Karleen C. Chinen

Aloha is that special Hawaiian word that expresses many sentiments. We say “Aloha . . .,” or “Aloha ‘oe,” in bidding someone special a fond farewell. And, we also say “Aloha . . .” when we greet and welcome someone new.

After three years as president of Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. — and nearly a year prior to that as the Hawai‘i representative of Shizuoka Shimbun, Hawaii Hochi’s parent company in Japan — Keiichi Tagata bid aloha to the company’s 35 employees, formally announcing his retirement at an all-staff meeting on April 10. Tagata said he was grateful for the support he received from the Hochi’s employees and business clients since assuming the company’s leadership in April 2012, when he was appointed to succeed Paul Yempuku as president. He said he was glad to have been able to celebrate Hawaii Hochi’s 100th anniversary with its employees and supporters in 2012. Inevitably, however, the soft-spoken Tagata said, “I want to continue my second life in Japan.”

Tagata, who worked for Shizuoka Shimbun for about 40 years, oversaw printing for the company for 10 years prior to his Hawai‘i appointment. He and his wife Mizuko plan to return to Shizuoka later this month after visiting Washington, D.C., and New York. He said they are looking forward to spending time with their adult children and two granddaughters and enjoying views of Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji) and the life of retirees.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you again for your support and friendship,” he told the staff. “I will always remember fondly the aloha you extended to me.”

Tagata also announced that he would be succeeded by Taro Yoshida, Hawaii Hochi, Ltd.’s vice president for advertising. All of the management changes took effect on April 10.

During his tenure as Hawaii Hochi’s president, Tagata oversaw the acquisition and installation of the TKS JETLEADER 1500 printing press, the first of its kind in Hawai‘i — and only the third press like it in the entire United States.

The “Jet,” as we call it, is capable of printing color photos and graphics on each and every page — The Hawai‘i Herald was the first publication to be printed on the Jet, and we love it! And, after 102 years as a broadsheet newspaper printed mainly in black and white, our Japanese-language sister-publication, the Hawaii Hochi, switched to a tabloid format earlier this year and is now printed on the JET with color on every page. For making that investment in the look of our two publications, we thank Tagata-san and Shizuoka Shimbun.

Tagata was also instrumental in securing printing contracts for the U.S. editions of three prestigious Japanese daily newspapers — the Nihon Keizai (Japan’s version of the Wall Street Journal), Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun.

Newly appointed Hawaii Hochi president Taro Yoshida, outgoing president Keiichi Tagata and Shizuoka Shimbun president Go Oishi at the bust of Oishi’s grandfather, Konosuke Oishi., who purchased Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. in 1962.

Tagata’s successor, Taro Yoshida, joined Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. last fall as vice president for advertising after a playing a key role on the management team of Shizuoka Shimbun president Go Oishi. Yoshida brings to Hawaii Hochi a wealth of business experience garnered in both Japan and Hawai‘i.

Yoshida grew up in the Shinjuku district of Tökyö and received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Keio University. After graduating from Keio, he worked for Shinsei Bank, Ltd., where he rose to the position of manager of its Tökyö Corporate Finance Division.

After eight years with Shinsei Bank, Yoshida went to work for WDI Corporation, serving in various positions — operating officer/general manager of its corporate strategy development division and supervisor of WDI’s fine dining division. Yoshida’s work with WDI brought him to Hawai‘i in 2008, when he was appointed director of administration and district manager for two of the company’s Hawai‘i restaurant holdings, including the popular Wolfgang’s Steakhouse.

In 2011, he joined Accordia Golf Co., Ltd. as senior manager of its golf course acquisitions and restaurant operations divisions. In that capacity he was responsible for golf course acquisitions in Hawai‘i.

Shizuoka Shimbun president Go Oishi thanked Tagata for his service to Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. He said although he had hoped that Tagata would remain with the Hochi for a longer period of time, Tagata expressed his desire to return to Japan and enjoy his retirement. Oishi said Yoshida’s familiarity with Hawai‘i, his love for the Islands and his desire to return Hawai‘i, coupled with his extensive business and financial knowledge and experience, made Yoshida a natural pick to succeed Tagata.

Oishi acknowledged that Yoshida is bringing a more aggressive business style to the Hochi, which he fully supports. “If we don’t change our thinking, things will not improve,” Oishi said, through translator Grant Murata, who is Hochi/Herald advertising and promotions manager. He encouraged the staff to be innovative in their thinking and to work together as a team.

Taro Yoshida said he is honored to lead Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. He said the move back to Hawai‘i had the “wholehearted support” of his family. While acknowledging Hawaii Hochi’s long and proud history, he said history alone would not carry the company into the future. He said Hawaii Hochi must change if it hopes to exist in the future.

Yoshida concluded his comments by sharing one of his favorite Hawaiian words — ‘ohana, meaning family. “I consider all of you my ‘ohana,” he said.

It was warm and humid on the morning of March 31, but the uncomfortable conditions could not dampen the spirits of the crowd gathered for the dedication of the former Honouliuli Internment Camp site as Hawai‘i’s newest national historic monument.

The dedication marked the culmination of more than five years of work between the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, landowners Monsanto Hawaii, the National Park Service, the University of Hawai‘i and numerous other community partners to preserve the site as a National Park Service site.

Honouliuli was one of 17 confinement sites in Hawai‘i where Japanese Americans and prisoners of war were imprisoned during World War II. It was built on 155 acres in a deep gulch in Kunia. The internees referred to the area as “Jigoku Dani,” or “Hell Valley,” because of its extremely hot conditions. Approximately 400 Japanese Americans, German and Italian permanent residents were held at Honouliuli, along with nearly 4,000 prisoners of war.

Although efforts to locate the camp began nearly two decades ago, it was not until 2002 that the site was uncovered during an expedition. The effort was spearheaded by Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i volunteers Jane Kurahara and Betsy Young, both retired school librarians.

After a long and exhaustive process that included a resource study by the National Park Service, public meetings and even a petition drive, President Barack Obama signed the proclamation establishing the Honouliuli National Historic Monument at the White House on Feb. 24. Just over a month later, the site was dedicated with U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, whose department oversees the National Park Service, flying to Hawai‘i to participate in the ceremonies.

Also participating in the dedication were Gov. David Ige, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, University of Hawai‘i President David Lassner, John Purcell of Monsanto Hawaii and Carole Hayashino, JCCH president and executive director.

The ceremony was conducted on a concrete slab that is believed to have been the mess hall at Honouliuli. Kahu Kaleo Patterson performed a Hawaiian blessing, followed by a Shinto purification blessing by the Rev. Todd Takahashi, whose aunt, a Buddhist priest, was one of the few women who were interned at Honouliuli.

“Today, with the purification of this land, we cast away all negativity associated with Jigoku Dani and ask that the spirits who linger here now help in the endeavor of telling the story of internees and others who were here during World War II, as well as helping each individual here today and who visits in the future, to have a heart not of acceptance, but of love,” Takahashi said.

Secretary Jewell, who grew up in Seattle, where Japanese Americans were interned, became emotional as she addressed the Honouliuli audience. “In Hawai‘i, they [U.S. government] couldn’t intern 30 percent of the population, so they had to be selective,” she said.

The site dedication concluded with the untying of a maile lei — and then picked up again a few hours later with a “community celebration” at the JCCH.

Paul DuPrey, superintendent of the Valor in the Pacific Monument, noted that a national monument or any national park site “is really only as successful as the community that supports it, and all of you in this room and many others were really key to creating the new national monument. So I want to say aloha and mahalo to all of you.”

Gov. David Ige said that he had initially been led to believe that Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i were not interned. As a legislator, he was involved in the effort to preserve Honouliuli. He said he never imagined that more than a decade later, as governor, he would be able to join President Barack Obama for the signing of the proclamation designating Honouliuli as a national historic monument.

Ige thanked the many volunteers for ensuring that the Honouliuli story is preserved, and Secretary Jewell for her involvement and support. The governor also acknowledged the “Hawaii Five-O” team for bringing the story to a national and international television viewing audience with their December 2013 episode titled “Honor Thy Father.”

“This project is a demonstration of how much we can all accomplish when we all work together,” Ige said.

Hayashino also acknowledged CBS and the “Hawaii Five-O” producers, including executive producer Peter Lenkov, for their episode, saying it “had a tremendous impact upon our efforts to preserve Honouliuli.”

Lenkov noted that television can sometimes serve as “a soapbox . . . to make a stand.” He said the “Honor Thy Father” episode was meant “to shed light on a dark chapter in American history. It was meant to inform, share a personal story and remind the world of an injustice.”

Wearing several lei, as well as a haku headband, Secretary Jewell said she arrived, bringing “Aloha, and greetings from Hawai‘i’s native son, the president of the United States, Barack Obama.”

Jewell said that, physically, Honouliuli is not that hard a site to locate. But, she believes it remained buried for so long “because of the shame associated with the internment camp.”

During a visit to Hawai‘i in September 2013, Jewell said she snorkeled near the USS Arizona Memorial and learned about the ceremonies commemorating the USS Arizona sailors when they pass on. She also learned about other veteran commemorations.

“But what we are here to dedicate today is something that is the darker side of war. It’s the side that needs to be told, although she conceded that sometimes the nation is not ready to share that story. She said that in a place as small as Hawai‘i, with a population that lives relatively close to each other, the fact that Honouliuli could be “completely lost from the mid-1940s until 2002, that is extraordinary. And that tells the story of people who wanted to move on, because it was a dark chapter, a chapter that was dominated by stories of valor and heroism, but that did not tell the whole story of the war and the shame Japanese Americans endured.” She noted that unlike on the continental U.S., where people were interned en masse, in Hawai‘i, certain Japanese Americans were “singled out” for incarceration. The suspicion cast upon them lasted their entire lives.

“For those of you that are descendants, I hope that you feel the spirit of your ancestors.”

Jewell called the National Park Service “America’s storyteller.” She said she’s proud that the NPS will now be telling the Honouliuli story.

Gwen Battad Ishikawa

On July 12, a luxury cruise ship docked at Honolulu Harbor. Unlike other cruise ships that bring tourists to our Islands, Peace Boat carried not only tourists, but also eight hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and three youth communicators. Their mission: to spread a message of peace and the desire to create a nuclear-free world.

Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and nonprofit organization that works to promote human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. There have been 87 global voyages to date and eight “Global Voyages for a Nuclear-Free World.”

The latter voyage aims to spread the message of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. Since 2008, more than 150 hibakusha have traveled around the world for this cause. The 2015 trip, which was the eighth “Global Voyage for a Nuclear-Free World,” left Yokohama, Japan, on April 12. On its way to Honolulu, Peace Boat docked in Singapore, India, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Gonfreville L’Orcher, Ypres, Belgium, Poland, Sweden, Russia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Iceland, Venezuela, Panama and Guatemala. After leaving Honolulu, Peace Boat returned to Yokohama before continuing on to Hiroshima for the Aug. 6 events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. From Hiroshima, it will travel on to Nagasaki for similar commemorative events on Aug. 9.

In Honolulu, Peace Boat activities included a performance of songs from “Peace on Your Wings,” an Ohana Arts musical that was inspired by the life of Sadako Sasaki, a 12-year-old girl who died from leukemia as a result of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Sadako became a symbol of hope and peace.

Author and poet Juliet Kono read from her novel, “Anshü: Dark Sorrow,” based on historical events, specifically the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Speakers included Akira Kawasaki, director of Peace Boat Hibakusha Project; Nicole Velasco, executive director of the Office of Economic Development for the City and County of Honolulu, who represented Mayor Kirk Caldwell; state Rep. Mark Nakashima; and Pono Shim, president and CEO of Enterprise Honolulu, an organization that works on economic development issues, especially in low-income communities.

Beatrice Cantelmo, co-director of Amnesty International – Honolulu Chapter, presented Peace Boat organizers with 100 cranes folded by Hawai‘i‘s houseless families in Kaka‘ako. “It shows that every skill level is needed and represents every skill and dexterity level,” she said.

Another speaker was Fane Lino of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i’s Pacific Islander Ministry. She brought with her youngsters from the Micronesian, Melanesian and Polynesian communities, whose families developed cancer as a result of the atomic bombing testing in the Marshall Islands and Tahiti (French Polynesia). She related a story of how a young child had to describe to his blind grandfather what the bombing in the distance looked like. “It’s better to be blind than see the great light that ends your life,” she said.

Not all of the 1,000 passengers aboard Peace Boat took the trip because they were interested in social issues or the Peace Boat’s mission, however. Some just wanted to travel. Throughout the voyage, however, there were activities aboard the ship that addressed issues surrounding the use of nuclear weapons and why it is important to put an end to them.

At night, the hibakusha and the youth communicators introduced films and presented songs and skits, testimonies, speeches, and readings about the atrocities and devastation to life and land, all caused by the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

At each port, they held similar events for the public and met with each country’s respective mayor or government officials, advocating for peace and the reduction of nuclear weapons.

The eight hibakusha who participated in the voyage were from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and were between the ages of 3 and 16 when the bombs fell. They are Masaki Hironaka, Soh Horie, Masao Ito, Takako Kotani, Shizuko Mitamura, Nobuo Miyake and Hiromitsu Morita. (Hiroe Kamada left Peace Boat prior to docking in Honolulu.) The youth communicators, who assisted the hibakusha in telling their story using their talents, were actor Akihiro Hashimoto, photographer and activist Keina Suzuki and musician/artist Manami Iwamoto.

One of the hibakusha, Soh Horie, was 4 years old when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He was 3 kilometers from the epicenter and was shielded from the blast by his older sister. Now 74, he described the day’s events in English. Horie said he remembered a flash of light and the sound of the blast. He remembered the sight of people with badly burned bodies with their skin hanging from their bodies.

“There are 20,000 hibakusha still suffering from the aftereffects,” he said. “Peace is something wonderful and we should not take it for granted.”

Karleen C. Chinen

With each passing year, there are fewer and fewer of them. But for those surviving Nisei veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion, remembering their brothers in service who died in combat over 70 years ago and other lifelong friends with whom they served, but have lost to age, is a vow they strive to keep. And so they gathered once again at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl on the blustery Sept. 27 morning to honor the men who served their country with valor in Europe and in the Asia-Pacific theater.

They were joined by family members, supporters and admirers — from Hawai‘i Gov. David Ige, whose own father served in the 100th, to Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., the son of a Japanese mother who rose to become the U.S. Navy’s top commander for the Asia-Pacific region, to Consul General of Japan Yasushi Misawa, Japan’s representative in Hawai‘i.

For decades, the memorial service has been held on the last Sunday in September, which is the Sunday closest to Sept. 29, when Sgt. Shigeo “Joe” Takata of the 100th Infantry Battalion became the first Japanese American to be killed in the war. Takata died in Italy just a week after the 100th entered battle in Salerno.

In an attempt to share the soldiers’ inner thoughts as they progressed through the war, three actors — Devon Nekoba, portraying 100th Battalion soldier Shukichi Sato from Kaua‘i, who was killed in action in Italy; Chance Gusukuma, portraying 442nd RCT soldier Jack Wakamatsu; and Daniel Akiyama, portraying MIS soldier William Hiraoka — read moving excerpts from letters the three Nisei had written to their families back home.

More than a dozen organizations offered floral wreaths in honor and remembrance of the fallen soldiers with musical accompaniment by Herb Ohta Jr., the Sounds of Aloha and the 111th U.S. Army Band.

This year’s service, which was hosted by the Nisei Veterans Legacy Center, paid special tribute to the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. In March 1945, while pursuing the German army as they retreated from France into Germany, the 522nd soldiers came across Lithuanian Jews, who had barely survived the Dachau death march. They rendered aid and gave whatever food they had to the starving prisoners.

This year’s memorial address was delivered by Rabbi Ken Aronowitz of Temple Emanu-El. Aronowitz said that in 2004, he and his wife purchased a home in Pälolo Valley, next a family by the name of Matsumoto. Mr. Matsumoto was a 442nd veteran. Each Veterans Day, Aronowitz would accompany his wife next door to honor Mr. Matsumoto with some flowers in celebration of the day.

“I wish I knew then what I know now,” the rabbi said of what he has since learned about the service of the Nisei soldiers.

Growing up in New York, Aronowitz said World War II was covered in his social studies classes. However, he never learned about the sacrifices the Nisei soldiers made to prove their loyalty to their country and their exemplary service in spite of it until he settled in Hawai‘i.

He said Jewish people and Japanese Americans were two groups of “dehumanized people” during the war. Aronowitz recalled Dachau survivor Solly Ganor’s story about a Nisei soldier who gave him a Hershey candy bar. Ganor said it was the first time a person in uniform had demonstrated any humanity towards him.

Aronowitz urged the veterans to share their stories. “Everyone needs to hear it,” he said. “Tell your stories, for you were eyewitnesses to the Holocaust.”

Gwen Battad Ishikawa

The Japan-America Society of Hawaii presented its Bridge Award to Kenneth “Ken” Saiki, director of the Ehime Maru Memorial Association, and the United Japanese Society of Hawaii at its annual general membership dinner on Sept. 24. The Bridge Award is presented to individuals and/or organizations that perpetuate JASH’s theme of “Building Bridges of Friendship.” JASH is committed to “promoting understanding and friendship between the people of Japan and the United States through the special and unique perspective of Hawai‘i.”

Ken Saiki was UJSH president in 2001 when the U.S. Navy submarine Greenville collided with the fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru off of the south shore of Oahu. As noted in the event’s program booklet, Saiki “mobilized the organization’s resources to help provide family support, interpreters and escorts for visiting officials in the aftermath of the accident.” Saiki and UJSH joined JASH and other organizations in a community-wide effort to raise funds for the victims’ families.

A year later, the Ehime Maru Memorial was erected at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park. Volunteers from various organizations take turns cleaning and maintaining the memorial every week.

Saiki thanked the numerous volunteers who have helped to clean and maintain the memorial for the past 13 years. He also thanked past JASH presidents, Earl Okawa and Ed Hawkins, as well as current president, Lenny Yajima, who have “done much to nurture and maintain the bonds of friendship between Ehime and Hawai‘i, and I thank them for their unwavering support for my role.”

Saiki expressed his gratitude to government officials in Hawai‘i and especially those from Ehime and paid special tribute to his family.

“Without the understanding and cooperation of the people of Ehime, our relationship could not have grown to the point where now Hawai‘i and Ehime are sister-states, Honolulu and Uwajima are sister-cities, and many other bonds of friendship have been created,” he said.

”I thank my late parents, Kiyoto and Patsy Saiki, for helping light the way for me through their community service and helping to foster better relations between the U.S. and Japan. And, to my wife, Kumiko, mahalo for your support and understanding, and for helping with the cleaning chores at the memorial whenever a group has to cancel at the last minute,” Saiki said.

The other Bridge Award honoree was the United Japanese Society of Hawaii, represented by its president, Cyrus Tamashiro. Tamashiro wanted to keep the spotlight on Ken Saiki and his efforts and kept his comments to a minimum.

“I am here today representing UJSH leaders like Ken Saiki and members who have created a legacy of bringing people together to promote Japanese culture and international exchange. Our sempai (elders) continue to mentor and encourage younger members to preserve local and Japanese traditions,” Tamashiro said.

“The UJSH, JASH and our sister Nikkei organizations embrace the Japanese people

Bridge Award recipient Ken Saiki (center) with JASH president Lenny Yajima (left) and JASH chair Daniel Dinell.

and Japanese culture and strive to promote international goodwill.

As individuals, we may have ancestors who come from different prefectures, states or nations, but we all work cooperatively to achieve common goals . . . and we all have great affection for Japan.”

Former Hawai‘i Gov. George Ariyoshi introduced Gov. David Ige, the evening’s keynote speaker.

“Tonight’s honorees exemplify the deep and abiding relationship the United States shares with Japan — a unique and significant relationship that has been on prominent display this year,” Ige said. “At a formal White House welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this year, President Obama publicly recognized the enduring relationship. He said the two nations are ‘global partners that stand together for security and human dignity around the world’ and characterized the relationship as one of mutual respect and shared obligation. He said the two nations are ‘true partners and friends.’”

Ige went on to discuss Hawai‘i’s diverse culture.

“From the very early days, more than 160 years ago, immigrants from throughout Asia came to Hawai‘i to work on the plantations. Those deep roots have taught us to embrace diversity. And today, in fact in just the past two weeks, I have seen our community celebrate diversity in so many ways.”

He singled out Hawai‘i Pacific University, which USA Today named the top-ranked college for the most diverse student body — ahead of Stanford, Harvard, Columbia and Yale. HPU is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Ige also pointed to the East-West Center’s recent recognition of Polynesian Voyaging Society master navigator Nainoa Thompson for playing a leading role in building understanding across the Pacific and around the world.

“Not only does this kind of diversity define us; it also guides us — so much so that today we have strong bilateral relationships with Japan and other countries in Asia. I am committed to further deepening these ties.”

Ige then brought up four key areas — economy, energy, military and education — that “will strengthen the state’s position as it relates to our nation’s commitment to this rebalance in the Asia-Pacific region.”

In closing, the governor thanked the UJSH for its contributions to maintaining the friendly relations between the United States and Japan.

“ I congratulate and thank you for your ongoing efforts to develop, promote and strengthen goodwill, friendships, and understanding between the people of Japan and Hawai‘i, particularly between the sister-cities of Uwajima and Honolulu.

“The Japan-America Society of Hawaii and its members are an integral part of Hawai‘i’s cultural and economic framework. You play a significant role in deepening the bond between Japan and the United States.”

The Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Honolulu celebrated its 35th anniversary by presenting an exhibition of beautiful and creative floral arrangements by society members, such as that of Michiko Oba of ‘Aiea (pictured at left). Michiko Oba’s parents, the Rev. Hakuai and Kako Oda, are credited with bringing the art of ikebana to Hawai‘i from their native Japan. Kako Oda went on to serve as the first president of the Honolulu Chapter. “Ikebana . . . Bringing peace and Harmony” was the theme of the exhibition, which was held Oct. 15 through 18 at the Honolulu Museum of Art School. The society also welcomed Yuki Ikenobo (above, center), 46th headmaster designate, from Kyöto, and a delegation of other Ikenobo ikebana guests from Japan. She joined Consul General of Japan Yasushi Misawa, Honolulu Museum of Art director Stephan Jost and society president May Hiraoka-Tomita for the untying of the maile lei, officially opening the exhibit. Yuki Ikenobo-Sensei also conducted demonstrations during her visit to Hawai‘i for the anniversary.

Gwen Battad Ishikawa

A plaque dedicating the Neal S. Blaisdell Center as a war memorial — as it was originally intended back in the 1960s when it was built — was rededicated last November with much pomp and circumstance and in a more visible location.

In the original plans for the Honolulu International Center — as it was known back then — the complex was to consist of a war memorial auditorium (today the arena, which was the first structure completed), an exhibition hall and a theatre-concert hall. When the Honolulu International Center was dedicated on Sept. 12, 1964, the memorial plaque was unveiled and blessed by the Rev. Abraham Akaka. It dedicated the HIC as a living memorial to all of Hawai‘i’s war veterans and war dead and bore the following words: “Honolulu International Center: Dedicated to All the Sons and Daughters of Hawaii Who Served Their Country in Time of War and in Special Tribute to Those Who Gave Their Lives in Order That Freedom and Justice Might Prevail Throughout the World.”

Sometime in the 1970s, the plaque disappeared without a trace. Without a physical reminder, the center’s legacy as a war memorial disappeared.

Years passed and the center underwent renovations. In 1984, the entire complex was renamed the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, in honor of Mayor Neal Blaisdell, who had overseen construction of the original center.

Enter Tanya Harrison . . .

In 2010, while researching her family’s genealogy in Kaka‘ako, Oregon resident (and former Hawaii resident) Tanya Harrison stumbled upon written documents that referred to the Honolulu International Center as a war memorial. Harrison wanted to see the memorial plaque, but her search for it on the grounds of the complex turned up nothing. No one, not even city officials, knew anything about the plaque, nor that the complex had even been dedicated as a war memorial.

Determined that visitors enjoying events and activities at the popular entertainment venue would know that the center had originally been dedicated as a war memorial, Harrison continued her research in the city and state archives and formed a grassroots committee made up of local residents in 2014. The committee consisted of Ret. USMC Col. Gene Castagnetti, Ret. Col. Walter Ozawa, Ret. USAF Maj. Lawrence Enomoto, and veterans advocate and descendant Drusilla Tanaka.

The group was successful in gaining the attention and support of the city, and on Feb. 19, 2015, Honolulu City Councilmembers Ann Kobayashi and Carol Fukunaga introduced a resolution requesting that the Neal S. Blaisdell Center be rededicated as a war memorial so that the public would be reminded of the center’s heritage as a war memorial and that its original purpose had been to honor Hawai‘i’s fallen heroes.

On Nov. 10, 2015, the group’s mission was realized with the unveiling of a stone-encased plaque near the mauka-‘ewa corner of Ward Avenue and South King Street. It bears the same dedication words from the 1964 plaque. The ceremony was attended by military officials, war veterans and government representatives. The plaque is located on the lawn facing Ward Avenue, surrounded by landscaping and highlighted by floodlights.

The late afternoon ceremony, aptly held on the eve of Veterans Day, was held on the länai of the Blaisdell Center Concert Hall. The Royal Hawaiian Band performed a musical prelude. Misty Kela‘i, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts, sang the national anthem and Hawai‘i Pono‘i and Kahu Curtis Kekuna of Kawaiaha‘o Church delivered the invocation. Guy H. Kaulukukui, director of the city Department of Enterprise Services, emceed the program. Guest speakers included city managing director Roy Amemiya and Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command. Civil Air Patrol cadets from Maryknoll High School were on hand to assist, just as their predecessors did in 1964. Retired Judge Ben F. Kaito, a World War II Military Intelligence Service veteran who was a member of the Honolulu City Council in 1964, was among the first to offer ho‘okupu — a gift of a maile lei.

Former Circuit Judge Thomas K. Kaulukukui Jr., board chair and managing trustee of the Queen Lili‘uokalani Trust and a Vietnam War veteran, served as the keynote speaker. Kaulukukui gave a broad perspective on memorials and cited examples of memorial rededication ceremonies in Pennsylvania, Vermont and California.

“In ancient times, the desire to erect lasting memorials often led to the establishment of megaliths — large, upright stones of commanding visual presence . . . . The purpose and meaning of these ancient memorials were preserved in oral stories, told and retold by people who remembered. When the people no longer remembered, the memorials were no longer memorials — they were just large stones,” Kaulukukui said.

“As civilizations progressed, memorials such as war memorials became accurate likenesses of those who were to be memorialized . . . . These life-like memorials need no explanation, because their purpose is obvious.

“After World War II, the concept and construction of so-called “living memorials” became increasingly popular. A living memorial is usually not a stone edifice or a sculptured human figure. Instead, it is most often an area of nature, a park or other public facility, or a building or complex of buildings like this one. Because living memorials do not by their very appearance signal their memorial purpose, an explanatory plaque or other writing is critical to remind the public to remember those who are memorialized. Without such an explanation, then the so-called “living memorial” is not fully alive, because it lacks the power to inspire people to remember.

“It is a natural aspect of the human condition to forget things over time. This happens with memorials, as it has with this one. Fortunately for us, such memorials can be revived, and we are here today to infuse new life into our memorial.”

Kaulukukui went on to say, “Let all ponder the meaning of what we are doing:

“Today, we do more than to simply dedicate a new plaque — we re-vitalize and re-sanctify an old memorial.

“This afternoon, we do more than to just recall our heroes of the past — we inspire our heroes of the future.

“At this special moment in time, we do far more than to achieve a worthy civic purpose — we fulfill our sacred duty to those who, in tempestuous times, have risked all for us and for our dear country.”

Karleen C. Chinen

At age 92 — and soon to be 93 — Dr. Genshitsu Sen, the 15th generation Urasenke grand tea master, doesn’t waste a day in promoting what has been his life’s mission: to promote “peacefulness through a bowl of tea.”

Dr. Sen, who most Urasenke tea students address respectfully as “Daisosho,” or “great grand master,” commemorated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Hawaii Association with three full days of activities that brought more than 500 Urasenke students from Japan and Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, Canada and the continental United States to Hawai‘i from Feb. 19 through 21. They celebrated not only the Hawaii Association’s 65th anniversary, but also Daisosho’s 65 years of spreading peace through tea throughout the world.

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Hon., HI 96817

Gwen Battad Ishikawa

Helemano Plantation in Wahiawä is now home to 12 cherry blossom trees from Japan — with 88 more to come when they are ready for planting, for a grand total of 100 trees. A planting ceremony for the first 12 trees was held Feb. 17 at Helemano Plantation. The trees were donated by the Rotary Club of Tokyo Shibuya, District 2750 and the Kochi-ken Makino Botanical Garden, both of which are based in Japan.

Helemano Plantation is just one location on O‘ahu where the Japanese cherry blossom trees are being planted.

The first cherry tree was planted by (from left) Vivian and Dr. Tetsuo Koyama, Consul General Yasushi Misawa, Susanna Cheung, Yoko Misawa and Ho-Ming Cheung.

Their new home in Central O‘ahu was made possible through the efforts of the Hawaii Cherry Alley Committee, which was formed to promote friendship with Japan, awareness of Japanese culture and to help promote tourism in local communities by planting flowering cherry trees in areas where people can enjoy their beauty.

The Feb. 17 ceremony was attended by Consul General of Japan Yasushi Misawa, members of the Rotary Club of Tokyo Shibuya, District 2750, the Rotary Club of East Honolulu, retired U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, state Rep. Marcus Oshiro and botanist Dr. Tetsuo Koyama from Japan, among others. A stone monument commemorating the tree planting and the friendship between Hawai‘i and Japan was also unveiled.

Two trees were ceremonially planted that morning. Joining in the planting of the first tree were Consul General Misawa and his wife Yoko, Dr. Koyama and his wife Vivian, and Susanna Cheung and her husband, Ho-Ming Cheung. A second ceremonial tree was planted by members of the Cherry Committee, including Norie Masamitsu, who chairs the O‘ahu Cherry Alley Committee; Arthur Taniguchi, honorary consul general of Japan in Hilo; Kelvin Sewake, interim associate dean of the UH-Mänoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Hideki Yamane, economic development specialist with the state Department of Agriculture; Dr. Masafumi Honda from UH-Hilo and Sue Eguchi, a volunteer with the O‘ahu committee.

Sen. Akaka thanked Helemano Plantation founder and president/CEO Susanna Cheung for making the land available for the cherry blossom trees. She, in turn, thanked Dr. Koyama for selecting such an ideal location for the trees, noting that “it is cold morning and night.”

Said Koyama: “I trust that these trees will be happy in Helemano Plantation and will bloom in seven to 10 years from today and will contribute to the enhancement of U.S.-Japan and Hawai‘i Japanese friendship relations and tourism of Hawai‘i.”

Rep. Marcus Oshiro, who represents Wahiawä in the state House of Representatives, said, “Wahiawä is known as the ‘Land of a Million Pines,’ and now it is going to be known as the land of a thousand cherry blossoms.”

The planting at Helemano Plantation is part of the ongoing activities commemorating the Japan-U.S. cherry blossom gift of friendship. In 1912, Japan sent cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C. The U.S. returned the goodwill gesture in 1915, sending dogwood trees to Japan.

More than a century after the trees arrived in the nation’s capital, millions of people from all over the world flock to the Tidal Basin area each spring to view the trees in full bloom. This year, the D.C. trees are expected to bloom during the week of March 18 to 23, according to the National Park Service.

In 2012, Japan launched an initiative to send more cherry trees to other parts of the United States, including Hawai‘i. Through the efforts of former Consul General of Japan in Hawai‘i Yoshihiko Kamo, Dr. Koyama was asked to identify a cherry tree variety that would survive in Hawai‘i’s tropical climate. Seedlings from the Oshima Zakura cherry tree, which is raised on Hachijö Island, south of Tokyo, were cultivated and planted in Waimea on the Big Island and at residences in Mänoa and Wahiawä on O‘ahu.

The trees planted at Helemano are located in front of the facility’s Wellness Center and are presently 3 to 4 feet tall. They are anticipated to start flowering in three to seven years and are expected to grow up to 30 feet tall.

“Hopefully, we can rival D.C.,” said Sen. Akaka, who had the pleasure of seeing the cherry blossom trees in bloom for more than three decades while serving Hawai‘i in Congress.

Alexis Sayuri Okihara was selected the 64th Cherry Blossom Festival queen at the Festival Ball on March 26. Joining her on the court are First Princess Brittney Yasuko Kawahara, Princesses Ritsuko Sarah Tomari, Kristi Kiyo Murakami and Asia Rei Katsura Ayabe, who was also named Miss Popularity. Dylan Katarina Lau was named Miss Congeniality.

Amanda Yayoi Youth received the Violet Niimi Oishi Scholarship, a $5,000 award designated for the continuing education of one queen contestant. The scholarship was established by Dr. Scott Oishi in 2002 in memory of his mother, Violet Niimi Oishi, the first Cherry Blossom Festival queen. The recipient is selected on the basis of her educational excellence, essay submission and community service involvement.

The Festival Ball is the culmination of seven months of cultural and professional development classes that include Japanese business etiquette, tea ceremony, calligraphy, taiko, aikidö, ikebana, public speaking and interview training and more.

The Queen, First Princess and three Princesses are selected by a panel of judges known for their dedication to perpetuating Japanese culture, commitment to education and passion for community service. A contestant’s total score is based on her performance in the following categories: preliminary activities, judges’ interview and Festival Ball.

The Miss Popularity title is awarded to the contestant who has accumulated the most points by raising funds that are used to support the perpetuation of the Cherry Blossom Festival. The contestant named Miss Congeniality is selected by her fellow contestants for exemplifying the spirit of friendship.

Judging the competition were: Circuit Judge Gary Chang; University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu interim chancellor Dr. Doris Ching; Susan Eichor, president and chief operating officer of aio group; Donnie Juan, executive director of the Filipino Community Center; Gregory Kugle, director at the law firm of Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert; Lisa Maruyama, president and chief executive officer of Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations; and 35th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Marlene Sato Teramae.

The evening began with a taiko performance by the contestants. The sequence was choreographed and taught to the women by acclaimed taiko artist and musician Kenny Endo. The Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble accompanied the contestants.

The first half of the program was the Western Phase, during which contestants delivered a one-minute personal speech in evening gowns provided by Casablanca Bridal and Formals. The second half of the program was the Eastern Phase, during which contestants answered an impromptu question while wearing a furisode kimono flown in from Japan by Watabe Wedding Hawaii.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is a project of the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The winners of the Hawai‘i Herald’s/Hawaii Hochi’s “Name the Cherry Blossom Queen Contest” will be announced in the Herald April 15 edition.

Gwen Battad Ishikawa

“Grateful” and “excited” are two words that Alexis Sayuri Okihara used throughout her interview at the Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. offices a week after she was crowned the 64th Cherry Blossom Festival queen.

The 25-year-old yonsei was selected as queen from among 15 contestants. Joining her on the court are First Princess Brittney Kawahara; Princesses Ritsuko Tomari, Kristi Murakami and Asia Ayabe, who was also named Miss Popularity; and Miss Congeniality Dylan Lau.

When her name was called at the Festival Ball on March 26, Okihara said she didn’t know what to think. “It was surreal. I took a deep breath and thought of all I went through this past year. I thought of my parents and was thankful for their support, as well as that of my entire family.”

Okihara was happy that her grandparents — Harold and Ruth Okihara and Herbert and Kimiyo Marutani — flew over from Hilo on the Big Island to support her. After the Festival Ball, she went into the audience to find her family. “When I was finally able to talk to them, we all just cried. There were no words. It was all on our faces. I just tucked my head on Dad’s shoulder and we all shared that moment together.”

Karleen C. Chinen

Along road to recovery lies ahead for the people of the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto and surrounding areas such as Oita Prefecture following the April 14 and 16 earthquakes that rocked Kumamoto last month. The April 14 quake measured 6.5; a second quake two days later measured 7.3. At least 49 people were killed, with many more injured and forced to take refuge in emergency shelters.

United Japanese Society of Hawaii president Cyrus Tamashiro recently interviewed Consul General of Japan Yasushi Misawa about the earthquake and how Hawai‘i’s people can help on UJSH’s radio program, “Nikkei Spirit,” on KZOO radio. Joining them were Clyde Matsumoto of the Central Oahu Kumamoto Kenjin Kai, and Terrence Kai of the Honolulu Kumamoto Kenjin Kai. Tamashiro summarized the discussion in an email blast to UJSH members.

He said Consul General Misawa described the Kumamoto earthquakes as very strong — as strong as the temblor that rocked Köbe in 1995 and the Töhöku earthquake of 2011, the effects of which are still being felt today, five years later. Aftershocks continue to plague Kyüshü.

Karleen C. Chinen

On April 19, two former members of the United States Congress who met more than 70 years ago on opposites sides of a relocation camp barbed wire fence in Wyoming shared the stage at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The occasion was the second Daniel K. Inouye Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. The two men, former U.S. Rep. Norman Mineta, a Democrat from California who served in Congress for two decades, and retired U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming, a Republican, who served 18 years in the Senate, met as 12-year-old boy scouts. Mineta was also the first Asian American appointed to a cabinet post, serving the final six months of President Bill Clinton’s term as Commerce Secretary and, subsequently, as President George W. Bush’s Transportation Secretary.

Mineta and Simpson engaged in a lively conversation on a number of topics relating to “Protecting Civil Liberties and National Security,” the theme of the second program in the Daniel K. Inouye Institute Distinguished Lecture series. U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, a highly decorated World War II veteran from Hawai‘i who fought with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, served in the U.S. Congress for over 50 years prior to his passing while still in office in December 2012. Sen. Inouye’s widow, Irene Hirano Inouye, was in the Washington audience, while his son, Ken Inouye, attended the live stream of the program in Honolulu at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i.

Former U.S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, the Daniel K. Inouye Distinguished Visiting Scholar at UH-Mänoa, and state Sen. Jill Tokuda hosted the event. Hanabusa said the lecture series was developed “to commemorate the life, legacy and values of Sen. Inouye.”

The protection of civil liberties is a subject near and dear to Hanabusa’s and Tokuda’s hearts, as both had a family member who was interned in the aftermath of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Tokuda, a tech-savvy yonsei, encouraged the audience to share their comments on the discussion on Twitter and other social media sites.

The program was moderated by former ABC News White House correspondent Ann Compton, who is now retired. The discussion was also live-streamed at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa. Compton, who covered both men as a reporter, drew laughter from the audience with her comment that Mineta and Simpson were “two of the best-loved people in this town (D.C.), and that’s no small achievement.”

The program began with three scouts from the Aloha Council of Boy Scouts of America reciting the pledge of allegiance and the scout’s oath. Scouting had a prominent place in the April program because Mineta and Simpson were both boy scouts when they met at Heart Mountain, where Mineta’s family was interned during World War II. One day, Simpson’s troop visited the camp and he and Mineta became fast friends while practicing the tying of scout knots.

After reading the evacuation order, Mineta said he recalled asking his older brother what was the difference was between an alien and a non-alien. After hearing his brother’s explanation, he quickly concluded that a “non-alien” was, in their case, a citizen and that the U.S. government was perpetrating this injustice against its own citizens. “That’s why, to this day, I cherish the word ‘citizen,’” Mineta said.

The Mineta family returned to California after the war. Decades later, Norman and Alan, now grown men, were reunited when Simpson saw a photo of Mineta, who had been elected mayor of San Jose. Simpson called Mineta and the two rekindled their friendship and have remained friends ever since, despite their different political party affiliation and sometimes-opposing points of view on issues.

In comparing the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and the 2001 terrorist attack that brought down the World Trade Center and his support of the Patriot Act, Sen. Simpson noted that there “was not one single case of espionage,” by anyone of Japanese ancestry in America in 1941. “It’s a very different thing now,” he said of 9/11.

Secretary Mineta took the audience through a nearly hour-by-hour recap of his Sept. 11, 2001, decision to order the immediate landing at the nearest airport of all commercial aircraft after a jetliner had flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, just minutes after another plane had flown into the North Tower and another had crashed into the U.S. Pentagon building. By then, it was clear that the United States was under attack. In less than two and a half hours, 5,138 aircraft flying in U.S. air space had landed and remained grounded until aviation security guidelines that Mineta stressed should not profile any racial or ethnic group had been developed.

The “lecture” was a lively conversation from start to finish, prompting viewers to search their hearts and minds on issues such as the Patriot Act, which Congress passed in the aftermath of 9/11; individual privacy; government surveillance; immigration; the Guantanamo prison and even the political gridlock in Washington today.

Both Mineta and Simpson had interesting comments to share with the audience.

Simpson on privacy: “What have you got to hide?”

Mineta on Sept. 11, 2001: “9/11 was like reliving 1942.”

Simpson on identification guidelines: “Do something that has to be done by everybody.”

Mineta on providing military equipment to local police: “How do you relate to your community?”

Simpson also shared his view on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying: “He ain’t my guy.”

In reflecting on the political gridlock in Washington today, Simpson noted, “People don’t just dislike anyone anymore — they hate them.” He said politics never got in the way of his friendship with Mineta, noting that they became friends when they were both 12 years old. Now, at age 84, they are still friends. “Friendship is a beautiful thing,” he concluded.

A video of the entire lecture can be viewed at www.danielkinouyelectures.org.

Karleen C. Chinen

“Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future” has been selected as the theme for the 75th anniversary commemoration of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Plans for the 11-day commemoration in Hawai‘i were announced last month by a Blue Ribbon Leadership Committee that has been commissioned by Gov. David Ige. Chaired by retired U.S. Navy Adm. Thomas Fargo, the committee consists of representatives from a cross-section of the community, but largely from the business, visitor and the military sectors. Gov. Ige and Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command, are the commemoration’s honorary co-chairs.

In a press release issued by the committee, Adm. Fargo is quoted as saying, “The 75th Commemoration embraces our acknowledgement and respect for all men and women who have answered the call of duty for the last seven decades and honors those during WWII who did everything possible to protect our nation and the world.”

The commemoration events will begin Dec. 1 and continue through Dec. 11. They are designed to attract not only Hawai‘i residents, but global visitors as well. Organizers expect media coverage of the commemoration to reach millions of people worldwide.

The centerpiece event will be the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony on Dec. 7. There was speculation earlier this year that President Barack Obama might be the keynote speaker for the Dec. 7 ceremony. However, officials at a May 9 briefing at the Hawai‘i Convention Center said the keynote speaker has yet to be confirmed. They did confirm, however, that five survivors of the USS Arizona, upon which the Arizona Memorial was constructed, plan to attend the ceremonies.

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The descendants of Shigeru and Soyo Serikaku, joined by about 200 of their relatives and friends, gathered at Masa’s Cafeteria in Mäpunapuna on April 24 to remember and celebrate the issei adventurer “taking flight” more than one hundred years ago.

Shigeru Serikaku was 13 years old when brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright’s plane lifted off the ground at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in December 1903 for its short “flight.” Halfway around the world in his native Sashiki Town in Okinawa, Serikaku learned of their flight. He was fascinated by the thought that humans could sail a free-flying machine in the sky and began dreaming of doing it himself one day.

Three years later, in 1906, Serikaku immigrated to Hawai‘i. After living on Maui for a time, he moved to O‘ahu and settled in Waipahu. He began attending ‘Iolani School, from which he graduated. Serikaku began working as an automobile mechanic.

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A fuzzy, many-generations-old photo of Shigeru Serikaku in front of his plane is one of the few images remaining of the adventurous issei from Sashiki, Okinawa. (Courtesy of the Serikaku family)

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i honored five individuals and groups at its “Sharing the Spirit of Aloha” annual gala in the Coral Ballroom of the Hilton Hawaiian Village on June 25. Kenny Endo and the Taiko Center of the Pacific opened the program, which was emceed by Hawaii News Now anchor Steve Uyehara and former Bay Area news anchor Jan Yanehiro.

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Members and guests of the Japanese Women’s Society Foundation gathered at Waialae Country Club on July 9 for the group’s annual general membership meeting and installation.

Twelve new members were recognized during the general membership meeting. Of the 12, five were in attendance — Keiko Arikawa, Carolyn Kahakelii, Kimberly Straube, Karen Sumida and Miho Teipel.

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Carole Hayashino, president and executive director of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, was honored by the national Japanese American Citizens League as one of its four Japanese American of the Biennium awardees at the 47th annual JACL National Convention. It is the national organization’s highest public award and is presented to Japanese Americans who have “exhibited community leadership or in recognition of a distinguished achievement.” Also recognized were June Kuramoto and Dan Kuramoto of the jazz band “Hiroshima” and California author and writer Delphine Hirasuna.

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The light rain that fell over the 27th annual Hiroshima Commemoration and Peace Service was like a blessing from the heavens. The service, which commemorated the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, was held on Aug. 6 at the replica of the Hiroshima Peace Bell, located just outside of the Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii in the Kukui area of downtown Honolulu.

Bishop Daiya Amano of the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine conducted a purification and blessing ceremony, which was explained to the audience by his assistant, the Rev. Jun Miyasaka.

The Rev. Takamasa Yamamura of the Honolulu Myohoji Mission, who normally sings “Ave Maria,” read a poem this year.

Bishop Eric Matsumoto of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii offered a Buddhist message, with Dr. Kahu Kaleo Patterson, president of the Pacific Justice & Reconciliation Center, offering a Christian message.

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The Wahiawa Lions Club honored 21 World War II veterans from Wahiawä who died in combat and recognized their families at the Second Annual Wahiawa War Memorial ceremony on July 10. The ceremony, which was held at the Wahiawä District Park, was also a reminder of how the City and County of Honolulu’s first swimming pool was built, to be enjoyed by the entire Wahiawä community. The Wahiawa War Memorial Swimming Pool was originally a saltwater pool. It was turned over to the City and County of Honolulu in 1949.

While in training at Camp Shelby, Miss., the Wahiawä community sent a sum of money to the Wahiawä soldiers in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The soldiers returned the money, asking that it instead be used for something that would benefit the entire community. The result was the Wahiawä swimming pool, which was dedicated to the 21 soldiers from Wahiawä who were killed combat during the war.

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Central Pacific Bank recently announced personnel changes.

Dayna Matsumoto has been promoted to senior vice president and controller. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of accounting, financial management, and reporting processes, including overseeing the tax compliance function and developing financial forecasts and corporate strategies.

Matsumoto joined CPB in 2006 and previously served as vice president and controller. Prior to joining CPB, Matsumoto served as senior associate at KPMG, LLP, a national audit, tax and financial advisory firm.

Matsumoto earned a bachelor’s of business administration degree in accounting and finance from the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa and a master’s of business administration degree from Hawaii Pacific University. Matsumoto is also a designated Certified Public Accountant.

Issac Okita

Isaac Okita has been appointed vice president and treasury manager of Central Pacific Bank. Okita is responsible for the overall leadership of the financial management functions of the bank.

Okita has nine years of experience in the financial industry and seven years of management experience. He was previously with Bank of Hawaii, where he served as vice president and asset and liability manager. Okita earned a bachelor’s of business administration degree from the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa and a master’s degree in finance from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He is also certified as a Chartered Financial Analyst