Ige’s Tokyo, Seoul visit stresses energy, tourism

Gov. David Ige returned Thursday from his second official trip to Asia, where he continued to promote tourism, intercultural student exchange and collaboration on renewable-energy technology.

During the nine-day trip to Tokyo and Seoul, the governor toured universities, met with top tourism officials, attended lunches and dinners hosted by dignitaries, visited the War Memorial of Korea and viewed a tidal power plant.

The focus of the trip was similar to that of a trip he took last month to Japan and China, where he celebrated Hawaii’s sister-state relationships with Okinawa and Guangdong province. This was his second trip to Asia since taking office.

Ige stressed the unique relationship between Hawaii and Asian countries and emphasized the diplomatic benefits of meeting with governors of Asian provinces.

“As governors we realize that many of the challenges facing our countries can be improved by relationships at the subregional level,” said Ige during a Friday news conference about his trip.

Ige said he met with top officials in the energy sector about ways to collaborate on the development of renewable energy. He visited the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning and the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station, which generates energy from the shift in tides.

Ige noted that officials in Korea and Japan are well aware of Hawaii’s target of converting to 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

In Japan the governor attended the U.S.-Japan Council’s 2015 Annual Conference, which explored opportunities for cooperation between the U.S. and Japan.

Ige, who has been working to boost tourism from Asia by encouraging more flights and promotional opportunities, spent time meeting with tourism officials in Seoul and Tokyo.

Last year the Hawaii tourism sector had a record year, attracting 8.3 million visitors who spent a total of $14.7 billion, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. About 1.5 million of the visitors were from Japan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea picked up the $8,286 tab for the trip to Seoul, which included the expenses of the governor, his wife, Dawn Amano-Ige, and Protocol Officer Rob Lee.

The state is paying for the $5,000 trip to Japan, which includes the expenses of Ige and his chief of staff, Mike McCartney. Ige’s wife also traveled to Japan but covered her own costs.