State of Queensland（クイーンズランド州・英語）
In April 1980 the Saitama Prefecture Assembly delegation to southeast asia and Oceania visited Queensland. This served as the beginning of a new relationship, and in October 1984, Saitama Prefecture and the State of Queensland signed a sister state agreement.About Queensland
Queensland is located in northeastern Australia. Its Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, and resort destinations such as Cairns and the Gold Coast are famous around the globe. The major products in Queensland are sugar and beef. The Saitama Children’s Zoo in Higashimatsuyama feature koalas and kangaroos that were presented by Queensland as a symbol of the sister-state friendship.
Major exchange programs with Saitama Prefecture
- Exchange program for senior high school teachers (since 1986)
- Homestay exchange program for prefectural senior high school students (since 1995)
- Official visit to Australia (2005)
- Visit by the Governor of Queensland to Saitama Prefecture (2006)
- Visits by the Queensland Premier to Saitama Prefecture (1996-2005, 2008)
- Participation in the Saitama International Junior Football Tournament (2001 and 2008)
- Visit by the Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly to Saitama Prefecture (2009)
The Queensland Premier during a visit to Saitama (2008)