Obama, Fukui

Obama (小浜市) is a Japanese city in Fukui Prefecture.

The city is on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

History
In the pre-modern period, Obama was the main port and capital of Wakasa Province.

In the Edo period, Obama was the capital of the Obama Domain.

Similar sounding names
The name of the city of Obama sounds like the name of US President Barack Obama. The American President's name comes from his Kenyan heritage, but it is not uncommon for Japanese and East African names to sound alike.

The American leader first learned about the similar sounding names in 2006 when he visited Japan. At Narita International Airport, the custom official who was stamping his visa was from Obama; and the Japanese man told then-Senator Obama about his home town.

In 2009, President Obama acknowledged his connection with the Japanese city. He mentioned it in a speech at Suntory Hall in Tokyo.

Other websites

 * Obama city website