Hatoyama made patron of Sarawak-Japan Friendship Club

0

Hatoyama (centre) receives the certificate of appointment as the club patron from Alexander while Ho looks on.

KUCHING: It was a significant moment for the Sarawak-Japan Friendship Club yesterday when it received a very important Japanese guest, Jiro Hatoyama, who has agreed to be the club patron.

Hatoyama is a member of the Japanese House of Representatives for Fukuoka 6th District since 2016.

After receiving his certificate of appointment as the club’s patron, he noted the similarities between Sarawak and his prefecture of Fukuoka in Kyushu, south of Japan, and hopes for greater cooperation between the two.

The 40-year-old is a fifth-generation politician. He is the second son of the late Kunio Hatoyama who served as a Cabinet minister from 1991 to 2009. The Hatoyama family is one of great political prominence, having produced two prime ministers in modern times, namely Ichirou Hatoyama who served from 1954 to 1956, and Yukio Hatoyama (2009 to 2010).

During the visit of Hatoyama and his delegation to the club’s house at Jalan Song Thian Cheok  here, two students delivered speeches in fluent Japanese, much to the delight of the visitors.

Hatoyama (seated, second left) flanked by Alexander (on his left), Fujii and others in a photo call.

Meanwhile, Sarawak-Japan Friendship Club president Dr Alexander Sayok expressed his gratitude for Hatoyama’s presence and patronage despite it being a small club.

He said the club has been self-supporting since its establishment in 2004, functioning as a Japanese language instruction and cultural exchange centre.

“The club (committee) has been working together to ensure the continuity and sustainability of this club. We have constant number of students studying with us.

“We are very grateful that the Japanese have been helping us, in particular with the exchange of teachers. We depend very much on the teachers who come here on short term (basis) and their salary and the facilities are all paid by the students’ fees actually,” he said.

Alexander added that they would work hard to ensure the club continues to function as a teaching (centre) of Japanese language.

“I hope that we will have more cooperation in the future,” he said to the club’s new patron.

Sarawak-Japan Friendship Club is managed by a team of professionals who graduated from Japanese universities and those who have undergone technical training in Japan. Besides conducting Japanese lessons, the club also organises cultural and social activities.

The club founder Tetsuo Fujii, secretary Ho Yun Choi and others were also present at the simple but meaningful ceremony.