Hawaii, Okinawa celebrate 40-year connection as sister states

NAHA, Okinawa (HawaiiNewsNow) – For the past 40 years, Hawaii has had a great sister-state relationship with Okinawa, an island prefecture of Japan.

Upon arriving in Okinawa, you’ll notice the striking similarities of this island and the islands of Hawaii.

The streets of Naha City are busy with shops, places to eat, and hotels just like Waikiki. And like the natural beauty and the warmth that surrounds you, so are its people who welcome malihini to their island home.

“They have 1.4 million people. We have 1.4 million people. They’re very family oriented. They have big hearts. We’ve shared that we feel welcomed here,” said Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.

Earlier this month, Green led a delegation of state lawmakers to Japan with a stop in Okinawa to commemorate Hawaii’s 40th anniversary of sister-state relations.

Everyone was warmly greeted by their Okinawan counterparts.

“We’re just like brothers, and we’re so proud of this relationship that we have between one another,” said Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki.

There were many business discussions including Okinawa’s renewable energy sources and more.

“They do a lot of special work with ocean-powered energy. We could do more of that. Some of the leadership from HECO is here. We’re looking forward to having more solar but all of the modalities to help us bridge to 2045,” said Green.

State Sen. Glenn Wakai traveled with Green, and said, “We have an opportunity to talk about everything from solar, ocean thermal dynamics, geothermal as well as the grid reliability. Those are all factors that we can actually convey and educate Okinawans on what we have done right and sometimes what we have done wrong.”

The Hawaii-Okinawa sister-state relation began in 1985 when Gov. George Ariyoshi was in office.

“Forty years ago, Gov. Ariyoshi set into motion our sister-state relationship with Okinawa. It is just extraordinary to remember that,” said Green.

What was also extraordinary was the attendance of a delegation of Hawaii Okinawans at the luncheon. The group traveled to Okinawa as part of a Heritage Tour to mark the 125th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to Hawaii.

Together, they enjoyed Okinawan cultural dances, fellowship and food to mark the historic anniversary between the two island communities combining business with pleasure.

“We see the opportunity because of the beautiful cultural connection between Japan and Hawaii, and it’s very comfortable for us than some other nations perhaps and our natural affinity for Japan,” said Green.

“We already have seen that we have done interactions with them on a sports level, education as well as commerce. These are four important partnerships to galvanize and actually make better in the next 40-plus years,” added Wakai.