About Us
2016/1/1
New Year's Greetings from Consul General Yasushi Misawa
Happy New Year!
Nearly half a year has passed since my arrival last July, and I finally find myself acclimating to the Hawaiian lifestyle. Even though Hawaii is part of a foreign country, it is a unique region where one can still pay their first New Year's hatsumōde visit to a shrine or a temple. Hawaii affectionately embraces a diversity of cultures, including that of Japan, and this inspires in me a sense of serenity and inner peace.
Last year marked the 70th year anniversary of the end of World War II, and a number of events were held in both Hawaii and Japan to mark the occasion. On August 14 and 15, fireworks were launched at Pearl Harbor, accompanying a prayer for peace. Remembrances continued with a dignified service aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, and a most memorable memorial ceremony at Pearl Harbor on December 7 (December 8 Japan time). Each event celebrated the reconciliation of Japan and the United States—enemies at war seventy years ago, who now share such a close relationship—and served as inspirational expressions of hope for continued peace and prosperity for the two nations.
This year, Japan will be hosting the Ise-Shima G7 Summit, and will be welcoming distinguished leaders from major developed countries, including President Obama from the United States. Last year witnessed the completion of negotiations for the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement), and signature and ratification is expected by all of the countries involved, including both Japan and the United States. 2016 marks the fifth anniversary of the Great Tohoku Earthquake, as Japan forges ahead with its reconstruction efforts. Preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will also be well underway. Furthermore, this is to be a year of elections, with designations to be held for the House of Councillors in Japan, and the presidential election, the federal congressional elections, and the Honolulu mayoral election to be held in Hawaii. It looks like this year will indeed be a busy one, with many potentially important changes in the political arenas of both Japan and the United States.
I also believe that this year, which marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, will be a most significant one particularly for the Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii. For many of the first generation Japanese—those who came to Hawaii in the latter half of the 19th century through the beginning of the 20th century to work in the sugar plantations—and for their Nisei children, December 7, 1941 became the fateful day their hearts were torn between their "two motherlands." I have been here for a short six months, but through the many opportunities to meet with the local community, I have come to firmly believe that no one recognizes the importance of amicable Japan-U.S. relations more than the Japanese-Americans who personally experienced such harsh tribulations, and it is they who have truly become the connecting bridge between Japan and the United States in the postwar world.
I myself desire to endeavor to the best of my ability to cooperate closely with the local community to further encourage the friendship between Japan and Hawaii, and provide my utmost efforts toward the enhancement of Japan-U.S. relations. To begin this year, I would first like to pay my respects at the shrines and temples of Hawaii on New Year's Day, and offer a prayer for safe travel to all visitors to Hawaii, along with a prayer that December 7, 2016 will be a “day of destiny” which paves the path towards a most joyous future.
I humbly ask for your continued support and cooperation. Thank you very much.
January 2016
Yasushi Misawa
Nearly half a year has passed since my arrival last July, and I finally find myself acclimating to the Hawaiian lifestyle. Even though Hawaii is part of a foreign country, it is a unique region where one can still pay their first New Year's hatsumōde visit to a shrine or a temple. Hawaii affectionately embraces a diversity of cultures, including that of Japan, and this inspires in me a sense of serenity and inner peace.
Last year marked the 70th year anniversary of the end of World War II, and a number of events were held in both Hawaii and Japan to mark the occasion. On August 14 and 15, fireworks were launched at Pearl Harbor, accompanying a prayer for peace. Remembrances continued with a dignified service aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, and a most memorable memorial ceremony at Pearl Harbor on December 7 (December 8 Japan time). Each event celebrated the reconciliation of Japan and the United States—enemies at war seventy years ago, who now share such a close relationship—and served as inspirational expressions of hope for continued peace and prosperity for the two nations.
This year, Japan will be hosting the Ise-Shima G7 Summit, and will be welcoming distinguished leaders from major developed countries, including President Obama from the United States. Last year witnessed the completion of negotiations for the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement), and signature and ratification is expected by all of the countries involved, including both Japan and the United States. 2016 marks the fifth anniversary of the Great Tohoku Earthquake, as Japan forges ahead with its reconstruction efforts. Preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will also be well underway. Furthermore, this is to be a year of elections, with designations to be held for the House of Councillors in Japan, and the presidential election, the federal congressional elections, and the Honolulu mayoral election to be held in Hawaii. It looks like this year will indeed be a busy one, with many potentially important changes in the political arenas of both Japan and the United States.
I also believe that this year, which marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, will be a most significant one particularly for the Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii. For many of the first generation Japanese—those who came to Hawaii in the latter half of the 19th century through the beginning of the 20th century to work in the sugar plantations—and for their Nisei children, December 7, 1941 became the fateful day their hearts were torn between their "two motherlands." I have been here for a short six months, but through the many opportunities to meet with the local community, I have come to firmly believe that no one recognizes the importance of amicable Japan-U.S. relations more than the Japanese-Americans who personally experienced such harsh tribulations, and it is they who have truly become the connecting bridge between Japan and the United States in the postwar world.
I myself desire to endeavor to the best of my ability to cooperate closely with the local community to further encourage the friendship between Japan and Hawaii, and provide my utmost efforts toward the enhancement of Japan-U.S. relations. To begin this year, I would first like to pay my respects at the shrines and temples of Hawaii on New Year's Day, and offer a prayer for safe travel to all visitors to Hawaii, along with a prayer that December 7, 2016 will be a “day of destiny” which paves the path towards a most joyous future.
I humbly ask for your continued support and cooperation. Thank you very much.
January 2016
Yasushi Misawa
- New Year's Greetings for the Current Yearhttps://www.honolulu.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/cg_greeting_en1.html
- Consul General Yasushi Misawa on his Appointment