Japanese delegation visits Battle Ground

Battle Ground — A delegation from a small Japanese city traveled to Battle Ground this past week for an 11-day tour. The group from Gosen, Japan, included Mayor Katsumi Ito, Gosen International Foundation Chairman Masayuki Sekizuka and six middle school students. Battle Ground hosted a welcoming reception Aug. 6 at City Hall. The visiting kids had daily lessons, which included field trips around the region. “We hope that by cultivating interest in foreign cultures among our youth and granting them the opportunity to broaden their understanding of foreign cultures, our city can become more internationalized,” Ito said in a press release.