Trump Meets Japan’s New Prime Minister During Asia Trip, Inks Deals
In one of her first major tasks as Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi met President Donald Trump in his first trip to Northeast Asia during his current administration. His trip comes amid a long-running domestic government shutdown, simmering trade conflicts with the People’s Republic of China over U.S. soybean imports and its stance on rare earth exports and North Korea running ballistic missile tests days before Trump’s arrival. Prior to Trump’s Tokyo arrival, he attended the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. In Tokyo, prior to Trump addressing U.S. and Japanese troops aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base, with Takaichi and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth present, the leaders of the two nations signed economic cooperation agreements that included pacts on rare earth minerals and natural gas, and $550 billion in Japanese investments in the U.S. Next on Trump’s itinerary was a visit to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, where he was expected to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and possibly Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Army Posthumously Promotes Varsity Victory Volunteers Killed in Action
Sgt. Daniel Betsui, Sgt. Jenhatsu Chinen, Sgt. Robert Murata, SSgt. Grover Nagaji, Pvt. Akio Nishikawa, Pfc. Hiroichi Tomita and Sgt. Howard Urabe — all seven born in the territory of Hawaii, all former cadets in the University of Hawaii’s ROTC program until their expulsion because of their Japanese ancestry, all members who served as enlisted soldiers in the segregated 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team and all killed in action while fighting for the United States during World War II — were all officially promoted to the rank of second lieutenant in late September by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll. According to the office of Rep. Jill Tokuda (D–Hawaii), a 2024 request to the Army from the Hawaii Congressional Delegation was made to review the military records of the seven men to consider promoting their respective ranks posthumously to become commissioned officers. “This is about acknowledging the history of our Nisei veterans and honoring their sacrifice the way it should have been honored 80 years ago,” Tokuda said. The University of Hawaii awarded all seven men posthumous bachelor’s degrees in 2012. The Army’s decision to grant these promotions was based on documentation and research provided by the University of Hawaii Army ROTC program.
Ichida, Hwang, Otera Recognized as 2025 Corporate Counsel Honorees
The Los Angeles Business Journal named Ayano Ichida, chief legal/general counsel of Aderans America Holdings Inc., as its Corporate Counsel of the Year (large private company). Also honored was Cristina Hwang, senior vp and associate general counsel at Hanmi Financial Corp., as Corporate Counsel of the Year (public company) and Steven Yutaka Otera, general counsel, Port of Los Angeles, as Corporate Counsel of the Year (nonprofit/government /municipal). The Los Angeles Angels have hired Kurt Kiyoshi Suzuki (see Page 8, April 16, 2010, Pacific Citizen, tinyurl.com/yc3d22t4) as the team’s manager.
— P.C. Staff
