Letter from Congressman Turner

Dear Mr. Hara:

I am proud to offer my support for your project to plant 2,000 cherry blossom trees in our community. As a former mayor of the city of Dayton, I want to thank you on behalf of all our citizens for launching the “Operation Cherry Trees Project” here in Montgomery County.

One hundred years ago, an Ohio native, President William Howard Taft, accepted 3,000 cherry blossom trees as a gift from Japan to the people of the United States. The cherry blossoms continue to blossom around our Nation’s Capital each year, signaling the arrival of spring. They stand as a living symbol of the close friendship and cooperation between the U.S. and Japan.

The Japanese are America’s most reliable ally in Asia. Our alliance is based on our mutual support for freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law. It is my sincere hope that the planting of the cherry blossom trees in our community will foster continued peace and goodwill between our two countries for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Turner
Member of Congress