From the Globe Richmond Desk

The city of Richmond hosted a five-member delegation of city council members from Japan last week. Four of the council members, Keiko Tsuda, Schichiro Otsuka, Shinobu Haraki and Eiichi Iizuka, are from Richmond’s sister city, Shimada, and Fumiko Yamashita is from the neighboring city of Numazu.
            
   The group was on a fact finding mission to learn how government works in the United States. The city of Numazu operates with 34 council members, and Shimada with 27, compared to Richmond’s nine council members.
    Group members said they were particularly interested in learning how the city incorporates input from residents into its decision making. In Japan, they said, official decisions are usually made without public input.
    In addition to observing City Council and public safety meetings, they interviewed Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, Councilman Nat Bates, City Manager Bill Lindsey, City Clerk Diane Holmes and other department heads.
    Although the trip was business- focused, the group attended a rodeo and San Francisco Giants game. The outing was arranged by Lenny Steffanni, VP of the San Francisco Cow Palace board of directors; Mike Ruk, an executive with the San Francisco Giants, and his wife, Katrinka; and Jim Bates of the Council of Industries.