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CG Kamo’s Remarks

At the Awards Ceremony of 

the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation

May 14, 2010

Good morning, everybody and Aloha!

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this morning’s gathering at the Japanese consul general’s official residence. I know very well that my role here is to welcome, congratulate and appreciate various parties concerned who are participating in this ceremony here. In fact, I should have known better about today’s recipients. I spent a couple of hours to prepare my remarks yesterday, assuming that the recipients of the scholarship were basically Hawaiian locals, sent to Japan to study there. Today I learnt that four out of five winners are indeed Japanese who came here to study and that one from Hawaii has already had extensive Japanese experience as she graduated from a Japanese university. The punch lines I prepared turned out useless and I have to employ with a totally different tactic.

This is an auspicious occasion for everyone. I feel particularly so as I am very much honored to be part of this ceremony as a venue manager. Like the recipients, this is my first time to attend this distinguished gathering, which makes me both excited and nervous. I hasten to congratulate you, the winners on your success. This is very special. I mean the scholarship you won is very special and privileged. There is no other scholarship blessed with the patronage of the Imperial Family.

I also would like to thank three parties concerned at this time. I would like to thank the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation led by Howard Hamamoto for the excellent work for running this program over the years. If I am a venue manager, Mr. Hamamoto should be taken a program manager. He is known for his leadership and dedication to the Foundation. You have an excellent mentor whom you can look to whenever you feel like advises. I found the other members of the trustees are also most impressive, including many outstanding community leaders.

Next I would like to thank the Japan America Society of Hawaii led by Mr. Ed Hawkins for their support and commitment to this program. If Howard Hamamoto is a program manager, Ed Hawkins is a coordination manager. I am most grateful to JASH for their effort to enrich our life here in Honolulu by organizing various cultural events of Japan and Hawaii. You see I have a Japan-America Society’s pin over here. Get this pin by joining JASH, OK.

Last but not least, I would like to thank the recipients themselves. I know that you made a tough decision to spend your prime time in life overseas. It is a major investment of your time and potentials, but it is a wise investment that will be rewarded handsomely in the future. I do hope that you will make the most of the opportunity that you have seized with the help from this scholarship and will accomplish what you aspire for.

Congratulations and thank you very much!