Obama thanks supporters in namesake Japanese town

By Guest Column —— Bio and Archives March 4, 2008

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The mayor of the sleepy Japanese fishing port of Obama received a letter of thanks from the U.S. presidential candidate who shares its name for supporting his White House bid, domestic media said on Tuesday.

Hoping to capitalise on their common name to boost tourism, Mayor Toshio Murakami of Obama city, in central Japan, has written to Barack Obama twice in the past year, enclosing gifts of chopsticks and a good luck charm. "I am touched by your friendly gesture," Kyodo news agency quoted the candidate as saying in a letter to Murakami. "We share more than a common name; we share a common planet and common responsibilities." More...