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Rotary Hachioji looks forward to stronger ties
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Posted on Jun 10 2016
The Rotary Club of Tokyo Hachioji South is looking forward to next year’s Student Cultural Exchange Program with its sister club on Saipan after a successful staging this year. Two students from Saipan and two from Tokyo had been part of the program.
Saipan Rotarian Ken Kato, who attended the 30th anniversary celebration of Hachioji South last May 25, said the exchange student program was among the big topics discussed by their counterparts from Japan.
Saipan Interact members Andrea Camacho and Coleen Triana Duenas and Japanese students Shiori Koiki and Riko Yamamura were part of the Cultural Exchange Program.
“Our students had a lot of fun and wanted to go back to Saipan and we are glad to hear that Andrea and Coleen also feel the same,” said Tokyo Hachioji South president Shinichi Yamaguchi, who led the Japanese delegation, during their Saipan trip.
He added that Hachioji South is suggesting that this time two male students from each club to be part of the exchange program. Both clubs would start their preparations early.
The warm reception they received from the Saipan Rotarians was another topic that had been discussed as the 50-member visiting Japanese delegation had nothing but praises from their hosts.
“They were truly grateful with the fellowship and they were happy that I was there to represent Saipan,” said Kato. “They could not forget the outstanding reception they received.”
He added that there was no mention of any other joint projects between the two clubs as of the moment.
Tokyo Hachioji South also gave Rotary Saipan president-elect Ivan Ilmov a 30-year commemorative pin.
Aside from fellowship, the Japanese Rotarians also paid their respects to all of those who died in World War II during the Battle of Saipan. They had a peace memorial ceremony at Banzai Cliff led by two of their members, who were Buddhist and Shinto Buddhist priests.
The Tokyo Hachioji South has also donated more than $5,000 to Saipan’s Typhoon Soudelor recovery program through the Rotary Club of Saipan.
