Rainbownesia in Micronesia

Japan and Pohnpei celebrated the completion of the extension of the runway at Pohnpei International Airport on June 9, 2012 with the first-ever direct flight from Japan carrying 120 Japanese friends. Along on the flight were His Excellency Yoshiro Mori and also Goodwill Ambassador Mr. Hideaki Takizawa, a famous actor from Japan. This project was affectionately dubbed “Rainbownesia,” was first initiated by the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and carried out by Task Forces of both FSM and Japan.

The delegation stayed from June 9-13 and was treated with a warm welcoming committee complete with bestowal of local leis at the airport, children waving flags on the roads, and enjoyed local dances, songs and various local foods at the several occasions including a reception held at Pohnpei’s Cliff Rainbow Hotel. They also visited popular tourists sites such as the Ruins of Nan Madol and experienced the beautiful and exotic nature of the islands.

Among them, some of the visitors who had family ties with known families in Chuuk such as the Aizawa family and Nakayama family visited Chuuk to renew these ties. They also visited the gravesites of the paramount chief Mr. Aizawa of Chuuk and the first FSM President, Tosiwo Nakayama, and also of Japanese soldiers who died during the war. They also included visits to local Chuuk organizations such as the Chuuk Women’s Council. The trip successfully concluded on the June 13th and though they have left the FSM, they remain “friends of Micronesia”.