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Mayor Kirk Caldwell is cutting his week-long diplomatic and trade trip to Japan by two days in order to return home to deal with the potential impacts of Hurricane Iselle and Tropical Storm Julio.
Caldwell was to leave Japan Tuesday night, Hawaii time, and return to Honolulu Wednesday morning, said Jesse Broder Van Dyke, his spokesman. Caldwell was initially scheduled to return home Friday, the day before Hawaii’s primary election day.
Managing Director Ember Shinn has been acting mayor in Caldwell’s absence as required in the Honolulu City Charter.
Caldwell left Hawaii last Thursday and was scheduled to travel to Tokyo, Nagaoka, Chigasaki and Hiroshima. Broder Van Dyke said Caldwell did participate in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony Tuesday (Hawaii time), which takes place annually at the exact moment of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing and recognizes bombing victims. Caldwell laid a wreath on behalf of Honolulu residents.
The mayor was also expected to visit Hiroshima’s Asa Zoo to discuss a potential animal transfer to Honolulu before leaving, Broder Van Dyke said. Details were not available.
Honolulu has a formalized sister city relationship with Hiroshima.
