By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Various organizations in Palau received a total of $40,000 donation from the Palauan Noni Japan Ltd.
In Friday night’s reception at the Palau Royal Resort Hotel, the Belau Modekngei School received $10,000, Ngaremlengui State, $10,000, $10,000 to the Emais Family and Surgical Clinic ; $5,000 to the Belau National Hospital and $5,000 to the Palau National Olympic Committee.
Isaya Usugawara, General Manager of Palau Impac Tours said that the group has previously made donations to the hospital.
A total of 49 individuals are part of the delegation who visited Palau. The delegation also visited the noni factory and noni farm while in Palau.
During the reception, President Remengesau thanked the group for promoting Palau in Japan through its noni products.
The president said the group led by its President Michinori Shimizu has helped noni farmers in Palau.
PNJ was formed between 2004 and 2005 to cater to the growing market for noni juice in Japan, a market estimated at retail value to be worth $165 million. For many years, this market has been virtually controlled by French Polynesia, but the quality noni fruits found in Palau are gradually making headway in the Japan market. PNJ is in cooperation with the Palau Organic Farm in Ngeremlengui and has slowly grown in market value, with Palauan noni juice now garnering over $5 million annually in retail sales.