Hawaii’s relationship with Japan is more than business, more than friendship. It is about family.

My grandparents, the issei, immigrated to Hawaii from Japan and Okinawa more than 100 years ago in search of a better life and future for their family. They worked in the plantations — weeding, cutting and hauling sugar cane by hand, for pennies a day. Just recently, I had the honor of meeting relatives in Okinawa for the first time. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life.

Many Hawaii residents come from similar backgrounds.

Because of our connections to Japan, we understand the importance of the relationship between Japan and Hawaii, and Japan and the U.S.

I had the opportunity to personally meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on two occasions since I became governor of the state of Hawaii in December 2014. The first time was at a state dinner at the White House in honor of the prime minister. At the welcoming ceremony, President Barack Obama recognized the United States’ enduring relationship with Japan and said the two nations are “global partners that stand together for security and human dignity around the world.” The president characterized our relationship with Japan as true partners and friends, one of mutual respect and shared obligation.

The second time I met Prime Minister Abe was in Japan for discussions on tourism and the economy. He also shared with me his love of pineapple. He recalled as a boy, his relatives visiting Hawaii and bringing back cans of pineapple for him and his family. He said he always assumed that pineapples had holes in the center.

Each time I met the prime minister, I invited him to visit our islands. Although he traveled to Hawaii earlier in his career, this month’s visit will be his first as Japan’s prime minister. He is also the first sitting Japanese leader to visit the site of the attack 75 years ago.

Abe’s historic visit to Pearl Harbor will not only symbolize the reconciliation and firm alliance between Japan and the United States, but also the partnerships our countries have formed as a result. His visit, with President Obama, will showcase the power of reconciliation and their joint commitment to peace and protecting the security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The prime minister’s visit also holds a special significance for Hawaii and the important partnerships that we have formed with Japan.

Economically, our partnership with Japan is vital. This is reflected in our tourism industry where Japan is Hawaii’s No. 1 international market — bringing in more than 1.5 million visitors who spend about $2.5 billion a year. The result? Approximately $260 million in state tax revenue.

We are forming valuable partnerships on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Hawaii and Okinawa recently signed an extension to a Memorandum of Cooperation for Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment. International partnerships like this are crucial to our goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

On education, the U.S. and Japan in 2014 agreed to double student exchange between our countries by 2020. This will create a connection with our young adults and enrich the educational experiences for all students.

Student exchanges, along with cultural festivals and events are helping to preserve and expand our cultural connection to Japan. Did you know that there are more hula dancers and hula halau in Japan than there are in Hawaii?

We are working to make these cultural exchanges easier through the expansion of U.S. Customs pre-clearance for international visitors. Later this month, we are re-opening Kona International Airport as a second international port of entry into the U.S.

Our relationship with Japan is critical to Hawaii and the U.S. economically, politically and culturally. It is our connection that will help both our countries prosper in the next century.