REPORT FROM SENATE MAJORITY – Senator Brian T. Taniguchi joined fellow sister-state delegates during the month of May to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between the State of Hawaii and Hiroshima Prefecture.
Held in Hiroshima from May 29 to 31, 2012, the commemoration included an economic forum featuring the State of Hawaii Division of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, meetings for the U.S. Japan Council, a 15TH Anniversary Sister-State Celebration and a “Hawaii Day” promotion at the Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium during a baseball game of the Hiroshima Carps.
Hiroshima Prefecture and the State of Hawaii share innumerous ties spanning across more than 100 years. In the early years of the arrival of Japanese to Hawaii, many Japanese immigrants were from Hiroshima Prefecture.
Historically, the State of Hawaii and Hiroshima Prefecture are forever linked as World War II in the Pacific started with the unfortunate attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Oahu on December 7, 1941 and ended with the tragic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
Fifteen years ago, on May 30, 1997, a sister-state relationship was formed to promote a friendship, cultural ties, and good will between the State of Hawaii and the Hiroshima Prefecture. Since then leaders of the two states have worked collaboratively to strengthen this sister-state bond through numerous educational, cultural, athletics, commercial exchanges and peace initiatives.
At the 15th Anniversary banquet, retired Senate President Norman Mizuguchi, who conceived the idea of creating a sister-state, was honored with a proclamation from Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki and Hiroshima Prefecture for initiating the sister-state relationship.
A possible “Hawaii” celebration to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the Sister-State Relationship is being planned for late August 2012.
“The myriad of historic ties that exist between the State of Hawaii and Hiroshima Prefecture have forged a special bond between our two states,” said Senator Taniguchi, vice chair of the Hiroshima Hawaii Sister-State Committee. “I am extremely honored to have had the opportunity to take part in this celebration and I look forward to our continued work together.”