STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1690

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 25

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on International Affairs and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 25, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO KEEP, IN PERPETUITY, THE EHIME MARU MEMORIAL AT ITS PRESENT LOCATION AT KAKAAKO WATERFRONT PARK AND REQUESTING THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY NOT TO PERMIT ANY ALCOHOL-DISPENSING VENUE TO BE LOCATED ON THE MOUND ON WHICH THE EHIME MARU MEMORIAL IS LOCATED,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to strongly urge the Hawaii Community Development Authority to keep, in perpetuity, the Ehime Maru Memorial at its present location at Kakaako Waterfront Park.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Wahiawa-Waialua Hiroshima Kenjin Kai, Ehime Maru Memorial Association, Saint Louis School, Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, and four individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Jesse K. Souki, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, in his individual capacity, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Ehime Maru Memorial at Kakaako Waterfront Park is a landmark of historical and cultural significance.  The memorial is a reminder of the tragedy that occurred on February 9, 2001, when the United States Navy submarine U.S.S. Greeneville was demonstrating an emergency surfacing maneuver and collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishing boat carrying students and teachers.  As a result of the incident, the Ehime Maru sank and nine Japanese nationals, including four students and two teachers from the Uwajima Fisheries High School lost their lives.  The people of Ehime Prefecture and the State of Hawaii regard the Ehime Maru Memorial as a solemn remembrance of the individuals who died that day.  Your Committee further finds that the memorial should be protected from being used for certain permitted activities and maintained in its current location at Kakaako Waterfront Park and that any relocation of the memorial would be an affront to the nine individuals who died, their families, and the people of Japan and Hawaii.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 25, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs and the Arts,

 

 

 

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair