Delegates of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa conduct a memorial service on June 3, 2023, on Tinian, commemorating Okinawans who lost their lives during World War II.
Delegates of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa conduct a memorial service on June 3, 2023, on Tinian, commemorating Okinawans who lost their lives during World War II.
Delegates of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa conduct a memorial service on June 4, 2023, on Saipan, commemorating Okinawans who lost their lives during World War II.
Osamu Toguchi, fifth left back row, leads a delegation of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa on a courtesy call to Managing Director Christopher A. Concepcion of the Marianas Visitors Authority, second left, on June 2, 2023, at the MVA office in Saipan. Also pictured are Japan Saipan Travel Association President Masanori Takahashi, back right, and management and staff of MVA and tour operator Pacific Development Inc.
(MVA) — A delegation of the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa made their annual pilgrimage to Saipan and Tinian this month to conduct memorial services.
This month’s visit marks the 52nd annual memorial of group to The Marianas, with 37 members participating in prayer services in Tinian on Saturday, June 3, and at the Tower of Okinawa memorial in Saipan on Sunday, June 4. The prayer services commemorate Okinawans who lost their lives in the islands during World War II.
Group also paid courtesy calls on Friday, June 2, to Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, the Legislature, Saipan Mayor RB Camacho, the Consulate Office of Japan and the Marianas Visitors Authority.
That evening, they were hosted at a welcoming dinner reception at the Carolinian Utt in Garapan, where they met longtime friends and associates from the Marianas and enjoyed local food and entertainment.
Mayor Camacho also presented a plaque of appreciation to the repatriation association and International Travel Services for their dedication over the years.
“It is an honor to have welcomed the Micronesia Repatriation Association of Okinawa back to the Marianas for their annual prayer services,” said MVA Acting Managing Director Judy C. Torres. “We are grateful for both the older generation who have the connection of living in Saipan and Tinian when they were young, as well as the younger generation who are interested in keeping this historic connection.”
Various government agencies collaborated to support the group’s annual pilgrimage. MVA cleaned and painted the Okinawan Memorial Monument at Suicide Cliff in Tinian, while the Tinian Mayor’s Office, the Department of Lands & Natural Resources, and the Department of Public Works also helped prepare Ginoza Caves and other historical sites visited. On Saipan, MVA provided tents, tables, and chairs at the ceremony site, which was cleaned and prepared by the Division of Parts & Recreation.
The group was accompanied throughout their tour by Masanori Takahashi, president of Japan Saipan Travel Association. Tour organizers reported an additional 13 people scheduled to make the pilgrimage were unable to attend due to Typhoon Mawar, which forced an early departure from Okinawa. The group returned to Japan on June 5, 2023.
