Japan-America Journal

Volume 21, Number 1 - Spring 2003

Article Index

13th Was a Lucky Number

Message from the President

Representing Hawaii and the Society at the National Japan Bowl

Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation Awards Ceremony

"Yes Minister, No Minister, Don't Go Minister"

Touching Is Allowed at the 21st Biannual Japan Day

Volunteering for Charity

Ehime Maru Memorial Association Happenings

Welcome Ceremony for the New Ehime Maru

Ehime Maru Cleaning

Friendship Luncheon

The Art of Taiko with Kenny Endo

Mata Aimashoo

Hilton Hawaiian Village 5:01, "A Warm Aloha"

Maintaining Hawaii's Beauty

Dr. Reinosuke Hara and PAAC

Calling All Young Professionals

Foundations Support the Society

Youkoso to JASH's Newest Staff Members

"Japan's Gross National Cool"

Dr. Susan Napier at CJS

Friends of Hawaii Charities

Opportunities for Hawaii’s Youth

Donor Recognition: July 2002 to June 2003

Mahalo to all New Members and Upgrades

13th Was a Lucky Number

JASH President Earl Okawa remembered the chiding from Admiral Dennis Blair at the 25th Anniversary Dinner, when the Commander of U.S. Pacific Command reminded Earl that he should use the Navy-Marine Golf Course rather than only the Air Force's course. So, after a two-year absence, JASH golfers enjoyed a wonderful day of challenging golf but friendly camaraderie at the Navy-Marine Golf Course on Thursday, April 24th at the 13th Annual Friendship Golf Classic. Tournament Sponsor Pacific Guardian Life Insurance led the way as members and friends of the Society formed two-player teams for the tournament.

Following a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start, teams returned to the clubhouse for dinner and the awards ceremony. The first place team of Lance Taniguchi from Carlsmith Ball, LLP and Nobuo Nakamura from Kapolei People's Inc. will have their names engraved on the Friendship Golf Classic's perpetual trophy. In honor of the Classic's 13th year, the grand prize of two 20-inch Sony TV's were awarded to the lucky 13th place team of John Shimogawa from Stanford Carr Development LLC and Darrell Yamagata from American Savings Bank.

Congratulations to all the winners! For the closest to the pin, prizes were awarded to Nobuyuki Miki at hole #5, Allan Yasue at hole #8, Kazuo Yamaga at hole #12, and Howard Karr at hole #15.

Mahalo nui loa to the many individuals who made the tournament possible: To the golf committee, co-chaired by Mr. Gary Oda, Vice President and General Manager of Allied Builders System and Mr. Douglas Goto, Executive Vice President of Pacific Guardian Life Insurance for their hard work and coordination efforts and to our Japan Representative, Mr. Masato Ikegami, who brought a dozen golfers from Japan to participate in the Golf Classic. To the volunteers, many thanks for the time and dedication. And to the various sponsors and donors, doomo arigatoo gozaimashita for the generosity and support of the Society. All funds raised from the event will help the Society promote its mission in "opening hearts and minds in friendship."

Tournament Sponsor Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Awards Dinner Sponsor Unicold Corporation Golf Cap Sponsor Mrs. Marjorie Midkiff Lunch Sponsor Howard Hamamoto/MB Capital Corporation

Golf Ball Sponsor ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corporation Golf Cart Sponsor Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Golf Shirt Sponsor First Hawaiian Bank

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Titanium Sponsors Allied Builders System Carlsmith Ball LLP City Bank First Insurance Company of Hawaii Imanaka Kudo & Fujimoto Kobayashi Sugita & Goda KPMG LLP Nissan Motor Corporation in Hawaii Pacific Guardian Center Panasonic Hawaii Sony Hawaii Stanford Carr Development LLC Verizon Hawaii

Graphite Sponsors A.G. Edwards & Sons Bank of Hawaii Carlsmith Ball LLP Classic Resorts College of Business Administration UH Colliers Monroe Friedlander Deloitte & Touche LLP Fuji Photo Film Hawaii Grubb & Ellis/ CBI Halekulani Corporation Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki Howard Karr #1 Howard Karr #2 Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii Morgan Stanley Noguchi & Associates Oceanic Cable PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Yoshiharu Satoh Servco Lexus

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Donors

Anonymous Aston Hotels & Resorts Castle & Cooke Resorts Char Sakamoto Ishii Lum & Ching DFS Hawaii Diamond Resort Hawaii Durrant Media Five First Hawaiian Bank First Insurance Company of Hawaii Fuji Photo Film of Hawaii Dr. Norman Goldstein Grubb & Ellis/CBI Halekulani Corporation Hawaiian Building Maintenance Hawaiian Host Hilton Hawaiian Village Honolulu Academy of Arts Honolulu Club Honolulu Symphony Mr. Errol Hopkins Horwath Kam & Company Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa Imanaka Kudo & Fujimoto Itoen (USA) JAIMS Japan Airlines JTB Hawaii JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii Kakesako Brothers Jewelers Mr. Howard Karr Ko Olina Golf Course Kop Distributors

Kyo-ya Company/Sheraton Waikiki & Royal Hawaiian Louis Vuitton Hawaii Makalei Hawaii Country Club Mrs. Marjorie Midkiff Morgan Stanley Naniloa Country Club Nissan Motor Corporation in Hawaii Northwest Airlines Obun Hawaii Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Panasonic Hawaii Paradise Beverages Pearl Country Club PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Princeville Golf Club Pro-Am Golf Shop Roberts Hawaii SeaMountain Golf Course Servco Pacific Shinwa Golf Hawaii Company Shirokiya Shiseido of Hawaii Sony Hawaii ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corp. Tom’s Gift Shop Turtle Bay Resort Unicold Corporation L’Uraku Restaurant Ron & Agnes Ushijima Verizon Hawaii Wailea Golf Resort The Wedding Ring Shop Roy & Jane Yamashiroya

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Message from the President

ALOHA! And thank you for your continued support of the Japan-America Society of Hawaii. As the articles in this Journal describe, your support of the golf fundraiser, the 5:01, and programs allowed the society to carry out the Ehime Maru Welcome Ceremony, Japan Bowl, Japan in a Suitcase, Japan Day, APCC, and lecture programs.

Most recently, the Society organized the Welcome Ceremony for the new Ehime Maru. It was a difficult undertaking because a third of the ship's complement were survivors from the tragic accident two years ago. Mr. Kazumitsu Joko, Principal of the Uwajima Fisheries High School, confided to me that he initially believed a welcome ceremony was neither needed nor desired but after seeing how the students, teachers, and crew were warmly received and by their positive reactions, he said it was very good to have held the welcome ceremony. The relationships being developed by the youth on both sides of the Pacific represent the positive beginnings of a growing relationship between Ehime and Hawaii. There were many involved in the welcome and I wish to express my personal thanks to all.

Beginning in July 2003, we will be joining the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS), the Japanese Embassy and Consulates throughout the United States, and the 39 other societies in the U.S. and 29 societies in Japan, to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan relations. In 1853, Commodore Perry and his "Black Ships" arrived in Tokyo Bay. The visit culminated in the Treaty of Peace and Amity signed by the U.S. and Japan in 1854. Members will see many programs conducted in our community under the 150th anniversary banner. Come out and help celebrate this special occasion.

Other upcoming programs include a special Kaiseki Dinner being planned by Chef Hiroshi and General Manager Duane Kawamoto of L'Uraku Restaurant on July 30th. Mahalo to L'Uraku for supporting the Society. Other programs include Glen Fukushima, former USTR for Japan and President of Cadence Design Systems, Japan. He will be speaking on "Macro-Pessimism and Micro-Optimism on the Japanese Economy" on September 24th, so mark your calendar! Several members of the Society will participate in a panel discussion also in September, on their internment experience.

A great big MAHALO to all of you who support the Society in so many ways-by being a member, by volunteering, by participating in the programs, by donating, by telling others about the work of the Society, and by supporting the Japan-Hawaii/U.S. relationship. Doomo Arigatoo Gozaimasu!

Earl K. Okawa
President

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Representing Hawaii and the Society at the National Japan Bowl

Question: Name the Zen-trained hero of the Russo- Japanese War who committed suicide following Emperor Meiji's death.

Answer: GENERAL NOGI

Answering these types of questions were a snap for the four high school teams representing the Society and Hawaii at the 2003 National Japan Bowl Japanese Language competition in Washington, D.C. After proving that they were Hawaii's best in their respective language levels at JASH's 6th Annual Japan Bowl last November, the three-member teams from McKinley High School, Punahou School, Radford High School, and Sacred Hearts Academy were ready to take on the nation's best. Twelve students, four advisors, and two JASH staff-Program Coordinator Alana Anderson and Program Assistant/ Intern Rina Yoshida-spent five days in our nation's capital from April 15th through April 21st.

Our four teams were among the 47 teams from 17 states and 12 Japan-America Societies that competed in the 2003 National Japan Bowl on Saturday, April 19th at the Capital Hilton Hotel. For the past 11 years, the Japan-America Society of Washington D.C. has coordinated this nation-wide event.

Punahou School, with level 4 team members Jerilyn Chun, Penny Enomoto, and Naomi Ng came in 2nd against Stuyvesant High School from New York City York and Woodlands High School from Woodlands, Texas after a well-fought battle over language translations, kanji visuals, and listening comprehension. McKinley, Radford, and Sacred Hearts students also did a great job in representing Hawaii.

To enrich their visit to Washington, D.C., the students visited the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center, the U.S. National Holocaust Museum, the various Smithsonian Museums and a "Monuments by Moonlight" tour, learning the background of the memorials along the National Mall. Students and advisors also took the opportunity to climb the Washington Monument and made stops at Georgetown, Chinatown, and the newly opened Spy Museum. Although the Senate and House of Representatives were in recess, tickets to the Capital Gallery were made available by Senator Daniel Inouye.

Students returned uplifted, armed with new respect for the Japanese language and culture, and driven to study harder after this enriching experience. In the past eight months, Japan Bowl helped them to develop research skills, strengthened the bond between team members, and expanded their Japanese knowledge. Otsukaresamadeshita to the following students and advisors for their efforts and successes: level 2 Radford High School-Melissa Nixon, Michael Voiles, Joseph Yabes and advisor Joy Turbeville; level 2 Sacred Hearts Academy-Marie Pineda, Alice Thieu, Tasia Yamamura and advisor Masa Yamaguchi; level 3 McKinley High School-Mei Shan Ma, Tina Tin, Sok Leng Wu, and advisor Meg Uehara; and level 4 Punahou School-Jerilynn Chun, Penny Enomoto, Naomi Ng, and advisor Ann Monaco.

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Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation Awards Ceremony

Four Crown Prince Akihito Scholars were honored at an Awards Ceremony at the Official Residence of the Consulate General of Japan on Tuesday, April 15th. Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation Chairman Howard Hamamoto and Consul General Masatoshi Muto recognized Ms. Rino Kawase, Ms. Aya Kitamura, Ms. Kelly Hansen, and Ms. Lynn Murata on their selection for this prestigious scholarship. Ms. Kawase's interest is in Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition while Ms. Kitamura's research will investigate how academic discourse represents Japanese women, how different they are from conventional stereotypes, and how these images affect actual lives of Japanese women in international contexts. Ms. Hansen's dissertation will be on Futabei Shimei, a late nineteenth century writer of fiction. Ms. Murata's research intertwines the topics of new religions and women/gender, specifically the lives of Japanese women actively involved in the Tenrikyo religion. Along with two-year scholarships, the scholars received an invitation for a private audience at the Imperial Palace with Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

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"Yes Minister, No Minister, Don't Go Minister"

Crown Prince Akihito Scholar Brian Masshardt shared his doctoral research in a Thursday, April 3rd lecture, entitled "Yes Minister, No Minister, Don't Go Minister: Prime Ministerial Visits to Yasukuni Shrine" at Hawaii Tokai International College. Mr. Masshardt's lecture focused on the historical background of Yasukuni shrine and prime ministerial visits to the shrine, including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's controversial August 2001 visit.

Mr. Masshardt began with the historical overview of Yasukuni shrine, located in Chiyoda-ku and issues surrounding the shrine. Although designated as a war memorial, the reference is misleading because non-military are also buried on the grounds. Mr. Masshardt also mentioned the more popular dates for visitations, including the Spring and Autumn Festivals and the controversial August 15th, Shuusenkinenbi, the day the war ended.

Mr. Masshardt then discussed the dilemma over prime ministerial visits to the shrine. He asked, "Is it appropriate for a Prime Minister to visit the shrine while in their official capacity?" The first visit was by Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida in 1951, and since then, there have been a total of 12 prime ministerial visits, four of which were conducted by Takeo Fukada as a private citizen. Mr. Masshardt then offered several suppositions on why Prime Minister Koizumi chose to visit the shrine on August 13th, rather than August 15th. He proposed five of his own theories: first, Prime Minister Koizumi was keeping his 2001 campaign promise when he announced his intentions to make an August visit to the Shrine; second, he hoped to cause a commotion with China and Korea; third, he was following LDP politics; fourth, his visit was to pray for peace; and finally, Prime Minister Koizumi had personal reasons behind his visit. Mr. Masshardt stated that he would formulate a final conclusion with more research and investigation.

Mr. Masshardt ended his lecture with reactions to Prime Minister Koizumi's August 13th visit to the shrine. He listed the main opinion groups: the survivors and relatives of those buried in Yasukuni Shrine; the protectors, which are the right wing; the opposition, consisting of the new left and Christians; and the general public. Using several statistics from leading Japanese newspapers, Mr. Masshardt suggested that the public was disaffected by his visit and timing.

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Touching Is Allowed at the 21st Biannual Japan Day

The powerful and energetic sounds of the taiko welcomed students, teachers, and chaperones from Castle High School, Kaimuki High School, and Sacred Hearts Academy to the Society's 21st Biannual Japan Day, held on Wednesday, April 2nd at Hawaii Tokai International College.

Japan Day immerses high school students in Japanese culture by providing hands-on experience with traditional and contemporary art forms. Since its inception in 1993, over 3,900 students from 37 public and private high schools have experienced Japan Day, which is aimed at expanding students' knowledge of Japan and the U.S.-Japan relationship.

After a welcome from Society President Earl Okawa, Hawaii Matsuri Taiko, under the direction of Faye Komagata, allowed students the opportunity to test their own musical dexterity on the taiko, mimicking patterns of the experts.

For the next three hours, students participated in a traditional tea ceremony, sampling macha and wagashi with the Urasenke Foundation; learned classical bon dance steps from members of the Honolulu Fukushima Bon Dance Club; calculated mathematical equations alongside Soroban Master Hideaki Oshima of the Araki Hiroya Soroban School; created Japanese crafts guided by the Kikufu Nippon Bunka Kenkyu Kai; observed the delicate brush strokes of calligraphy by Shokyoku Hashiro; formed bonsai arrangements with the Hawaii Bonsai Association using monkey pods shoots and blessed lava rocks from the Big Island; dressed in traditional summer yukata with Jean Sakihara and her students from the Mizushima International Kimono Program at UH Lab School; and created ikebana floral arrangements with Jessie Nakata.

Thank you to all of our dedicated and generous presenters and to Hawaii Tokai International College for your support of the Society and Hawaii's youth. If you're interested in observing Japan Day, please call the office. You'll never forget the sight of big football players doing the bon dance or carrying their tiny ikebana arrangements as they depart.

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Volunteering for Charity

On Saturday, May 17th, the Society staff lent a helping hand to the 25th Annual Visitor Charity Walk, sponsored by the Hawaii Hotel Association and the Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation. This year's theme was "All in Da Ohana" and included 7,300 walkers on Oahu with $810,000 raised from this event. Last year, the Japan in a Suitcase program was one of the lucky beneficiaries. Mahalo to Naomi Kanna and the Hawaii Hotel Association for a successful morning!

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Ehime Maru Memorial Association Happenings

The Society is also affiliated with the Ehime Maru Memorial Association (EMMA), a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) organization that is the owner of the Ehime Maru Memorial in Kakaako Waterfront Park. EMMA is also responsible for the memorial's maintenance. A special thank you goes to Mr. Masao Wakatake and Mr. Kenneth Saiki, past presidents of the United Japanese Society, who have taken on the responsibility of scheduling volunteers to clean the memorial each Saturday. St. Louis School Japanese Club students clean the memorial every third Saturday of the month and have been doing so since the unveiling of the memorial on February 9, 2002. Iolani school students clean the memorial every fourth Saturday of the month. There are many other schools and volunteers who also take part in maintaining the memorial and the Society and EMMA extend their deepest gratitude to all for their heart-warming support.

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Welcome Ceremony for the New Ehime Maru

On Tuesday, June 17th, the new Ehime Maru returned to Hawaii on its maiden voyage after the tragic accident over two years ago. The Society and EMMA jointly organized a welcome ceremony to extend a warm welcome to the 14 students, 2 teachers, and 20 crew members of the Ehime Maru. Among them, one student, Daisuke Shinoto, and 11 crew members are survivors of the February 9, 2001 accident. The welcome was one mixed with emotion and sensitivity. Lieutenant Governor James "Duke" Aiona gave a warm welcome address and mentioned the many positive relationships that have been formed since the accident. A St. Louis alumnus, the Lieutenant Governor spoke about the forming of friendships between Hawaii's youth and the youth of Uwajima Fisheries High School. Consul General Masatoshi Muto expressed his appreciation and acknowledged the tremendous support and sympathy of the people of Hawaii to the families who lost loved ones and to the Uwajima Fisheries High School. He also praised the many positive relationships being formed between the people of Hawaii and Uwajima and Ehime Prefecture. Uwajima Fisheries High School principal, Mr. Kazumitsu Joko, also thanked the people of Hawaii for their kind support and for the warm ceremony welcoming the Ehime Maru back to Hawaii. He stated that the Ehime Maru will continue to make Hawaii their scheduled stop on its training voyages. Ms. Sharon Ishii read a welcome message from Mayor Jeremy Harris.

JASH and EMMA wish to thank all who helped in the planning of the welcome ceremony: Captain David Lyman, President of the Hawaii Pilots Association; Mr. Kraig Kennedy, Chairman of the Aloha Boat Days Committee; the Royal Hawaiian Band; Ms. Cherie Tanaka and Mr. Marisa Wong of the Aloha Tower Marketplace; Ms. Lori Ho of Gordon Biersch Restaurant; Mr. Rod Chinen of Leis by Ron; the Moana Chang Hula Dancers; and the participants, especially the students of St. Louis School's Japanese Club and the Hawaii Junior Baseball players.

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Ehime Maru Cleaning

On Saturday, June 7th, the JASH staff including two new interns, Roberta Arakawa and Mariko Chang cleaned the Ehime Maru Memorial at Kakaako Park. The memorial is cleaned weekly by volunteers scheduled by Mr. Ken Saiki and Mr. Masao Wakatake of the United Japanese Society.

It is recommended that any flowers found at the site be taken to the Pier 19 office of the Hawaii Pilot's Association who scatter the flowers out at sea. The memorial itself is cleaned with just water to prevent harming the memorial. The poles and chain around the memorial, however can take polish and needed some of JASH's elbow grease! The memorial is professionally cleaned twice yearly. Mahalo to our volunteers!

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Friendship Luncheon

On Thursday, April 10th, Sarah Fargo, wife of Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, Commander, United States Pacific Command, graciously opened her home at Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Quarters A for a Tomodachi Luncheon. Co-hosting the luncheon were Ginny Doran, wife of Admiral Walter Doran, Commander, United States Pacific Fleet and Mary Dierker, wife of Lieutenant General Robert Dierker, Deputy Commander, United States Pacific Command. The Tomodachi members and guests were treated to a menu of delectable chicken salads, delicious breads, desserts, and ice tea. Lunch was enjoyed by all in the beautiful lanai in her yard.

Mrs. Fargo lived in Japan and shared some of her cross-cultural experiences as well as her collection of kokeshi dolls and beautiful obis that decorate her home. Mrs. Fargo has been a great supporter of the Society, relating her experiences with Society members and attending events. Mahalo to Sarah Fargo, Ginny Doran, and Mary Dierker for the hospitality and support.

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The Art of Taiko with Kenny Endo

On Saturday, May 3rd, the Japan-America Society of Hawaii presented a lecture/demo and hands-on workshop featuring internationally acclaimed taiko master Kenny Endo at the Kapiolani Community College Annex. The Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble performed several exciting pieces that demonstrated the art of taiko. A hands-on workshop, led by Kenny Endo followed.

During the hands-on workshop, Master Endo and taiko ensemble members taught attendees five basic patterns and kata, or body form. After a brief practice session, the class had the chance to perform these five patterns together in a taiko piece. Did you see the KIKU Community Calendar showing these perfect forms? Our thanks to Chance Gusukuma and KIKU TV.

Master taiko artist, Kenny Endo, has over 25 years of experience playing taiko and other instruments of Japan. Master Endo was the first non-Japanese national to receive a stage name and master's degree in the art of classical Japanese drumming.

Thank you very much to Master Kenny Endo and the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble for sharing their time and a once in a lifetime experience with Society members! Incidentally, for those interested in taking lessons, Kapiolani Community College offers Master Kenny Endo's taiko classes. Call Kapiolani Community College or browse the Taiko Center of the Pacific's website at http://taikoarts.com to sign up!

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Mata Aimashoo

The Tomodachi gave a memorable send off to Loreen Toji, the Society's Vice President, on Saturday, June 21stat Fook Yuen Restaurant. Ms. Toji came to the Society from TransPacific Hawaii College in September 2001. While at JASH, she continued to play taiko as a member of the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble. Loreen will be heading to Japan in late July to study taiko with Amanojyaku Hozonkai in Tokyo and the bamboo flute. While there, Loreen hopes to find a job as an international student advisor.

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Hilton Hawaiian Village 5:01, "A Warm Aloha"

The Tropics Showroom provided the ideal setting for the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Hawaii 5:01 Program on Friday, June 13th. Once again, Society Vice Chairman Mr. Peter Schall, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Hilton Hotels Corporation in Hawaii, and staff truly went above and beyond all expectations, allowing the Japan-America Society of Hawaii to give a very warm Aloha to fellow Society members of the Japan-America Society of Miyakonojo, Kyushu and President Dr. Toshisuke Matsuura. For seven years in a row, Dr. Matsuura and his Society have visited the islands to take part in the Waikiki Beach Clean-up.

Making the 5:01 a very special evening of Aloha, eight Junior Ambassadors and two Alternates from the Society's newest project, the 15th Annual Asian Pacific Children's Convention, sang and performed a line dance to the song, "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" from the Lilo & Stitch soundtrack.

The Society is especially grateful to Mr. Schall for the outstanding support given to the Society . During the program, Mr. Schall warmly explained his commitment in doing all he can to promote U.S.-Japan relations and friendly relations among all people. The Society is indeed fortunate to have Mr. Schall as a Vice Chair. And a warm mahalo to Dr. Matsuura and the Miyakonojo Society for another successful visit. We look forward to seeing Dr. Matsuura and his Society again next year. Mahalo to the Hilton Hawaiian Village!

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Maintaining Hawaii's Beauty

Society members and friends joined hundreds of volunteers from various organizations for the Waikiki Ohana Workforce's (WOW) "Waikiki Beach Clean-up" on Saturday, June 14th. WOW is the employee council of the Waikiki Improvement Association, which represents the 35,000 employees who work in or service the Waikiki area.

Joining the morning crew were several members from the Japan-America Society of Miyakonojo from Miyazaki-ken, Japan, under the presidency of Dr.Matsuura. For seven years in a row, Dr. Matsuura and the Miyakonojo Society have visited Hawaii and lent a hand in efforts to beautify Waikiki Beach. Our thanks to JASH volunteers who also joined in the cleaning.

Volunteers started off at the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, located in Kuhio Beach Park, at 7:00 a.m. and were bused down to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where breakfast was provided by the Hotel. Armed with trash bags, nets, and rakes, the beach was combed for rubbish and debris from the Hilton back to the Statue.

Many thanks goes out to the Society volunteers, including Dr. Matsuura and the Miyakonojo members for once again making the commitment to maintaining Hawaii's splendor. And to Kathy Wong of Louis Vuitton Hawaii for her coordination!

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Dr. Reinosuke Hara and PAAC

On Tuesday, June 10th, the Society, along with the Pacific Asian Affairs Council, Hawaii Society of Corporate Planners and UH College of Business Administration hosted Dr. Reinosuke Hara, former President and CEO of Seiko Instruments at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort.

Dr. Hara spoke to a broad audience on "Japanese Industry Trend in the Global Setting: Strengths and Weaknesses." Lecture attendee & Tomodachi Co-Chair Roberta Sullivan, was fascinated when Dr. Hara spoke of Japan's research on water filterization and thought of the benefits for Hawaii. Dr. Hara depicted Japan's future trend as SMILE: Systems, Materials, Information technology, Life science, and Environment. He ended by taking questions and gave his candid opinions that Japan needs to be more open to foreign business.

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Calling All Young Professionals

The Society would like to introduce the Young Professionals--motivated, career-minded individuals interested in promoting JASH's mission, networking with senior and young professional members, forming mentor-relationships, and building opportunities. The Young Professionals held its first meeting on Monday, June 16th at Hawaii Tokai International College, attracting more than 65 members and non-members alike. In between networking and getting to know one another, attendees were introduced to a traditional meishi, or business card, exchange. The Society hopes to build an exciting career, social, and cultural outlet specifically for today's generation of leaders.

The Young Professionals are looking for members interested in forming senpai/kohai relationships. If you would like to mentor a young professional and enrich a life, please contact Loren Petrowski at 524-4450 or loren@jashawaii.org.

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Foundations Support the Society

Which organizations donate funds to help support educational programs at Hawaii's public and private schools? Which organizations support programs that promote "understanding and friendship between countries?" Which organizations support high school academic competitions, which teach students research skills, public speaking, and teamwork? Which organizations support thousands of non-profits? These organizations are Hawaii's private and public foundations!

The Japan-America Society of Hawaii has been a fortunate recipient of the foundations' philanthropic generosity, receiving grants for the Japan Perspectives programs-Japan Bowl, Japan Day, and Japan in a Suitcase-that has reached more than 4,000 students across the State. In the past year, the Society has received grants from the following foundations and are grateful for their support: The Advertiser and Gannett Foundation, Atherton Family Foundation, Foodland "Give Aloha", Freeman Foundation, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation, The Donald & June Ikeda Foundation, JTB Goodwill Foundation, Inc., Okumura Family Trust, and Tateuchi Foundation. Mahalo!

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Youkoso to JASH's Newest Staff Members

The Society would like to extend a hearty youkoso to the new JASH Staff. Ms. Loren Petrowski came to the Society on May 12th to replace Ms. Loreen Toji as Vice President. Ms. Petrowski is very familiar with the Society as a JASH member, volunteering for Japan Bowl and attending programs throughout the years. In fact, she and Ms. Toji met while serving as Japan Bowl volunteers in 1998! Ms. Petrowski participated in the JET Program from 1992-1994 as the first Hawaii Coordinator for International Relations. Her most recent job was as Event Manager at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa. She brings with her invaluable experience in program coordination, Japanese language skills, and motivation to continue JASH's successes.

Ms. Yumiko Okamoto arrived in Hawaii on June 21st and will replace Rina Yoshida as the Intern/Program Assistant and Japan in a Suitcase Coordinator. Okamoto-san comes to JASH from Kumamoto-ken, Japan, where she has worked at the Kumamoto Rotary. She also taught English to kindergarten students.

The Society also welcomes our college interns: Roberta "Bobbie" Arakawa, a fifth year student at UH Manoa School of Travel Industry Management. Bobbie is also on the UH Women's Golf Team. Mariko Chang is a sophomore at University of Redlands, double majoring in International Communications and Studio Art. Japanese interns Rie Takamasu is from Nagoya and transferred to Hawaii Pacific University as a second year student to study communication and Sayaka Hasegawa is originally from Hyogo-ken where she majored in American Literature at Hiroshima University. She is now a student at UH Manoa, studying Ethnic Studies.

We wish our Japanese Intern Rina Yoshida all the best as she leaves Hawaii. Yoshida-san will return to Gifu-shi, Gifu-ken where she would like to teach English at the high school level. Before coming to JASH, Yoshida-san was an English teacher at Inaba Junior High School, the oldest Junior High in Gifu.

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"Japan's Gross National Cool"

On Wednesday, May 7th, JASH welcomed Washington, D.C. based writer Douglas McGray to the islands for a lecture entitled "Japan's Gross National Cool" at Hawaii International Tokai University, sponsored by JASH and the National Association of Japan-America Societies. Society members and guests were treated to an entertaining and informative look at the growth of Japan's global cultural influence.

Mr. McGray began by pointing out that despite its lagging economy, Japanese pop industries and cultural media have fared well by targeting the Japanese youth and their increased spending on luxury goods and cutting edge technology. "A cultural superpower needs a healthy economic base but not necessarily a healthy economy." He cited the example of Louis Vuitton, which makes more money in Japan than anywhere else in the world and Sony electronics that are more expensive in Japan because Japanese consumers prefer more sleek, light weight designs.

The lecture continued with a discussion over traditional Japanese culture and trends originating in Japan" versus Japanese culture invented for the foreign market and trends reflecting "nothing specifically Japanese." Examples he gave of trends "originating in Japan" was the Pada Pada, a popular dance sensation and Lipless X Sister, a concept music group consisting of 18-22 year old girls with 2 year old children. On the other hand, he cited Hello Kitty as an example of a trend reflecting "nothing specifically Japanese." To the audience's surprise, Mr. McGray reported that the Sanrio company designs two Hello Kitties - a Western Kitty for Japanese and a Japanese Kitty for Americans.

Mr. McGray wrapped up his lecture by suggesting results of this gross national cool. While "made in Japan" provides an economic boost to the country, Japan hasn't used this to draw in foreign talent. He referred to sumo. Sumo is seldom seen outside of Japan and its wrestlers become immersed in the sport and Japanese culture. He pointed out that sumo is very exclusive in order to preserve its traditional roots.

Published in the May/June 2002 edition of Foreign Policy, Mr. McGray reported "Japan's Gross National Cool" during a three month stay in Tokyo as a media fellow of the Japan Society.

Footnote: The following information is from the June 2003 issue of "Japan's Economic Currents" published by the Keizai Koho Center (Nippon Kedanren). Manga is a $6 billion industry. Anime is worth $8 billion with Japan providing 60% of the world's animation. Music is a $40 billion industry in Japan. Toys and character goods worth $15 billion were sold in Japan and $30 billion worldwide. Sanrio's Hello Kitty had $1 billion sales worldwide.

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Dr. Susan Napier at CJS

The Center for Japanese Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and JASH presented a seminar entitled, "Shojo in Wonderland: The Role of the Young Female in Spirited Away and Serial Experiments: Lain by guest lecturer Dr. Susan Napier, Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Studies from the University of Texas-Austin.

Dr. Napier's lecture on the role of young females in Japanese animation, focused on the characters in the films Spirited Away and Serial Experiments: Lain. She showed clips from the very popular animated movie Spirited Away to supplement her presentation. Her lecture was followed by many questions and comments about the changing role of young women in Japan, a phenomenon depicted in recent animation.

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Friends of Hawaii Charities

On May 30th, the Friends of Hawaii Charities supported the Society with a grant for the Japan Perspectives programs. The Society is grateful for their continuing philanthropic commitment to the nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping Hawaii's youth.

The Society's educational programs provide numerous opportunities for Hawaii's youth. The Friends of Hawaii Charities is a partner in the Society's efforts to encourage open-mindedness. A BIG MAHALO to the Friends of Hawaii Charities.

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Opportunities for Hawaii’s Youth

OPPORTUNITIES! JASH is proud to be the Hawaii organizer for the 15th Annual Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in Fukuoka, Japan. The Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention (APCC) is an international exchange program for 11-year old “Junior Ambassadors” that was established to promote internationalization. 39 Pacific Rim countries are invited to participate in the two-week homestay cultural exchange. This year’s APCC was originally scheduled from July 13th to August 1st but due to the SARS situation, Fukuoka canceled the APCC. However, plans are to reschedule the 15th APCC to sometime early next year.

Open to every Oahu public and private elementary school, interested students submitted an application form and two letters of recommendation. Semifinalists were interviewed by a panel of judges and then further evaluated during a series of group workshops. Eight Junior Ambassadors and two alternates were finally chosen. Congratulations to Ryland “Kekai” Ariola, Charles “Chase” Claussen, Kerilee Erice, Jaclyn Eustaquio, Chae Hopkinson, Tennyson Lee, April Nakayama, Michael Wong and Alternates Travis Gershaneck and Mari Tadaki. JETAA President Ms. Nadine Nishioka was named as the Chaperone.

Participants began their training with a series of monthly workshops, beginning in March. Students were given an overview of their duties and responsibilities, including “homework” assignments to research and report on the APCC -participating countries. They were also introduced to the Japanese language and culture and participated in Japan in a Suitcase.

With the help of Ms. Delores Hairston, the 14th APCC chaperone, students learned the line dance to the Lilo and Stitch song, “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,” which they would have performed while in Fukuoka. By Friday, June 13th, they were ready for their debut at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hawaii 5:01 Program. Dressed in matching blue Aloha print, parents, Society members, and guests were delighted by their singing and dancing. And as a special honor, students will be recognized by Governor Linda Lingle at a Proclamation Ceremony at the State Capital on July 2nd.

The Society would like to extend a very heartfelt mahalo to the various individuals and organizations for their time and unwavering support. Mahalo to Nadine Nishioka, Carlton Kramer at Hilo Hattie, Steven Matsuo at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, Governor Linda Lingle, Mr. Duane Fujiwara, Ms. Delores Hairston, Ms. Jean E. Rolles, and the many family members.

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Donor Recognition: July 2002 to June 2003

The Japan-America Society of Hawaii would like to recognize the following individuals, foundations, and corporations who have contributed to our endowment fund, Japan Perspectives, and general support. Your extraordinary generosity enables our educational programs to reach many students and schools and for our endowment fund to grow and generate income to support future programs. Our heartfelt thank you for sharing in the Society’s mission.

AMBASSADOR $25,000-99,999 First Hawaiian Foundation STATESMAN $5,000-$24,999 Annonymous The Advertiser and Gannett Foundation Atherton Family Foundation Freeman Foundation Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc. Okumura Family Trust Richard Taniguchi Tateuchi Foundation

COUNSELOR $1,000-$4,999 American Savings Bank Central Pacific Bank Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation Itoen (USA) Matsushita Electric Corporation of America Aiko Okawara Akira Ohtomo Permanent Peace 2002

DIPLOMAT $250-$999 Norrie Del Vecchio Foodland “Give Aloha” Momi Utako Hudson Donald & June Ikeda Foundation Seiji & Jane Naya Sakushin Gakuen Roy & Jane Yamashiroya Allan T. Yasue

COLLEAGUE $1-$249

Neil Abercrombie David A.Bramlette Kenneth F. Brown Ronald J. Hays Ryokichi & Hiroko Higashionna Atsuko Igarashi Hiroshi Ishihara Steven Koyama Koji & Shigeko Kuroda

Jon Matsuo Laura Miho Neal Okamoto Raymond & Betsy Sekiya Tomodachi-In Honor of Mrs. Marjorie Midkiff Gerald Ushijima Ronald & Agnes Ushijima Masao Wakatake Fred C. Weyand

Every effort has been made to ensure names are spelled correctly and donor recognition levels are accurate. If there are any omissions or errors, please call the Society at 524-4450.

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Mahalo to all New Members and Upgrades

New Corporate Members

Atsuhiko & Ina G. Ateuchi Foundation - Regular Mr. Atsuhiko Tateuchi Mr. Daniel Asher Clayton University - Patron Dr. Eugene G. Stone Mr. Jiro Yoshida The Honorable Ekizo Fujibayashi Dr. Masayoshi Hiro Dr. Hiroshi Ito Dr. Keio Hashimoto Dr. Itsuo Kato Mr. Shinichi Oguro Hawaiian & Relocation Inc. - Regular Mr. Ken Tsuji Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. - Regular Mr. William J. Wilson Mr. Allan K.F. Lock Hegel International University - Supporting Dr. Masanao Nagao Mrs. Ayako Nagai Ms. Naoko Nagai Ms. Kazuko Nagai Hoike - Regular Mr. Riki J. Fujitani Mr. Kin Lo Imanaka Kudo & Fujimoto - Regular Mr. Mitchell A. Imanaka Mr. Richard T. Asato Jr. Inariya America Ltd. - Entrepreneur Mr. Seikoh Nakajima

KMH LLP - Regular Mr. Ross R. Murakami Mr. Shotaro Hirata Lewis P. Freitas Inc. - Entrepreneur Dr. Lewis P. Freitas Masako Formals - Regular Ms. Kumiko A. Okimoto Ms. Sayoko Burgon Matzki Group - Regular Mr. Jack M. Takeda Ms. Akiko Sanai Patricia Choi Realty Inc. - Regular Ms. Patricia Choi Mr. Cedric Choi Pioneer Pacific Financial Services Inc - Regular Mr. Tennyson K.W. Lum Mr. Christian Fermahin Polynesian Broadcasting Inc dba KZOO - Regular Mr. David Furuya Ms. Keiko Ura Royal Selection - Supporting Mrs. Yoko Lathrop Mrs. Michiko Yoshida Mrs. Takemi Seamon Thomas T. Ueno CPA - Entrepreneur Mr. Yoshiro Mishina Watanabe Ing Kawashima & Komeiji - Donor Mr. John T. Komeiji

Corporate Member Upgrades

BIARS Inc - Donor College of Business Administration, UH - Patron First Hawaiian Bank - Benefactor First Insurance Company of Hawaii - Benefactor

Hawaii Pacific University - Benefactor Marriott Renaissance Resorts Hawaii - Supporting Stanford Carr Development LLC - Patron

New General Members

Mr. Katsumi Akai - Individual Mrs. Yukie Anthony - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Donn R. Ariyoshi - Family Mr. Masato Baba - Student Mr. Charles H. Babb - Student Ms. Hisako S. Barrow - Individual Mrs. Winifred A. Bennett - Individual Ms. Gratia P. Bone - Student Ms. Midori S. Burton - Individual Mr. Philip C. Cabalbag - Individual Ms. Mary Ann Changg - Individual Ms. Johnette K. Chun - Individual Ms. Kathryn Mitsue Cook - Individual Ms. Gendolyn R. Costello - Individual Mr. & Mrs. George E. Darby - Lifetime Mrs. Edna L. DiFalco - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Gary EdwardsVFamily Mr. & Mrs. Roy K. Essoyan - Family Mrs. Laura Evensen - Individual Mr. Nolan T. Fong - Family Mrs. Vivian B. Fritschi - Individual Mr. Clayton J. Fujie - Individual Mr. Roy H. Fujimoto - Individual Mr. Douglas S. Fuqua - Student Mr. Brad Glosserman - Individual Representative Helene H. Hale - Individual Ms. Kazuko Hamada - Individual Mr. Douglas T. Hanashiro - Individual Mr. Teppei Hata - Student Mr. Mel H. Hayashi - Student Dr. & Mrs. Dennis Hirota - Lifetime Mr. & Mrs. Arnold S. Hirotsu - Family Mr. Akitoshi Honda - Individual Mrs. Elaine M. Honda - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Tomonobu Igarashi - Lifetime Mrs. Ruth K. Ikeda - Individual Mr. Alexander R. Jampel - Lifetime Mr. Christopher W.K. Jay - Individual Mr. Allen T. Kaneshiro - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Howard H. Karr - Lifetime Mrs. Muriel Kashiwa - Individual Rev. & Mrs. Hiromi Kawaji - Family

Ms. Ahyoung Kim - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Joseph J. Kim - Lifetime Ms. Janise Y. Kinoshita - Student Ms. Jeannette Knorr - Individual Mr. Philip Ko - Individual Mr. Nicholas S. Kodani - Student Mr. & Mrs. Paul M. Kurata - Sustaining Ms. Darlene S. Kuratsu - Individual Mr. Calvin Lau - Individual Ms. Belinda Long - Individual Mrs. Hisako Madsen - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Glenn M. Masunaga - Family Mrs. Carol K. Miura - Individual Mr. Jun J. Mukaida - Student Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Muschany - Family Ms. Jean K. Myers - Individual Dr. & Mrs. Masanao Nagai - Lifetime Mr. & Mrs. Shozo Noda - Family Mr. & Mrs. Howard S. Okada - Family Mr. Daniel K. Okano - Individual Mrs. Merle A. Okawara - Sustaining Ms. Sharleen Perreira - Individual Ms. Lizbeth Halliday Piel - Student Mr. Arthur B. Richardson - Individual Ms. Arvilla D. Richardson - Individual Mr. Alonzo H. Robinson - Individual Mr. John P. Roderick - Individual Ms. Jane Skanderup - Individual Mr. Carl L. Snyder - Individual Mrs. Emiko Sugino - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. Sumida - Family Mrs. Eleanor Takahama - Individual Mr. & Mrs. James S. Takayesu - Family Mr. Hiroshi Tashiro - Individual Mr. Ted T. Tsukiyama - Individual Ms. Bette Uyeda - Individual Mr. Stephen C. Veomett - Individual Mrs. Clara M. Watanabe - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Winston Watarai - Family Mr. Dennis N. Yanagisawa - Individual Mr. & Mrs. Allan Yasue - Lifetime

General Member Upgrades

Gen. & Mrs. David A. Bramlett - Family Mr. & Mrs. John W. Conner - Family Mrs. Ayako Detwiler - Family Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Dewitz - Lifetime Mr. & Mrs. Ed Hawkins - Lifetime Ms. Maile M. Hirota - Lifetime Mrs. Betty F. Hirozawa - Lifetime Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hong - Lifetime Mr. & Mrs. Satoshi Kinoshita - Family Ms. Tsuma C. Kodera - Family Dr. & Mrs. Richard H. Kosaki - Lifetime Dr. & Mrs. Dennis M. Kuwabara - Lifetime

Mr. & Mrs. Jon K. Matsuo - Family Mr. & Mrs. Raymond I. Miyashiro - Sustaining Mrs. Kathleen K. Morita - Family Mr. & Mrs. Junji Noguchi - Family Dr. & Mrs. Roger I. Ogata - Lifetime Ms. Iris R. Okawa - Family Mr. Walter K. Tagawa - Family Mrs. Brenda R. Teranishi - Lifetime Mrs. Betty S. Totoki - Family Mr. Gerald Y. Ushijima - Family Mrs. Eleanor N. Yonesaki - Family

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