Irvine City sought a sister city agreement with Sakura Town in 1987. Sakura Town became a part of Tsukuba City in that same year, and the City established the agreement with Irvine City in 1989. Irvine is located in the southern part of the State of California, approximately 53 km from Los Angeles and 55 km from Los Angeles International Airport. It is a new city with a university, high tech-related firms and research centers. At the same time, the city has a farm area known as Irvine Ranch. The population increased rapidly after the University of California's Irvine campus was established in 1965. The population in 2000 is estimated to reach 245,000. Thus high tech-related firms are established, creating a lively atmosphere. Irvine City has numerous common aspects that it shares with Tsukuba City: drawing talents from all over the world, the city functions as a center of the most advanced information with education, science and high-tech industry as its core. Irvine City also capitalizes on the abundance of nature in California and take effort to invest in infrastructure such as housing, shopping malls, hospitals and hotels. It also enjoys the privilege of being in the proximity of tourist facilities such as Disneyland, beaches, museums and golf courses.
Topics: International Relations, Sister Cities
Relevant for: Tourists, Residents