Fan of Sawada flies to Saipan to say farewell, offer prayers

 An avid fan of Taiji Sawada, a Japanese musician and songwriter who died on Saipan after he reportedly tried to kill himself in his detention cell last July, flew to the island last Thursday from Japan to say farewell and offer prayers to him.

“His (Sawada) end was too sad but at least I was able to know that he was given good treatment by nice nurses. I appreciate the people of Saipan,” said 36-year-old Sachiyo Iijima.

Iijima, an airport services agent for the American Airlines at Narita Airport, arrived on the island on Thursday midnight and later took the 4pm flight back to Japan on the same day. It was her first visit to the island.

Upon Iijima’s request, Saipan Tribune brought her at about 10am to the Commonwealth Health Center’s morgue where she shed tears as she clasped her hands to pray.

Sawada’s body was taken to the morgue after he died last July 17, or three days after he reportedly tried to kill himself at the Department of Corrections in Susupe. The family already brought the body back to Japan, but it was not clear whether the remains were cremated or not.

After the morgue, Iijima visited CHC’s intensive care unit where she burst into tears as she offered more prayers for the late musician.

Sawada had been on life support at the ICU after he became brain dead. The family then flew to Saipan and decided to unhook the life support system.

Iijima proceeded to Susupe where she stood across the DOC building for only a few minutes. There were no tears in her eyes.

“I’m happy and relieved now knowing that nice nurses treated him well at ICU even though he was not able to return to Japan alive. I feel much better now than before. It’s good to come to Saipan,” she said as she took another glimpse of the jail facility.

Iijima told Saipan Tribune she was a fan of Sawada since 1989 and that because there was no funeral or public viewing for him in Japan, going to Saipan was her only chance to say farewell to him.

“Everything happened [was] so weird. I just cannot accept the fact. I just want to know what was going on,” said Iijima, referring to Sawada’s arrest on July 11 when he reportedly became unruly as the aircraft he was onboard was about to land at the Saipan International Airport, and the July 14 incident when he was rushed to CHC for trying to hang himself.

Iijima said Sawada was very talented and to her he was a real rock star and that no one can replace him.

“Even though he was a rock musician, he also composed songs. He actually was originally a guitarist,” she said. “He’s very charismatic. I’ve never seen a musician like him,” said Iijima who remembers watching Sawada’s concerts in Japan more than 30 times.

The last time Iijima was able to watch Sawada’s concert was August 2010 when Sawada was reunited with his former band, X-Japan.

It was a two-day concert and Iijima watched both performances.

“My teenage years was filled with X (X-Japan band) especially Taiji (Sawada). I will never forget this memory. I was so happy that they reunited after 18 years. Taiji said it was a great honor to play with old partners and he was very happy to be on the stage with them,” she recalled.

Iijima said when she first learned through the Internet about the arrest of Sawada on Saipan, her first reaction was to ask what’s wrong with him.

When she learned that Sawada tried to end his life and eventually died, she was stunned.

“I couldn’t believe because I was praying and believing he can recover and return to Japan to play on stage again,” Iijima said.

She added that before the death of Sawada, she observed early this year that his blog changed a lot and appeared so weird.

“I want to investigate, but there’s no way I could do it by myself,” Iijima said.

Before leaving for Japan, Iijima also tried to retrace Sawada’s steps. She went to Fiesta Resort and Spa to see for herself the same view Sawada enjoyed.

“Although he didn’t look happy on the pictures taken in Saipan that were posted on both his and his female manager’s blogs, I am sure he enjoyed the beautiful color of the ocean,” she said.