The United States and Japan have shared a long history together. In 1912, Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of Tokyo, sent over 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington D.C. Over time, the cherry blossoms became a symbol of good relations between the U.S. and Japan.
The Tidal Basin, a 107-acre reservoir that borders the Jefferson Memorial, is going through restorations to prevent a future collapse of the seawall. During a visit with Biden, the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, announced he would be gifting 250 trees to replace the Yoshino cherry trees on the Tidal Basin. President Biden thanked PM Kishida for the trees, stating, “We are best of friends.”
