I n 1951 San Diego Mayor, John Butler, attended the Japanese-American Pacific Coast Mayors’ Conference in Tokyo. The Japan-American Conference of Mayors and Chamber of Commerce Presidents was an organization of mayors and chamber of commerce presidents to establish better relations between Japan and the United States in post World War II. It’s first conference was held in Tokyo, Japan in 1951. It was resolved at the conference that similar meetings be held between Japan and the U.S. to develop and maintain a mutual understanding between the two countries. Almost immediately the city of Yokohama began making friendly overtures towards San Diego.