LĪHU‘E – Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami issues the following statement on the assassination of former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the untimely death of Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister of Japan. His kindness and leadership have touched us all, especially here on Kaua‘i where our ties with Japan are tightly knit. While I did not have the opportunity to meet him in person, I was fortunate to travel to Japan in 2019, where we met members of his delegation and was treated with the utmost respect and aloha. On behalf of the Kaua‘i community, we express our sincere condolences to Prime Minister Abe’s wife Akie, his family and loved ones, and the people of Japan, along with our four sister cities of Suo Oshima, Ishigaki, Moriyama, and Iwaki, as we mourn together this incredible loss.” – Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami.
The above statement was also sent to the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu.