Japanese royal couple on first official US visit

HONOLULU — Prince Akishino, the second son of Japan's Emperor Akihito, and his wife, Princess Kiko, are making their first official visit together to the U.S.

The Japanese royal couple is in Hawaii this week as part of a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants arriving in the islands.

Akishino and Kiko laid a white wreath with peace lilies on Monday at the National Cemetery of the Pacific in remembrance of soldiers who died during World War II and the Vietnam War.

The couple was accompanied by cemetery director James Horton, and Adm. Phil Davidson, who became last week the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, the American military's Pacific headquarters.


They also laid a second white wreath at Ehime Maru Memorial in downtown Honolulu's Kakaako Waterfront Park, which commemorates Japanese lives lost when a U.S. submarine collided with a Japanese ship in 2001.

On Tuesday, the royal couple will plant a tree in Thomas Square, visit the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, and attend dinner with Gov. David Ige at his residence, Washington Place.

The Hawaiian-inspired menu features local ingredients with Japanese touches, such as oysters from Kualoa Farm served with yuzukosho, a Japanese condiment typically made of chilis, yuzu peel and salt.

Other dishes include pipikaula short rib with meat from Kauai, a throwback to a spiced treat similar to beef jerky eaten by Hawaiian cowboys, and steamed moi, called "the king's fish," as only royalty were allowed to eat it, according to Cindy McMillan, a spokeswoman for Ige. The ogo, or seaweed, relish for the fish will contain herbs from the Washington Place garden.

The royals will also taste poke with locally-caught ahi tuna and feast on a dessert of miso-pecan ice cream -- all dishes created by Honolulu chef Chris Kajioka of city restaurants Vintage Cave and Senia.
Emperor Akihito announced in December that he would abdicate the Chrysanthemum Throne at the end of April 2019, after reigning for 30 years. His eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, is expected to succeed the following day. Akishino, 52, would then take on the role of crown prince.

Akihito has one daughter, Sayako Kuroda, who married a commoner and gave up her title of princess in 2005. Women are not allowed to ascend the throne.

The royal couple visited Brazil in 2015 and Chile in 2017 to mark the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

source: philstar.com

12 US Marines missing after chopper collision off Hawaii

HONOLULU -- High waves for the next several days will hamper the search for 12 Marines missing at sea after two helicopters collided near the island of Oahu in Hawaii, US Coast Guard officials said on Friday.

Two Coast Guard cutters and several Coast Guard aircraft were searching, along with two US Navy warships and local police and fire department helicopters, the Coast Guard said.

A safety zone has been set up from the shoreline that matches up with the accident site to 8 miles (13 km) out to sea, the Coast Guard said.

"We've seen debris through the entire area," said Lieutenant Scott Carr, a Coast Guard spokesman. He added the high surf was expected to last until at least Tuesday.

The CH-53E helicopters, belonging to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from the Marine Corps Air Station at Kaneohe Bay, were reported to have collided just before midnight local time, Coast Guard spokeswoman Sara Mooers said.

The wide-ranging search for the Marines was hampered by high surf and poor visibility from rain storms. The National Weather Service warned that a northwest swell would bring 35 foot to 45 foot (11 meter to 14 meter) surf to the area through Friday.

"It's very difficult to find things right now," Carr said.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted debris in the water off the town of Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu but they did not find passengers.

The debris field spanned more than 7 miles off the coast, the Coast Guard said.

"Thoughts & prayers are with our Marines & their families in Hawaii as search efforts continue," General Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, said in a message on Twitter.

No distress call was issued by either aircraft. Authorities were notified by a man standing on the beach who saw a fireball over the ocean after seeing the helicopters flying in that area, Carr said at a news conference.

source: interaksyon.com