From April 15 to 16, Mr. Kinoshita Yoshitsugu, Vice Chairman of the Nagaokakyo Municipal Association of Friendly Exchanges and Chairman of the Ningbo Committee, visited Ningbo with a delegation of 13 fellow citizens from Nagaokakyo. During their stay, the delegation participated in exchange activities organized by local schools and enterprises in Ningbo, including Ningbo Technical College and Ningbo Zhongce Electronics Company. They also visited local tourist attractions such as Tiantong Temple and Tianyige Museum. Ms. BAO Xianping, Director-General of the Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office, and Mr. XU Leping, Deputy Director-General, gave the delegation a warm reception.

Director-General BAO warmly welcomed the visitors from afar. She noted that Nagaokakyo was Ningbo's first international friendship city. Since the establishment of the sister-city relationship in 1983, the two cities have engaged in extensive and fruitful exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, culture, education, and youth engagement. The Nagaokakyo Municipal Association of Friendly Exchanges has made significant contributions to promoting international friendship between the two cities over the years. She expressed her hope that, through the joint efforts of both governments and their citizens, the friendship between Ningbo and Nagaokakyo would continue to grow and thrive.

Vice Chairman Kinoshita expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office and other relevant institutions and departments. He noted that most members of the delegation were old friends who had visited Ningbo many times, while five were first-time visitors. With each visit, they were amazed by Ningbo's remarkable progress and development. He expressed that more citizens from Nagaokakyo would have the opportunity to visit Ningbo and experience the city firsthand, thereby deepening mutual understanding and strengthening the bond between the people of the two cities.