IRENE HIRANO INOUYE, president of the U.S.-Japan Council and wife of Sen. Dan, will keynote the University of Hawaii/Pacific Command’s upcoming Pacific Rim Disaster Risk Reduction and Resiliency Workshop Aug. 7 to 9 here. Irene is the perfect keynoter because she happened to be in Japan when the March earthquake and tsunami struck and was interviewed by CNN. She can deliver firsthand accounts of survival and the aftermath of that devastating tragedy. UH and PACOM had already held a conference in January about working more closely together on disaster preparedness and risk reduction throughout the Pacific. The disaster in Japan adds urgency to the effort. Also involved: USAID, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, UH President MRC Greenwood and PACOM chief Adm. Robert Willard. …

SWEET STUFF: Halekulani and Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel have partnered to offer a sweet promotion next month. Pastry master chef Kanjiro Mochizuki is flying in from Japan to present a special dessert menu as well as a pastry demonstration. Halekulani pastry chef Mark Freischmidt will work with Mochizuki. The pastry making demo is Aug. 6 on the Garden Terrace. Afterward, guests can enjoy afternoon tea and champagne while sampling his creations, $49. On Aug. 7, Mochizuki’s desserts will be offered at Orchids Sunday Brunch, $57. For the rest of the month, his creations will be on the menu for afternoon tea at Veranda, $28. Call 923-2311 for reservations. … Six Halekulani employees received the sweet news recently that they are tops in their respective sections. Ed Hope, dining room, was named Manager of the Year. Others honored were Aulani Farias, front office; Michelle Baldomero, food preparation; Carlos Arucan, laundry; Karen Ikeda, boutique; and Simeon Alejandro, stewards. …

LYLE NELSON donated several boxes of baseball memorabilia going back to the 1930s to the national Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., and was rewarded with being named a life member of the Hall of Fame Museum, which includes free admission for life. Lyle, 86, a retired Star-Bulletin reporter, wins every age-group running event he enters, including the Honolulu Marathon. …

NOW I KNOW Jimmy Borges is feeling better after his release Wednesday from Kaiser’s Moanalua Medical Center following liver cancer surgery. Besides saying “everything went amazingly well,” he noted that his “beautiful nurses” and doctors were great. When Jimmy starts taking notice of “beautiful nurses,” it’s a good sign. His surgery was July 18. …

“Kokua for Japan,” the benefit concert at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for the American Red Cross that supported Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, has been nominated for a 2011 Do Something award. “Kokua for Japan” raised $1.6 million. The “Do Something Awards,” a national awards show for social action, will be hosted by “Glee’s” Jane Lynch in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium and will air on VH1 at 8 p.m. Hawaii time on Aug. 18. “Kokua for Japan” supporters can vote online for the concert at vh1.com until 3 a.m. Aug. 14. …