Hawaii and Japan: A 150-year partnership that continues to grow

This year, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii in 1868. I was in the Aloha State last week to commemorate this anniversary and 150 years of partnership between Hawaii and Japan. Those first immigrants planted seeds of friendship that continue to blossom and grow.

In 2012, when I served as ambassador of Japan to the United States, volunteers planted specially chosen Japanese cherry trees in Hawaii in recognition of Japan’s first gift of cherry trees to people of the United States in 1912. The beautiful cherry blossoms have started to bloom, displaying the goodwill and friendship between the United States and Japan.

I had the honor of accompanying Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on their official visit to Hawaii in 2009, where they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation that offers students from the University of Hawaii the opportunity to study in Japan and Japanese students the opportunity to study in Hawaii. This cross-cultural, educational exchange helps deepen the already strong ties between Hawaii and Japan. More than 16,000 students in Hawaii study the Japanese language, and students from Japan make up 30 percent of all international students studying in the state.

In recognition of the critical value of education and educational exchange, I was pleased to have met this time with various high school students, and students and faculty from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

In addition to enhancing cultural ties, Japanese students are an economic boon to Hawaii. The East-West Center reports that Japanese students studying in Hawaii contribute nearly $24 million per year to Hawaii’s economy.

According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Japan is Hawaii’s largest international tourism market, and visitors from Japan spend nearly $2 billion per year in Hawaii. That represents an annual boost to Hawaii’s economy of nearly $2 billion without any additional demand placed on Hawaii’s schools, libraries or social welfare programs. Furthermore, data from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that Japanese-headquartered businesses operating in the Aloha State support 17,000 local workers.

We are grateful to the people of Hawaii that you understand and appreciate the importance of the partnership with Japan. With many historical immigration ties, Hawaii and Japan currently have 24 sister state and city relationships. I hope that people of Hawaii will take further advantage of these sister-city relations and make more exchanges happen not only in the cultural and educational field but also in the economic field.

From sister cities and students to jobs and economic opportunity, the Hawaii-Japan connection is more than a partnership. It is a true friendship, based on people-to-people connections that will continue to bloom and grow. I am proud to have been here celebrating our special relationship. Together, our bond will continue to flourish and benefit the people of both Hawaii and Japan.

Ichiro Fujisaki, president of the America-Japan Society, was Japan’s ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2012.