An inaugural summit celebrating ties between Hawaii and Japan will be held next month in Waikiki.

The goal of the summit, to be held July 27 and 28 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, is to revitalize sister relationships between Hawaii and Japan that were paused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Its theme is “The Ties that Bind.”

DBEDT and the Japan-­America Society of Hawaii had started planning for the summit in 2019 to be held in 2021, but had to postpone it due to the pandemic.

“Hawaii and Japan have a long narrative of cultural, social, economic, and historical ties,” said Gov. Josh Green in a news release. “Our shared experiences have made us not only the closest of friends but partners in many respects. This summit brings us together to celebrate our relationships, while focusing more on what we can do together in the future.”

Green and all of Hawaii’s four county mayors will welcome the governors and mayors of six prefectures and 16 cities and towns from Japan with state and city sister relationships.

It is the largest summit of its kind celebrating sister relationships in Japan — which stretch back decades — and span from Hokkaido to Okinawa, including Hiroshima city, Edogawa City and Ishigaki city.

Hundreds of senior government officials, along with business and civic leaders from Hawaii and Japan, are expended to attend.

The summit also comes at a time when the rebound of the Japan visitors market has lagged in Hawaii due to numerous factors, including an unfavorable exchange rate and competition from other destinations such as other parts of Asia and Europe. The market is now forecast to rebound slower than initially expected.

Organizers said the summit will focus on the four pillars of economy, energy, education and tourism.

The opening ceremony will feature a panel discussion on the power of sister relationships led by Paul Yonamine, chairman emeritus of Central Pacific Bank, with Hidehiko Yuzaki, governor of Hiroshima, and former state Sen. Brian Taniguchi.

Breakout panels will explore topics such as cross-border commerce, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, sustainable tourism and global learning.

“We want to bring everyone together to focus on how we can re-energize our existing relationships, and how we can do more to encourage what we enjoyed in the past,” said Reyna Kaneko, president of the Japan-America Society of Hawaii. “We’re looking to reinvigorate sharing.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, due to travel restrictions on both sides, resulted in less business and recreational travel, as well as fewer educational exchange programs.

But Hawaii and Japan face similar challenges in tourism management, and can share best practices on how to better manage the most popular sites and destinations from an influx of visitors.

The summit provides an opportunity for delegates from Hawaii and Japan not only to connect, but to collaborate on new initiatives to boost trade, direct investment, collaboration and goodwill.

The summit will also feature a marketplace with up to 35 booths from both Japan and Hawaii showcasing services and products.

Visit www.jashawaii.org/summit for more information.