According to Aya Matsumoto, they will be flying back to Japan today. “But we will come back,” she said.
Asked by Variety what prompted this major decision, she said her mother is getting old and needs assistance.
She also cited the economic slack that has hit the islands.
She told Variety that they have sold off everything but they will be maintaining an office at the Paseo de Marianas.
She said should the economic condition improve, they will come back and perhaps rent or lease a property.
In the meantime, Japan is where they will explore economic opportunities.
She said they will continue to promote the islands where they will be in a better position to do so.
As for her staff, Matsumoto said they were taken in by Kimpachi Restaurant. “Misa is a very good friend,” she said referring to Kimpachi owner Misako Kamata.
Aya and Willie Matsumoto have been on Saipan since 1985. They first came to the island for their honeymoon.
“When I came here, the economy was so good and there were a lot of real estate brokers,” she said.
In an earlier interview with this reporter, Matsumoto said they spent a lot of money on the Pacific Eagle building on Middle Road. For Matsumoto, “It was a hard time for a young couple.”
When they moved to Saipan, the Matsumotos’ baby girl was only eight months old. “We didn’t have any friends and relatives. We neither have generator nor water tank in 1987,” Matsumoto recalled.
In the years they stayed here, the couple became productive members of the community, participating in several cleanups and cultural exchanges.
Having been on Saipan for so long, the couple has been an inspiration to other Japanese nationals who have chosen to live and work on Saipan.
They also served as president and vice president of the Japanese Society, their leadership of which was highlighted by the visit of the Japanese imperial couple in 2005.
