Saki Kumagai’s manager Kouken Kuroki, Tasi Tour President Junichiro Takahashi, Japan Saipan Travel Association president Masaharu Takahashi, Tasi Tour General Manager and MVA board member Masaru Sunaga, MVA acting Chair Gloria Cavanaugh, Japanese Society of Northern Mariana Islands Chair Seiji Sato, Japanese soccer start Saki Kumagai, Lt. Gov David M. Apatang, PDM’s Hideaki Sawada, and NMI Football Association President Jerry Tan pose for a photo at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan on Friday.
BEFORE Japanese soccer star Saki Kumagai’s made an inspiring presentation about her life on Friday, she met with Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, NMI Football Association President Jerry Tan, Marianas Visitors Authority acting Chair Gloria Cavanagh, and members of the Japanese community at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.
They talked about the shared history between the Northern Marianas and Japan, and the hope that Kumagai’s visit could help revive the Japanese tourism market.
On behalf of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and himself, Apatang, in his remarks, thanked Kumagai for her visit, and said that soccer is now one of the fastest growing sports in the CNMI, thanks to the NMIFA and Tan.
Apatang said he hopes that Saki will bring her soccer teammates to the island and play against CNMI teams.
Cavanaugh, for her part, said, “We have a lot of history with the Japanese and we’re really working hard to bring that market back. We spend a lot of money to ensure the market survives. Hopefully, next year, we’ll be able to have a better and stronger market.”
She thanked Tan for “bringing in Saki because people like you are like our ambassadors, and we hope that you get a really good treatment while you’re here. If there’s anything that MVA can do for you, please let us know…because we want you to enjoy your stay here, and we want you to say that to your friends in Japan.”
Also welcoming Kumagai to Saipan were Tasi Tours Inc. President Junichiro Takahashi, Japan Saipan Travel Association President Masaharu Takahashi, Japanese Society of Northern Mariana Islands Chair Seiji Sato, Tasi Tours Inc. General Manager and Marianas Visitors Authority board member Masaru Sunaga and PDM Promoters Inc. official Hideaki Sawada.
