Foreign Minister's Commendation Ceremony honoring the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans

On December 9, 2025, representatives from the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) were invited to the official residence of the Consul General of Japan in Honolulu for the 2025 Foreign Minister’s Commendation Conferment Ceremony. It was an honor to accept the Commendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for Club 100’s role in establishing mutual understanding between Japan and Hawaii, as well as the USA.

100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) representatives and 100th/442nd veteran Dr. Takashi Manago (Able Co.), with Consul General of Japan in Honolulu Hideaki Chotoku, and former First Lady Jean Ariyoshi. [Photo by: Clyde Sugimoto]

President Kathi Hayashi accepted the Commendation from Consul General of Japan in Honolulu Hideaki Chotoku, expressing appreciation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi and former minister Takeshi Iwaya. She also thanked Consul General Hideaki Chotoku and former Consul General Yoshinori Kodama and staff for the hard work to prepare the documentation, justification and testimony to be granted this coveted award, one of 51 granted worldwide in 2025.

2025 Foreign Minister's Certificate of Commendation received by the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100). Provisional English Translation: The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans has made significant contributions to fostering mutual understanding between Japan and the United States, thereby enhancing friendship and goodwill between Japan and other nations. I wish to extend my deepest respect to you and formal recognition for your commendable achievements.

This commendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is significant because it recognizes 80 years of dedicated work by Club 100 members to foster healing, promote peace, and collaborate toward mutual understanding and Aloha between Japan and the United States.

Immediately after the end of WWII, Club 100 members started fundraising to help post war victims in Japan. They helped to send clothing, food, and one member – 100th veteran Thomas “Taro” Higa successfully led an effort to send 550 breeding pigs to Okinawa to restart their pork industry to feed the people. 100th veteran Dr. Katsumi Kometani was instrumental in making it possible for Japan to be readmitted to the Olympic Games. The veterans participated in Kuakini Hospital’s Honolulu Heart Program, which studied the effect of diet on Japanese men living in Hawai‘i and Japan. It is one of the longest studies and has resulted in the world benefiting from knowledge on stroke, heart attack, cholesterol, stress and other factors.

Representatives from Japan reached back to foster mutual recognition of the importance of peace. Singer Hibari Misora came to Hawai‘i and helped raise funds for the 100th veterans to build their 100th Infantry Battalion Memorial Building (Clubhouse) to fulfill their mission “For Continuing Service.” We’ve been honored with many dignitaries from Japan visiting our Clubhouse to pay respect to the men of the 100th.

In 2018, Taro Kono, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense of Japan visited and established bonds with the 100th.

In May 2024, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara took time from his busy schedule meeting with Ministers from the USA, Australia and the Philippines to visit the 100th Clubhouse, where we shared information and together prayed with the lighting of senko. These acts of kindness, like this Commendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, mean so much and we feel even more passion to work together toward peace and understanding.

Currently, we are happy to receive many visitors from Japan, like the recent visit by students of the Nagaoka International Exchange Association that visited last Friday. They shared excellent presentations about the 100th soldiers and peace initiatives. We were also blessed to receive and make friends with “hibakusha,” who share their suffering so this never happens again.

To keep the 100th legacy alive, we work with students on our educational program, Legacy2Action in partnership with Central Pacific Bank, the UH Center on Aging and ʻIolani School. Students identify a problem facing Hawaiʻi and using the high-performance values of the 100th (Giri, Gaman, Ganbari, etc.) create a community service solution.

We are also working with Director Steve Sue on a documentary about the 100th, 442nd and 522nd called, “The 100TH, Seeds of Aloha.”

Our hearts are filled with hope that we can continue to help one another and work in harmony.