Courtesy visit to Mayor McEwan Barrow
2025/4/25
On 25th April, Deputy Consul General Minori Ishii visited the town of Barrow in Cumbria and paid a courtesy call on Mayor Judith McEwan. Barrow is a town that expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution in the UK. It is known for being the home of Vickers shipyard, which manufactured six battleships for Japan. This includes the Mikasa, which served as flagship of the Combined Fleet in the Battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War. The town even has a "Mikasa Street" to this day, named in 1900 when the Mikasa was built. The mayor’s office also still displays a large platter of the Kinkazan that was presented to the Mayor of Barrow during a courtesy visit after the Russo-Japanese War by Admiral Togo Heihachiro on July 10th 1911, to express his gratitude for the construction of the Mikasa and to commission the building of a new ship, the “Kongo”. In addition, the Dock Museum, located on the site of the former Vickers Shipyards, also displays the menu and programme of the luncheon served to Admiral Togo Heihachiro on that occasion.
During the courtesy visit, Deputy Consul General Ishii and Mayor McEwan discussed the historical ties between Barrow and Japan and exchanged views on the long-standing friendly relationship between the two cities.
During the courtesy visit, Deputy Consul General Ishii and Mayor McEwan discussed the historical ties between Barrow and Japan and exchanged views on the long-standing friendly relationship between the two cities.
