In a symbolic gesture of the enduring alliance between Japan and the United States, Japan has gifted 250 cherry trees to Washington D.C., announced during the state visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The trees are set to replace those due to be removed from the Tidal Basin for necessary repairs to the crumbling seawall.
The announcement was made by President Joe Biden during a welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Kishida and first lady Yuko Kishida. The gift, according to Biden, is intended to honor the U.S.'s 250th birthday in 2026. “Like our friendship, these trees are timeless, inspiring, and thriving,” Biden said.
The cherry trees, a symbol of the bond between the two nations, have a rich history. The first healthy trees arrived in the District in 1912 as a gift from the mayor of Tokyo, following years of collaboration between American travel writer Eliza Scidmore, U.S. Department of Agriculture plant explorer David Fairchild, and U.S. first lady Helen Herron Taft.
“Every spring, cherry blossoms bloom across the city thanks to a gift from Japan of 3,000 cherry trees over a century ago,” Biden said. “People travel from all over our country and the world to see these magnificent blossoms.”
The announcement of the gift came ahead of a state dinner, a diplomatic tool to strengthen ties between America and its closest allies. The visit also saw discussions on a range of topics, including steps to deepen military cooperation and counter China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.
The National Park Service is set to begin a three-year, $113 million construction project that will remove about 158 trees around the Tidal Basin in late May. Upon learning of the impending removal, Japan immediately offered to provide saplings.
“I am confident that the cherry blossom-like bond of the Japan-U.S. alliance will continue to grow even thicker and stronger, in the Indo-Pacific and in all corners of the world,” Kishida said.
The gift of cherry trees is not just a symbol of friendship but also a reflection of the geopolitical alliance between Biden and Kishida. As they hold talks on the delicate security situation in the Pacific, the cherry trees stand as a testament to the unbreakable alliance between the two nations.
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