STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3509

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 125

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.R. No. 125 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE TO BEGIN PLANNING TO COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS IN JAPAN TO APPROPRIATELY RECOGNIZE THE EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR II, INCLUDING THE ATOMIC BOMBINGS AND LIVES LOST IN JAPAN AND HAWAII THROUGHOUT THE WAR, AND REAFFIRM A COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THESE TRAGEDIES ARE NEVER REPEATED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the State to begin planning to collaborate with partners in Japan to appropriately recognize the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War II, including the atomic bombings and lives lost in Japan and Hawaii throughout the war, and reaffirm a commitment to ensuring these tragedies are never repeated.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Japanese Cultural Center.

Your Committee finds that August 2025 will mark the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the conclusion of World War II in the Pacific. Your Committee further finds that during World War II, Hawaii and Japan lost countless lives in the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the atomic bombings, and in battles throughout the Pacific theater and around the world. Your Committee concludes that properly recognizing and honoring the lives lost in World War II, particularly at the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, will reaffirm the lessons learned from these tragedies, strengthen mutual respect and understanding between our people, and reaffirm the deep friendship between Japan and Hawaii for new and future generations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 125 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair