サンノゼ市の「桃太郎像」復活を！　中学生らが募金活動　姉妹都市との交流もっと知って【岡山】 (26/06/07 18:00)

On June 7th, junior high school students from Okayama City appealed for donations to restore the Momotaro statue, which was stolen in 2025 in San Jose, California, Okayama City's sister city. (Junior high school students) "Please donate!" The fundraising appeal was made by five junior high school students who visited San Jose in the summer of 2025 as part of a city exchange program. Immediately after their visit, in October 2025, the bronze Momotaro statue, a gift from Okayama City in 1993 as a symbol of friendship, was stolen. The junior high school students began soliciting donations in March 2026 with the goal of reinstalling the Momotaro statue. By the end of May, they had raised over 3.32 million yen, exceeding their target. Taking this opportunity, they distributed flyers on the streets and appealed for donations to raise more awareness about the exchange between Okayama City and San Jose City. (A middle school student involved in the fundraising campaign said) "The bond of friendship has been broken, so I think it's absolutely essential to rebuild it." Donations are also being accepted through crowdfunding until June 12th, with the goal of rebuilding in December 2026.