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ANNOUNCEMENT

    FOREIGN MINISTER’S COMMENDATION FOR 2011

Honolulu, July 25, 2011—On July 25, 2011 (Japan time), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made an official announcement of the recipients of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for 2011.  From Hawaii, Mr. Ryokan Ara, Advisor to the United Japanese Society of Hawaii, has been selected to receive the Commendation.

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of mutual understanding and friendly relations between Japan and other foreign countries through economic and technical cooperation, information and cultural activities, and other activities to enhance international relations. The commendations aim at praising the outstanding achievements of individuals and groups, and further promoting the understanding and support of Japanese people for their activities. This year, sixty-eight individuals and thirty groups (nine individuals and three groups from the United States) have been selected to receive the award.

When Bishop Ara arrived in Hawaii in the early 1970s to establish the Tendai mission, his dedication was towards assimilating into the local culture, transcend the parameters of sectarian Buddhism and the religious sector as a whole, and become more involved in the activities of the community, while nurturing the basic principles of Buddhism. In his efforts to introduce Japanese culture in the community, Bishop Ara started the Tendai Cultural Classrooms at his mission, where lessons in the arts of calligraphy, ikebana, Japanese-style painting, tea ceremony, among others, were taught.  This was later expanded to become the Hawaii Bijutsuin, or the Hawaii Institute of Arts, the first and only Japanese art-focused institution of its kind, where each year an exhibition is held featuring artwork submitted by local artists.

     In 1975, Bishop Ara established the Hawaii Ichigu Kai, or the Hawaii Chapter of the “One Corner Association”, a service 
     organization based on Buddhist teachings and philosophy.  One of the group’s projects included the videotaping of testimonials
     from one hundred isseis.  These records were since donated to the Bishop Museum on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of
     the arrival of the Japanese contract immigrants to Hawaii, known as the Kanyaku Imin, in 1985.  Subsequently, Bishop Ara was
     compelled to document the personal wartime experiences of Nisei soldiers and compiled them into a book entitled Hawaii
     Nikkei Beihei:  Watashitachi Wa Nani To Tatakatta No Ka, which was published in Japan.  An English version of the book was
     published by the University of Hawaii, and has been deemed a most important resource in study of the history of the
     Japanese-Americans in Hawaii.

During the Kanyaku Imin anniversary, as President of the Hawaii Buddhist Council, Bishop Ara successfully coordinated the Japanese-American Buddhist Conference and the Japanese-American Buddhist Studies Convention, with participation by members of, not only Tendai Mission, but other Buddhist sects. He has also contributed to promote Toro Nagashi, or the Buddhist Floating Lantern Ceremony, which is now held every year on Memorial Day at Ala Moana’s Magic Island in Honolulu. 

Bishop Ara continues to serve as a leading figure in many Japanese-American organizations within the local community here.