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Nippon Foundation donates book collection to JKPL
Consul Ono Kazuhiko, seventh from left, from the Consular Office of Japan in Saipan, Joeten-Kiyu Public Library director Erlinda C. Naputi, eighth from left, and Ono’s wife, Masako Ono, eighth from right, share a photo with JKPL staff at JKPL yesterday holding up books that are part of a collection donated by the Nippon Foundation. (JOSHUA SANTOS)
The Nippon Foundation—a Japan-based, public interest incorporated foundation that is dedicated to promoting social change and social innovation—has donated 161 books relating to Japan’s history, economics, politics, and art to the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.
Present for the unveiling of the book collection at JKPL yesterday was Consul Ono Kazuhiko from the Consular Office of Japan in Saipan and his wife, Masako Ono, JKPL director Erlinda C. Naputi, and JKPL staff.
Ono later said that over 180 institutions around the world applied for the Nippon Foundation Library Support Program last fiscal year and only 28 institutions were selected, with JKPL being one of them.
Ono, who hopes the book collection will further strengthen the relationship that Japan has with the CNMI, invites the community to visit the library to learn more about Japan.
“Japan and the CNMI have a special and unique relationship. I hope that through this special occasion of donation by the Nippon Foundation, the relationship will further strengthen, and people in the CNMI will visit [the] Joeten-Kiyu Public Library to read the various books donated to understand more about the history, economics, politics, culture, and art of Japan,” said Ono.
Naputi said the Nippon Foundation’s donation will further expand the library’s pre-existing Asian Collection/ Pacific Collection, and that JKPL remains fully committed to providing access to meaningful programs, resources, and services to the community.
“In partnership with the Consular Office of Japan in Saipan, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library is fully committed to providing creative and innovative programs, resources, and services that engage our community. We humbly extend an ‘un dangkulu na si yuús maáse’ and thank you to Consul Ono and his hardworking team for ensuring that the CNMI community has access to this amazing collection,” said Naputi.
“We encourage everyone to visit your friendly Joeten-Kiyu Public Library’s Nippon Corner and check out the wealth of resources available for our community on Japanese culture and history,” she added.
