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Okinawans make annual memorial trip to Marianas
Delegates of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa conduct a memorial service on June 4, 2023, on Saipan commemorating Okinawans who lost their lives during World War II.
(MVA)
A delegation of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa made their annual pilgrimage to Saipan and Tinian this month to conduct memorial services.
This month’s visit marks the 52nd annual memorial of group to the Marianas, with 37 members participating in prayer services in Tinian last June 3 and at the Tower of Okinanwa memorial on Saipan on June 4. The prayer services commemorate Okinawans who lost their lives in the islands during World War II.
The group also paid courtesy calls last June 2 to Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature, Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho, the Consulate Office of Japan on Saipan, and the Marianas Visitors Authority. That evening, they were hosted at a welcoming dinner reception at the Carolinian Utt in Garapan, where they met longtime friends and associates from the Marianas and enjoyed local food and entertainment. Camacho also presented a plaque of appreciation to the repatriation association and International Travel Services for their dedication over the years.
“It is an honor to have welcomed the Micronesia Repatriation Association of Okinawa back to the Marianas for their annual prayer services,” said MVA acting managing director Judy C. Torres. “We are grateful for both the older generation who have the connection of living [on] Saipan and Tinian when they were young, as well as the younger generation who are interested in keeping this historic connection.”
Various government agencies collaborated to support the group’s annual pilgrimage. The MVA cleaned and painted the Okinawan Memorial Monument at Suicide Cliff on Tinian, while the Tinian Mayor’s Office, Department of Lands & Natural Resources, and Department of Public Works also helped prepare Ginoza Caves and other historical sites visited. On Saipan, the MVA provided tents, tables, and chairs at the ceremony site, which was cleaned and prepared by the Division of Parks & Recreation.
The group was accompanied throughout their tour by Masanori Takahashi, president of Japan Saipan Travel Association. Tour organizers reported an additional 13 people scheduled to make the pilgrimage were unable to attend due to Typhoon Mawar, which forced an early departure from Okinawa. The group returned to Japan on June 5, 2023. (MVA)
