July 16, 2009 - Governor's Weekly Radio Address - Their Majesties' Visit

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Aloha,

The State of Hawai`i was honored this week to welcome Their Majesties Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko back to Hawai`i for their sixth visit. 

The royal couple's three day visit to Honolulu and the Big Island highlights the important relationship between our two cultures and the deep influence of the Japanese community in Hawai`i. It was my great privilege to host Their Majesties for a state luncheon at Washington Place, the home of Hawai`i's last reigning monarch, Queen Lili`uokalani. 

As neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan and Hawai`i have enjoyed incredibly strong ties since the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawai`i in 1868. Since then, Japanese influence has become a vibrant component of Hawai`i's rich cultural diversity.

As Hawai`i commemorates 50 years of statehood and works to solidify the vision for our state in the next 50 years, we look forward to building on the relationship with our friends in Japan.

Mahalo. This is Governor Linda Lingle.