthew Perry, who was born in South Kingstown, led an expedition to Japan under orders from President Millard Fillmore.

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“We are very fortunate here in Rhode Island to have had a long and friendly relationship with Japan — one that, to this day, contributes significantly to the culture, economy and security of both Rhode Island and Japan. I am very proud to celebrate that relationship, and I hope that we will continue to strengthen it,” said Senator Ujifusa, who is identified in the announcement as the first Japanese-American elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly.

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Kennedy pointed to the state’s historic connection to Japan.

“Rhode Island and Japan have a unique friendship that dates back to 1853 when Rhode Island’s own Commodore Matthew Perry led an expedition to Japan that resulted in the signing of the treaty that established official relations between Japan and the United States," Kennedy said. "Rhode Island should always remember and celebrate that historic achievement and the respectful and enriching connections that our nation and our state share with Japan.”

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According to the announcement, Newport and Shimoda, Japan, are sister cities, and they, along with Bristol, host Black Ships festivals tied to Perry’s expedition. The announcement also said the Naval War College in Newport and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force work closely together to promote national security and regional stability through shared resources, strategies and commitments.

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