Japanese members met in Tokyo’s Grand Palace Hotel on 10 January 2010 for our annual Barrio Fiesta gathering. This was the 29th meeting, attended by 48 former colleagues and spouses, honoring former President Taroichi Yoshida.
President and Mrs Yoshida were pleased to seethe members once again, ushering in the coming ofthe new year. This year’s gathering was an especially happy occasion, celebrating President Yoshida turning90 years of age in December 2009. He recalled his hardwartime experience in Maizuru and Fukui, cities facingthe Japan Sea. He twice risked his life during attacksby enemy fighter and bomber planes. Having sufferedillness and malnutrition, his doctor advised him that hewould not be able to live beyond 40 years. He is nowfit despite his age and is still able to drive around hisneighborhood with caution.
Sitting (L–R): Mrs Yoshitomi, Mrs Hida, Yasuko Sunagawa, Mrs Kanamoto, Isao Kanamoto, Michiko Segawa, Taroichi Yoshida, Mrs Yoshida, Haruhisa Segawa, Mrs Watanabe, Mrs and Mr KunioTakase, Mr. Yukinori Watanabe and Mr Yuzo Akatsuka.
Standing (2nd row): Hiroshi Hida, Masataka Yoshitomi, Mrs Furuki, Mrs Yajima, Mrs Nakagawa, Mrs Sato, Mrs Fuse, Mrs Nomoto, Mrs Taniguchi, Mrs Arao Abe, Mrs Takashi Kobayashi and Mrs Kariya.
Standing (3rd row): Makoto Sunagawa, Takashi Kobayashi, Hideki Abe, Masaaki Kushida, Takashi Yajima, Mrs Nagase, Eiji Kobayashi, Arao Abe, Michiko Sugisaki, Shigemitsu Sugisaki and Mrs Takahashi and Shoji Takahashi.
Standing (4th row): Shinichiro Mitsuhashi, Takashi Taniguchi, Hirosumi Takahashi, Akio Sato, Yasuhide Nakagawa, Tomohiro Ishiguro, Tomiaki Nagase, Yorio Murakami, Motomu Kariya, and Fumio Yasunaga.
Mr Segawa proposed a toast, wishing a happy newyear for everybody. He remembered that the late FormerPresident of the Republic of Korea, Mr Kim Dae-Jung,was abducted by KCIA agents from this hotel in August1973.
After lunch, Mr Sato spoke on his activities at the National Diet as its member. Mr Takashi Kobayashi reported on his hotel reconstruction project. He advised members that the Barrio Fiesta will be able to return to his hotel in 2 years, upon its completion.
Thanks to Messrs Hida, Takahashi, Yoshitomi, and Mitsuhashi, the organizers for the year, the happy fiesta was concluded. This annual event gives members a good opportunity to recall their Manila days. Time flies indeed!