Hawaii, Japan agree on driver’s license exemption

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Hawaii and Japan have signed a memorandum of cooperation for a reciprocal partial exemption of driver’s license exam requirements.

The agreement signed Thursday by state Department of Transportation Director Jade Butay and Japan Consul General Koichi Ito allows Japanese citizens living in Hawaii to obtain a state license without having to take the road test or a written exam if they possess a valid Japanese driver’s license. The same goes for Hawaii residents living in Japan.

The reciprocal partial exemption does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses and still requires drivers to pay associated fees and pass a vision test.

Welcome the new year with sunrise lighthouse hike

Only in Hawaii can residents and visitors welcome the new year with a ceremony that features conch shell blowing, Hawaiian chants and taiko drumming — maybe even breaching humpback whales to boot.

It’s all part of the annual multicultural First Day Hike on the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail at the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, one of nearly 1,200 New Year’s Day hikes in America’s state parks.

According to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, an estimated 700 people make the short, two-mile-round-trip hike to an overlook to watch the first sunrise of year.

“As our hike has evolved over the years, we’ve found that for local residents and visitors alike this unique blending of cultures provides a memorable start to the new year,” said Curt Cottrell, DLNR’s Parks Division administrator, in a news release. “This, with the addition of spectacular views and the possibility of spotting breaching humpback whales, really makes Hawaii’s First Day Hike quite memorable and many people have come back year after year.”

The gate to the Kaiwi Coast Scenic Shoreline will open at 5:30 a.m. Jan. 1, with sunrise at 7:09 a.m. Participants are encouraged to bring water, reef-safe sunscreen, sun-protective clothing and snacks. Dogs must be leashed and owners are responsible for cleanup. The relatively easy trail to the Makapuu Lighthouse overlook is paved and accessible to the disabled.