Governor meets with U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen

On Wednesday, May 30, Governor Koike met with Margaret O’Meara, who was chosen to be the 70th United States Cherry Blossom Queen at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and Risako Takenaka, the 27th Japan Sakura Queen, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The governor explained that the cherry blossom trees that line the Potomac River were a gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, DC in 1912 by Tokyo’s Mayor Yukio Ozaki and today, they have become a symbol of DC’s spring. She said, “I hope that Japan and the United States can further strengthen ties and friendship through cherry blossoms.”

With a smile, Ms. O’Meara replied that she lives close to Washington, DC and enjoys the cherry blossoms, adding that she is having a great time in Tokyo now and definitely hopes to come back during the Tokyo 2020 Games.