IV
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. RES. 29
Recognizing the 125th anniversary of organized Okinawan immigration to
the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY9, 2025
Ms. T
OKUDA(for herself, Mr. CASE, and Ms. SA´NCHEZ) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 125th anniversary of organized Okinawan
immigration to the United States.
Whereas, on January 8, 1900, 26 contract laborers from the
island of Okinawa led by Mr. Kyuzo Toyama arrived in
Honolulu, Hawai’i, aboard the S.S. City of China, mark-
ing the first organized immigration of Okinawan people
to the United States;
Whereas the first Okinawan to arrive in the United States
was Mr. Keizo Kawatsu, who arrived in the United
States in 1889 through Vancouver, Canada, passing
through Los Angeles, California, before settling in Phoe-
nix, Arizona;
Whereas the territory of Hawai’i was a major destination for
organized Okinawan migration in a diaspora that has
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since extended across North America, South America,
and beyond;
Whereas there is estimated to be over 100,000 people of Oki-
nawan descent living in the United States, with approxi-
mately half of that number residing in the State of Ha-
wai’i;
Whereas the Okinawan community has made significant con-
tributions to government, business, the military, edu-
cation, and other sectors in the United States;
Whereas, during the Second World War, American soldiers of
Okinawan heritage fought bravely alongside Japanese
American nisei soldiers in the 442d Regimental Combat
Team, the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 552d Field Ar-
tillery Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service;
Whereas, during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945,
servicemembers of Okinawan heritage in the Military In-
telligence Service engaged in life-saving translation and
interpretation services to convince the local population to
surrender to United States forces, allowing the distribu-
tion of humanitarian aid to the local population that had
suffered greatly during the war;
Whereas to provide further humanitarian aid to Okinawa fol-
lowing the Second World War, Okinawan Americans
gathered donations and worked with the United States
military to deliver shipments of clothes, medicine, school
supplies, and livestock to Okinawa;
Whereas Okinawan Americans have established community
cultural organizations to promote collaboration and diver-
sity across the country, including in over 50 Okinawan
Kenjinkai organizations in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Illinois,
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Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Min-
nesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico,
New York, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wash-
ington, and the District of Columbia;
Whereas Okinawan Americans have held top positions in gov-
ernment, business, the military, and education, includ-
ing—
(1) the Honorable David Ige, former Governor of the
State of Hawai’i, the first Okinawan American elected
Governor of a United States State;
(2) General (ret.) Paul Nakasone, former Com-
mander of United States Cyber Command and former
Director of the National Security Agency, the first four-
star General of Okinawan ancestry;
(3) Mr. Keith Hayashi, Superintendent of the Ha-
wai’i State Department of Education;
(4) Mr. David Roberts, Manager of the Los Angeles
Dodgers, the first Manager of Asian heritage to lead a
team to the World Series and to a World Series title;
(5) Mr. Mark Taira, Chief Executive Officer and
President of King’s Hawaiian Bakery;
(6) Mr. Roy Yamaguchi, celebrity chef and
restauranteur;
(7) Ms. Lynne Yoshiko Nakasone, Okinawan dance
performer, choreographer, and instructor recognized by
the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Her-
itage Fellow in 2012;
(8) Mr. Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso and
composer; and
(9) Ms. Tamilyn Tomita, actress;
Whereas Okinawan Americans have perpetuated their unique
cultural identity, history, and indigenous languages as
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recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
Whereas Okinawa is the birthplace of karate, and Okinawan
immigrants introduced and spread the martial art and its
distinct styles, including Shorin-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, Uechi-
Ryu, and Shito-Ryu, to Hawai’i, the United States, and
the world;
Whereas the year 2025 also marks the anniversary of many
sister-State and sister-city relationships between Okinawa
and the United States, including—
(1) the 40th anniversary of the Hawai’i-Okinawa
Sister State Relationship;
(2) the 65th anniversary of the Honolulu-Naha Sis-
ter City Relationship;
(3) the 62d anniversary of the Kauai County-
Ishigaki Sister City Relationship;
(4) the 60th anniversary of the Maui County-
Miyakojima Sister City Relationship;
(5) the 39th anniversary of the Hawai’i County-
Nago Sister City Relationship;
(6) the 23d anniversary of the Lakewood, Wash-
ington-Okinawa City Sister City Relationship;
(7) the 14th anniversary of the Hawai’i County-
Kumejima Sister City Relationship;
(8) the 12th anniversary of the Redondo Beach,
California-Itoman City Sister City Relationship; and
(9) the 5th anniversary of the Honolulu-Kin Friend-
ship Agreement; and
Whereas Okinawan Americans will continue to perpetuate
and share their unique cultural identity and heritage and
foster deeper relationships between the peoples of Oki-
nawa and the United States: Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1
(1) recognizes the 125th anniversary of Oki-2
nawan immigration to the United States and the 3
historic contributions of Okinawan Americans to the 4
Nation; 5
(2) reaffirms the unique cultural and people-to- 6
people ties between the United States and Okinawa; 7
and 8
(3) urges the people of the United States to 9
honor the 125th anniversary of Okinawan immigra-10
tion to the United States with appropriate programs 11
and activities. 12
Æ
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