OSAKA (Kyodo) Osaka Castle signed a friendship agreement Friday with a palace in the Austrian city of Graz after a 16th century Japanese folding screen depicting Osaka was found there.

Schloss Eggenberg became the first foreign castle to tie up with the Osaka landmark, which already has several domestic sister castles. Austrian President Heinz Fischer attended the signing ceremony held in Osaka.

The rare alliance came after the folding screen was found to be decorating a wall in the Eggenberg palace in September 2006, according to the Osaka Municipal Government.

The screen depicted Osaka around the time of the death of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), who had the castle built.

This year marks the 140th anniversary of friendship between Japan and Austria.

As part of events aimed at deepening ties between the two countries, Osaka Castle will hold concerts this weekend of Baroque music that Hideyoshi is said to have appreciated.

It will also exhibit through Nov. 23 a replica of the screen and photographs of the palace and of Graz, the historic center of which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.