[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 189 (Wednesday, November 29, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17789-S17790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING SHIM KANAZAWA, KINJI KANAZAWA, AND SPARK M. MATSUNAGA

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I would like to honor three 
extraordinary gifted individuals who share many things in common: love 
of country and an undying commitment to serve their fellow citizens. 
Shim and Kinji Kanazawa and our beloved colleague, the late Spark M. 
Matsunaga are to be commended for the time, effort and many years of 
outstanding service that they have given to improving the quality of 
life for the people of Hawaii. They are indeed role models that many 
can only hope to emulate.
  The eldest of 11 children of Torazo and Saki Rusaki, Shimeiji, or 
Shim as she is more familiarly known, was born in Kamuela, HI. She 
attended schools in Waimea, Hilo, and Boston.
  At the time when World War II broke out, Shim assisted the Swedish 
Vice-Consulate, which had the responsibility for protecting the 
interests of resident Japanese aliens. She advised the Vice-Consulate 
to provide a variety of services including assistance with business and 
personal affairs, reuniting internees with their families, arranging 
for transportation, and escorting many to the faraway camps. The 
American Red Cross later awarded Shim a special citation for the care 
and compassion she displayed to those she assisted.
  In 1946, while working for the Veterans Administration, Shim met her 
husband, Kinji. The following year they were married and immediately 
moved to Boston where Kinji attended law school and Shim studied at the 
Chamberlain School of Design and Retailing. Upon completion of their 
studies, they returned to Honolulu and Shim continued her work for the 
betterment of the community.
  Shim served as an active volunteer member of many organizations 
including the Lawyers Wives Club, for which she served as president, 
and the Commission on Children and Youth. Shim was the first nisei 
woman to serve on the board of Aloha United Way, and the first woman 
director and chair to serve on the board of Kuakini Medical Center. She 
was appointed by former Gov. William Quinn to chair the Life and Law 
Committee to study laws affecting family life and youth, which 
spearheaded the creation of the Family Court. Shim actively 
participated on the Elder Affairs Policy Advisory Board and chaired the 
Commission on Aging. She was also the driving force in the planning of 
Hawaii's participation in the White House Conference on Aging, serving 
as chair in 1981 and 1995, and for more than 10 years, Shim has been an 
active board member of the Moiliili Community Center.
  In 1990, on behalf of the Moiliili Hongwanji Mission, Shim applied 
for a grant from the National Federation of Interfaith Volunteer 
Caregiver and founded Project Dana, which developed into a very 
successful program of volunteer caregiving for the frail elderly. 
Today, she serves on the Robert Wood Johnson Faith in Action National 
Advisory Committee and is a trustee/treasurer of the National 
Federation of Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers.
  Shim's extraordinary efforts to care for and serve the community has 
earned her many honors. On May 13, 1990, the Board of Regents of the 
University of Hawaii at Manoa bestowed upon her the honorary degree of 
Humane Letters for her deep concern and humanitarian efforts to improve 
the quality of life for all people. On April 12, 1995, our State Senate 
honored Shim for her devoted and exemplary service to the people of 
Hawaii, and on May 11, 1995, the Public Schools Foundation honored her 
for her more than 20 years of continuous service as a full time 
executive volunteer at the local and national level.
  Kinji Kanazawa is the son of Sakijiro and Haru Kanazawa. He was born 
and raised in Moiliili with his twin brother Kanemi and five older 
sisters. Kinji attended Kuhio Elementary, Washington Intermediate, 
McKinley High School, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Kinji 
worked in real estate, and during World War II, for the Federal War 
Housing Administration which built about 1,000 temporary homes in Manoa 
Valley. After the war, he attended Boston University Law School.
  Kinji headed the State Real Estate Commission, taught at the 
University of Hawaii, and operated his own real estate school where he 
trained over 6,000 agents. On April 3, 1995, he was duly admitted as an 
Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States of 
America.
  Kinji is credited with saving the Moiliili Community Center during 
World War II, when most Japanese-owned land was confiscated by the 
Government under martial law. The military governor refused to allow 
the Moiliili Community Association to acquire the Japanese Language 
School unless the Japanese Board of Directors was replaced by 
caucasians. Kinji persuaded several caucasian community leaders to 
become board members. As soon as the emergency was over, they willingly 
resigned to enable the former Moiliili leaders to become board members. 
Kinji and I recently co-chaired the Capitol Fund Drive to construct the 
Weinberg Building which is now the Thrift Shop. He has continuously led 
the board of trustees of the Moiliili Community Center for the past 50 

[[Page S 17790]]
years. Kinji has also served the Moiliili Hongwanji Mission as the 
president of the temple organization for over 22 years.
  The late Spark M. Matsunaga was born on October 8, 1916, on the 
Island of Kauai, to Kingoro and Chiyono Matsunaga, who had emigrated 
from Japan to work on a sugar plantation. He worked at many jobs 
through high school and graduated with honors from the University of 
Hawaii, where he received a degree in education.
  At the time World War II broke out, Spark was a second lieutenant in 
the U.S. Army. When President Roosevelt permitted the formation of all-
Japanese units, Spark became a member of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 
which later became a part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Whatever 
assignments Spark received, he performed with skill and bravery. He 
fought in the historic battles of Monte Cassino, Anzio and the 
liberation of Rome. He was wounded twice and earned the Bronze Star 
Medal for heroism.
  Using the GI bill, Spark went to Harvard Law School and received his 
law degree. He went to work as an assistant prosecuting attorney in 
Honolulu and was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives 
from 1954 to 1959, and serving as majority leader in 1959.
  In 1962, Spark came to Washington and served in the U.S. House of 
Representatives for seven terms. In 1976, he was elected to the U.S. 
Senate. He served with much distinction as a member of the Finance 
Committee, where he was a ranking member, and chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Taxation and Debt Management; on the Labor and Human 
Resources Committee, and chairman of its Subcommittee on Aging; and on 
the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
  Spark will always be respected for his outstanding legislative record 
that fulfilled his visions of peace, international cooperation, and 
assistance to those in need. He had always wanted to be remembered as a 
friend of peacemakers. He never forgot the horrors of war. He was 
determined that our Nation would devote itself to the pursuit of peace. 
In 1984, Spark's 22 years of lobbying efforts resulted in the 
establishment of the U.S. Institute for Peace.
  As a ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Spark's 
imprint could be seen on virtually every major bill that passed the 
committee. In 1987, he engaged in efforts to establish a veterans 
medical center in Hawaii, to care for the aging and ailing military 
veterans. At that time, I committed myself to carrying on Spark's 
endeavor and ask that the veterans hospital would forever bear his 
name, in remembrance of his contributions on behalf of our Nation's 
veterans. I am pleased to report today, the Congress has appropriated 
approximately one-third of the total funds to establish the Spark M. 
Matsunaga Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and I remain 
hopeful that Spark's endeavor will someday become a reality.
  Spark was indeed a voice of compassion for the homeless, as well as 
the physically and mentally ill. When it may have been unpopular to do 
so, he waged a campaign for justice for Americans of Japanese ancestry 
who were interned during World War II. Spark went from office to office 
seeking cosponsors for a measure authorizing an apology and monetary 
reparations for Japanese-Americans whose patriotism was questioned. 
This measure was enacted in 1988.
  I will always remember Spark for these achievements, his friendly 
personality and love of Japanese poetry.
  Shim and Kinji Kanazawa's and the late Spark M. Matsunaga's 
extraordinary lifelong contributions to the State of Hawaii and to our 
Nation will not be forgotten.

                          ____________________