EHIME MARU MEMORIAL CEREMONY - FEBRUARY 9, 2019

On Saturday, February 9, 2019, the Ehime Maru Memorial Association (EMMA) held a remembrance ceremony for the 19th anniversary of the collision between the USS Greeneville and the Uwajima Fisheries High School training ship Ehime Maru. The Ehime Maru suffered the loss of 9 lives, including 4 students, 2 teachers and 3 crew members.

Five family members who lost loved ones traveled from Japan to Honolulu for this occasion. Also traveling from Uwajima City were students and teachers from the Uwajima Fisheries High School. Consul General Koichi Ito, Lieutenant Governor Josh Green and Mayor Kirk Caldwell along with over 50 members of the community also attended the service at the Ehime Maru Memorial in Kaka’ako Waterfront Park.

While offering his condolences to the 9 souls and their families, Mayor Caldwell spoke a word of comfort to them; “we will always be here for you and you are always welcome here.”

A representative of the bereaved families, Mr. Tatsuyoshi Mizuguchi, who lost his 17-year-old son, the only one whose remains could not be found, said “I am so grateful for warm hospitality and help that the people of Hawaii provided for us to heal our pain and grief throughout years.”

JASH serves as the administrator of the Ehime Maru Memorial Association and works to preserve the memory of the lives lost in this tragic accident, and to maintain the memorial in perpetuity.