On Wednesday, March 8, Governor Koike met with Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Referring to her past visits to Prague, including when she participated in a water conference, Governor Koike said that the Czech Republic strongly impresses visitors with its cultural richness, such as the beautiful Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, and “The Moldau” by Smetana. Noting that Tokyo also has a long history, she added that she hopes the mayor will be able to enjoy both the traditional and new aspects of the city during her stay.

As the leader of the Czech capital, Mayor Krnáčová said that she is grateful for the opportunity to meet with Governor Koike, who is also the leader of a huge city. Speaking about the “Alfons Mucha” exhibition, which started on Wednesday at the National Art Center, Tokyo, the mayor expressed her hope that many people will go to see the works of the Czech artist, which include those that had never been exhibited outside of the Czech Republic. The mayor said that because there are matters other than culture that are also important, she hopes Tokyo and Prague will be able to develop relationships in such fields as well.