Conwy looks set to strengthen it ties with a Japanese town through a new twinning agreement.

Conwy Town Council have put together a draft twinning agreement which would see the town twinned with Himeji City.

This agreement looks set to be signed in October next year and follows on from the twinning of Conwy and Himeji Castle in July 2018.

The draft agreement, which the Pioneer has seen, outlines the benefits the twinning agreement is set to have for both Conwy and Himeji which is set to help build and maintain a close link between the two.

The draft outlines six key points the agreement is set to bring. They include promoting sustainable tourism, improving language skills, establishing a firm friendship between people in the two towns and encouraging communication and development of contacts between groups in both Conwy and Himeji.

Councillor Bill Chapman has been a major driving force behind this twinning agreement and is set to make a trip to Himeji early this year, paying for the trip himself, to speak with relevant parties about the twinning.

He said he was excited about the twinning agreement and said it would be a major boost for Conwy.

Councillors discussed the agreement at a Town council meeting last month and said they encouraged the move.

Cllr Chapman in the draft agreement said: "Both castles are among the most popular destinations for tourists worldwide.

"Now that they have been twinned, we move forward to twin the communities around them.

"Conwy Town Council is of the firm belief, building on the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the two castles, establishing former ties between both Conwy and Himeji City in Japan will make a contribution to international understanding and present commercial opportunities.

"Taking into account the mutual interests of the residents of both Conwy and Himeji, we express our resolve to strengthen the links with the City of Himeji by means of a formal twinning agreement to be signed by both Mayors in October 2019."

The area is already a popular destination for Japanese tourists and Mr Chapman said the twinning agreement would only increase the amount of tourists from the area.

Michaela Hemmings said the Cheese Room Deli and Press Room Cafe, in Conwy where she works, already has a large number of Japanese tourists come through the shop.

She welcomed the twinning agreement and said, while she hasn't spoken to other stores in the town, believed business would be on board with the benefits it would bring.

Mrs Hemmings said: "We welcome visitors to Conwy with open arms.

"We already have a lot of Japanese visitors come through and we are really welcoming towards them. They can't buy enough of our cheese."