The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, located at Scotland’s most southerly point and Inubosaki Lighthouse situated on Japan’s Pacific Coast, today (Thursday 21 November), signed a historic agreement to link the two lighthouses in a twinning partnership.

The signing of the agreement took place in an online ceremony at the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse and at Japan Coast Guard Headquarters in Tokyo, respectively.

Mike Bullock, NLB’s Chief Executive said:

“This historic agreement marks a significant milestone in lighthouse collaboration. It is the first ever lighthouse twinning agreement in the world, and along with the Mull of Galloway Trust, we are honoured to be partnering with the Japan Coast Guard and the Tokokai on this unique initiative.

“The aim of  bringing together the two lighthouses in this special partnership is to highlight the shared heritage between Scotland and Japan and to promote tourism in each other’s country. These two lighthouses were matched due to the impact they have on the local community and their importance to tourism and maritime history.”

The Inubosaki Lighthouse designed and built by Scottish engineer Richard Henry Brunton in 1874 served as the most important coastal lighthouse to support the safety of maritime traffic in the Pacific Ocean approaches, from and to Tokyo Bay, an important location for Japanese shipping industry and economy. Because of its practical importance as well as historical value, the Inubosaki Brunton Association was established by the local community to support the research of the lighthouse and to raise public awareness.

Inubosaki Lighthouse

The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse was established in 1830 and engineered by Robert Stevenson whose sons David and Thomas helped prepare Brunton for his mission to Japan.  On 4 July 2013, the former lightkeepers cottages, engine room, foghorn and 30 acres of heathland at the Mull of Galloway were successfully bought by the local community and the Mull of Galloway Trust was formed. The Northern Lighthouse Board still own and operate the lighthouse tower.

It is hoped other nations with a shared lighthouse heritage will follow and adopt a similar model.

Ends

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact: Fiona Holmes, Communications Officer
fiona.holmes@nlb.org.uk tel: 0131 473 3113 / 07831 635393

• Japan and Scotland have a proud shared heritage through the Stevenson family. The Stevensons were Engineers to the Northern Lighthouse Board and were contracted by the Tokugawa shogunate to chart Japan’s coastal waters and to build lighthouses. In 1868, after receiving training from the Stevensons, Scottish Engineer Richard Henry Brunton was sent from Edinburgh to lead the project. Over the following seven and a half years Brunton designed and supervised the construction of 26 lighthouses along the coast of Japan.
• The Japan Coast Guard operates and maintains Inubosaki lighthouse under the Aids to Navigation Act.
• TheTokokai is the Private Sector Support Group for Lighthouse Servicing that voluntary maintains Inubosaki lighthouse under the Aids to Navigation Act.
• The Mull of Galloway Trust is the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation which owns the non-operational buildings within the Mull of Galloway lighthouse complex, with the objective of providing benefit to the local community and the public through the sustainable utilisation and preservation of the assets.
• The Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) is the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) for the waters surrounding Scotland and the Isle of Man and is responsible for the superintendence and management of all lights, buoys and beacons within this area. NLB has provided this essential safety service to mariners for over 200 years. Its service makes a significant contribution to the prevention of accidents and incidents around the coastline, safeguarding not only lives and property, but also protecting the marine environment which is crucial to the economy of Scotland and the Isle of Man.