福島県会津若松市は、サトウキビ王として有名な松江春次氏の出身地です。 ここサイパンとは縁のある都市です。
Aizu Wakamatsu mayor visits Saipan
By RIANNE PANGELINAN
REPORTER
Aizu Wakamatsu City Mayor Ichiro Kanke led a large delegation of city officials to the Sugar King Park yesterday for a tree planting ceremony dedicated to the memory of Sugar King Haruji Matzue, and to memorialize a sister-city relationship between Saipan and the Japanese city.
Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela joined the mayor and his delegation in planting three fruit trees near the Sugar King monument. The three fruit trees were soursoup, atis, and Chamorro Kiwi.
The planting of the fruit trees, Tudela said, was to commemorate Kanke's return to the island and to signify the continuing growth of the relationship between Saipan and the city of Aizu Wakamatsu.
Haruji Matsue, the famous “Sugar King” business entrepreneur who founded the Nanyo Kohatsu Kaisha, or NKK, company and for whom the Sugar King Park is named after, was from the city of Aizu Wakamatsu.
Matsue came to Saipan in 1929 and started his sugar manufacturing business.
This business, Tudela said, brought prosperity to Saipan. “Today a 25-foot statue in Garapan stands in the middle of the park, signifying the great contribution this individual has made in the development of Saipan,” Tudela said.
“There are very few historical statues of Japan located outside our country. One is of a famous Japanese bacteriologist, Hideo Noguchi, located in Mexico and one is of the famous “Sugar King” Haruji Matsue, located here on Saipan. They are both from the city of Aizu Wakamatsu,” Kanke said.
Two years ago on Sept. 22, 2006, Tudela and Kanke signed an amicable sister-city agreement between Saipan and Aizu Wakamatsu City.
Yesterday morning, Tudela, Kanke, chairman Toyohiko Tazawa, and head of the Association of the Chief of Wards Kanichi Ohashi planted three fruit trees adjacent to the Sugar King monument.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, Tazawa said, “We hope for the continuing health and happiness of all the people in Saipan.”
この日はサイパン市長主催の歓迎レセプションがホテルで行なわれ、ご招待を受け出席させて頂きました。
会津若松市市長とサイパン市長、そして日本からいらした交流団の方々です。
この後は、子供達のダンスパフォーマンスなどがあり、和やかな雰囲気で終始笑顔があふれていました。
Tree Planting(By Saipan Tribune)
Aya Matsumoto translates to Japanese the speech of Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela during the tree planting ceremony at the Sugar King Park in Garapan Thursday morning.
翌日は、松江春次氏の銅像があるシュガーキング公園で記念植樹式典が行なわれました。
２年前に植樹をしたパンの木が大きく育ち、今年はその横にナッツ、アチョテ、サワーサップの木を植えました。
戦争中は、これらの実を食料にして飢えを忍んだとの説明がありました。
松江春次氏の銅像の前で、両市長の熱い握手がありました。
この銅像は、７ｍ７０ｃｍもあります。 戦争の戦火にも免れて今も堂々と建っています。
今回、参加されたみなさんの記念撮影です。
この中に戦争前からサイパンに住んでいた人がいらっしゃいます。
その方のお話の中に、ビーチロードにある【メリケン松】は、サトウキビ工場の燃料になる為に、住民によって植樹されたそうです。 南洋桜も季節感のないサイパンに季節感を持たせる為に桜と名づけたそうです。
この交流が末永く益々発展されますことをお祈り申し上げます。
