The Nippon Izokukai group turned over two wheel chairs for children, bags of assorted hand towels, baseball caps, pens and other items to the CHC Volunteers Association yesterday afternoon.
Nippon Izokukai executive director Masanori Takahashi said they have been making their memorial visits to Guam and the CNMI every year, and will “continue as long as they are still healthy and fit to travel.”
The trip is funded by the government of Japan.
“Part of our trip is to visit the memorial sites where our family members have shed their lives during the World War II, and part is to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the CNMI and Japan,” Takahashi said.
The group arrived on Sept. 3 and was scheduled to leave Saipan early this morning.
Takahashi said half of the group went to Tinian while the other half remained on Saipan to visit memorial sites.
“It has been 65 years but although we share a sad history during the war, we appreciate the kindness and hospitality of the local people here, and we would like to continue our yearly visits,” he said.
The children of the Japan War-Bereaved Families Association have continued the yearly memorial visits to the CNMI and Micronesia.
The donated items were shared by CHC and the CNMI Council for Disabilities.
The CHC Volunteers Association said last year, the same group donated wheelchairs for adults.
“We appreciate the generosity of the Nippon Izokukai in donating these very useful items to the hospital,” the CHC Volunteer Association said.
