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Kazuhiro Nezu is an avowed OFC fan. © Summer
The partnership between Offenbach and Kawagoe in Japan has existed for 40 years. Kazuhiro Nezu is involved, interprets – and is an ardent Kickers fan.
Offenbach – Kazuhiro Nezu wears the red OFC jersey proudly, his name is printed in large letters on the back. No wonder, after all, he has been an honorary member of the Kickers for 22 years. Whenever the Japanese is in Germany, he doesn’t miss out on attending at least one game of his favorite club. “This time I was able to watch two games at once.”
Nezu never lived in Offenbach; his work took him to Homburg/Saar in 1969. He came into contact with Offenbach through the town twinning with the Japanese city of Kawagoe – and has been passionate about the city on the Main and its football club on the Bieberer Berg ever since.
Committed to the twinning between Kawagoe and Offenbach for decades
He has now traveled back to Germany to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the town twinning between Kawagoe and Offenbach – and thereby fulfilled a long-held wish for his grandson. “He always asked if he could come to Germany with me sometime,” says Nezu. As a birthday present and as a reward for passing exams at university, Nezu showed his 20-year-old grandson Germany during a two-week tour. Heidelberg and Rüdesheim were on the travel list – and of course Offenbach, the city that Nezu has been committed to for decades.
“He has been working as a translator for youth exchanges for years and is always promoting a visit to Offenbach,” says Bettina Jöst, who oversees the partnership for the city. In 2001, Nezu was honored with the Citizens’ Medal for his commitment. He would have liked to travel to the opening of the Main Matsuri Festival this year, which was celebrated for the first time in Offenbach, but this was not possible due to flight times. City councilor Stephan Färber then insisted on cycling through the city on a rickshaw with “Kajii” – Nezu’s nickname – on the occasion of the town twinning celebrations. Nezu turned 78 during his stay – of course he keeps himself fit with football: he regularly trains twice a week in his Japanese football club. “Football is part of my life,” he says.
Youth exchange with Japan – possible again after the pandemic?
Nezu hopes that the Offenbach-Kawagoe youth exchange, which came to a standstill due to the corona pandemic, can soon be resumed. “It is so important that young people get to talk to each other and get to know each other,” he emphasizes. He is proud that he is able to lead the groups from Germany through Japan as an interpreter: “It is a great honor for me to do this.”
Exchange with Kawagoe
On August 23rd, the 40th anniversary of Offenbach’s twinning with the Japanese city of Kawagoe was celebrated. Kawagoe has around 330,000 inhabitants and is located about 40 kilometers northwest of Tokyo. Until the start of the corona pandemic, the youth welfare office regularly organized a German-Japanese youth exchange: young people from Kawago lived with Offenbach families for around ten days, and in return young people from Offenbach visited Japanese host families.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) has been running a business intern exchange program since 1996, which is financed by the Bromkamp Foundation and ensures that the interns can stay for three months in the other country. Graduates of the School of Design (HfG) have already had the opportunity to visit Kawagoe three times during an artist exchange. Next year, the city hopes to offer a citizens’ trip to Kawagoe.
For the future, Nezu hopes that the exchange will continue and that the town twinning will last for many decades to come. Getting to know the respective traditions and gaining new experiences is particularly enriching for young people.
“We couldn’t wish for a better ambassador for the town twinning,” says Jöst. Nezu regularly succeeds in inspiring people. By the way, a special project is coming up soon: The Klingspormuseum is planning a simultaneous workshop in Offenbach and Kawagoe, during which a leporello will be made. (Frank Sommer)
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