Edmonds and the city of Hekinan, Japan established a relationship on April 5, 1988. The two cities celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2013.
Hekinan is located in Aichi Prefecture about 40 kilometers from Nagoya. It was incorporated in 1948 from four villages. There are about 70,000 residents, and it hosts an active harbor and several substantial manufacturing plants. Toyota is the largest employer in the region and maintains a transmission assembly plant. Hekinan has stressed the importance of its civic and cultural assets, which include a cultural hall, a large regional hospital, botanical gardens, performance hall, and parks. The new Chubu Centrair International Airport, only 15 minutes away from Hekinan, opened in 2005 to make the city more accessible to visitors.
