By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
SAIPAN has changed a lot since Hiroshi last visited 30 years ago, but “it’s still a beautiful island,” he said. He was one of the Japanese tourists who stopped in Saipan aboard the Mitsui Ocean Fuji Cruise, a luxury ship from Tokyo, on Wednesday.
In an interview, Hiroshi said this was only his second visit to the island. “The first time I was here, I was 40. Now I am 70 and retired,” he said.
“I am very excited. This is still a beautiful island,” Hiroshi said as he held a plate of dessert from the buffet at Aqua Resort Club’s Costa Terrace Restaurant, where about 100 of the ship’s 419 passengers had lunch. Organized by Tasi Tours, the group planned to visit Japanese memorial sites at Banzai Cliff and Suicide Cliff in Marpi, along with other attractions in northern Saipan.
“Saipan has changed a lot, but it is still a beautiful island,” Hiroshi reiterated.
ARC Food & Beverage Manager Marie Ann Razon-Isip said the restaurant has long been the preferred lunch stop for Japanese cruise ship passengers visiting northern Saipan. Sales & Marketing Manager Kyung Baek noted that all the passengers were pleased with their meals. Human Resource Manager Becky P. Cruz said, “It’s wonderful to see so many Japanese tourists here. We appreciate them visiting ARC, and we also thank the local customers joining them today. Happy New Year.”
Hiroshi expressed gratitude to the people of Saipan for the warm welcome.
Mike Imai, a Japanese businessman who has lived in Saipan for more than 40 years, said many Japanese retirees, like Hiroshi, are hesitant to return due to limited access to Japanese-speaking doctors. “Healthcare is a big concern,” he said.
Imai also cited stricter U.S. federal immigration policies as a reason fewer Japanese tourists visit the CNMI today. “During Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio’s time, tourists could stay up to six months or longer. Now, stays are much shorter, and entry procedures at the U.S. Embassy in Japan and other U.S. points of entry are very strict,” he said.
According to Imai, many friends of his have cited these issues as reasons for avoiding Saipan in recent years.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
