AJTMA report Alberta/Japan Twin Municipalities Association (A/JTMA) held its annual conference and AGM June 3 and 4, 2022, in Taber.
It’s the first time the association has been able to meet in person since 2019. The A/JTMA was honoured to have Consul-General of Japan in Calgary, Tatsukuni Uchida attend and speak about the importance of cultural understanding. “It is not just the responsibility of government, but of everyone,” he said. Once individuals from different cultures learn about and understand each other, then true friendships and allyships can flourish. A/JTMA members consist of municipalities and friendship associations representing Alberta cities and towns that have twinned with a Japanese counterpart. The Town of rocky Mountain House signed a twinning agreement with Kamikawa, Japan, in 1984. Conference attendees learned about the 115-year history of Japanese-Canadians in southern Alberta from David Tanaka, whose grandfather was one of the first sugar beet labourers to emigrate to the area in 1907. He later homesteaded near Raymond, and brought a Picture Bride from Japan to start a family. While the Japanese community of southern Alberta built farms and churches, and sent their children to school alongside other settler families, Japanese-Canadians in British Columbia were targeted by the Asiatic Exclusion League and suffered fierce racism. At that time, between 500 and 700 Japanese-Canadians were living in Southern Alberta around Lethbridge, Picture Butte, Raymond, Coaldale and Taber At the onset of the Second World War, 21,000 Japanese-Canadians (many Canadian-born or naturalized citizens) were declared enemy aliens and stripped of their citizenship rights. Those living in coastal BC found their homes and businesses seized and were forced inland to work on road-building crews or internment camps. Families were allowed to stay together if they agreed to work as agricultural labourers. Almost overnight, 3,000 Japanese-Canadians arrived from British Columbia to work in the sugar beet fields. When citizenship rights were restored in 1949, some families stayed while others choose to move on. Southern Alberta continues to have a large population of residents of Japanese heritage. In 1967, to celebrate Canada’s centennial, a Japanese garden was built in Lethbridge. Nikka Yuko is still a popular place to visit 55 years later, and has been named one of the 10 best gardens in North America.
Nikka Yuko garden The Nikka Yuko garden in Lethbridge is billed as a Canadian garden built in the Japanese style. It has been a place of serenity and community since 1967.

Roy Kariatsumari is president of the A/JTMA and has been a longtime member of the Rocky Mountain House-Kamikawa Friendship Society. He says the purpose of the A/JTMA is “to share with each other all the successes and challenges of our own twinning programs.” Most municipalities coordinate regular exchanges with their twin town or sister city, however the Covid-19 pandemic has put a pause on these trips. Both the Rocky Mountain House and Taber friendship societies are looking forward to resuming exchanges in 2023.
Doug Emek, president of the Taber-Notogawa Friendship Society, said that despite the challenges, expenses and hurdles of coordinating exchanges, all of the hassle is worth it when youth and adults find cultural understanding. “It breaks down pre-conceived notions of others, and we learn that we’re not all that different.” The conference wrapped up with the A/JTMA AGM.
Kariatsumari will continue in the role of president.
Joe Strojwas of Taber will serve as vice president.
Walter Preugschas of Barrhead will serve as treasurer,
Jayne Pettifor of Wetaskiwin will serve as secretary.
Notogawa Frendhip President Doug Emek' MD of Taber Reeve Merrill Harris, Consul-General Tatsukuni Uchida, Roy Kariatsumari, and Taber Councillor Alf Rudd break open the (symbolic) barrel of sake to kick- off the A/JTMA conference.


Taiko community drummers of Lethbridge performed several songs.



Minyo dancers let by Pat Sassa performed several Japanese folk dances.