While all the attention was on Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama, the ceremonies would not have worked had it not been for Yasuharu Ikemura (you should hear how beautifully Art Umezu says his name), Nakayama’s assistant,
While all the attention was on Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama, the ceremonies would not have worked had it not been for Yasuharu Ikemura (you should hear how beautifully Art Umezu says his name), Nakayama’s assistant, and Jane Qiu, his interpreter (although Kaui Tanaka says she is the Coordinator of International Relations).
Of course, we have our own key figures, too. At the Kaua‘i Community College Memo of Understanding signing, Kiyoko Ikeda (she can have her own Japanese TV show) and Brian Yamamoto was the power behind KCC Chancellor Helen Cox.
And it takes a reaffirmation ceremony to see the value in Carvalho’s staff led by Beth Tokioka, Sarah Blane, Cyndi Ayonon and Mary Daubert (yes, we already miss Sean Texeira).
Kudos to Kaui Tanaka for coordinating all the details ahead of time, and Art Umezu for always being around to translate between the Japanese and us.
And mahalo to Kaua‘i County Council Chair Jay Furfaro for all the historic details of the Ishigaki and Kaua‘i sister city relationship.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
