Takeshi Onaga’s wife and son make donation aiming to break cycle of child poverty in Okinawa
On September 6 at the Prefectural Office Vice Governor Kiichiro Jahana (third from the left) receives a donation for the Okinawa Children’s Future Foundation from the late Governor Takeshi Onaga's wife Mikiko (second from the left) and their son Yuichiro (far left).
September 6, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition
The late Takeshi Onaga died on August 8 at the age of 67 while serving as governor of Okinawa.
On September 6 his widow, Mikiko, and their eldest son, Yuichiro, visited the Prefectural Office to make a return gift for all the gifts received from prefectural citizens at Onaga’s funeral.
This return gift was a donation of 2 million yen to the Okinawa Children’s Future Foundation.
Mikiko said: “Onaga was troubled by child poverty in Okinawa being double that of the national average, and he worked desperately to break the cycle of poverty.
No matter how huge and close military base issues come to be, I want use this opportunity to develop preparedness to support children.”
Vice Governor Kiichiro Jahana is also the chair of the Okinawa Children’s Future Foundation. Jahana said: “The governor said that he would take care of all the adults’ responsibilities that he could. He even pursued surveys and accumulated 100 million yen in funds. I will firmly carry through [the governor’s] wishes and make efforts to counter child poverty.”
As he spoke, thinking back on Governor Onaga while he was alive, Vice Governor Jahana’s voice broke and his eyes reddened.
Mikiko, wiping away tears, encouraged Jahana to follow through with his plans on combating child poverty.
Mikiko also donated to the Naha City Child Future Support Project Propulsion Fund and the Henoko Fund, which aims to stop construction of the Futenma replacement facility in Henoko.
In 2016 the Okinawa Children’s Future Foundation appointed Governor Onaga as its top official, establishing itself as an organization of both the government and the people.
Governor Onaga naturally made efforts such as calling on major industries in Okinawa to help out by making donations to the fund.
He was able to concentrate his efforts into resolving a variety of problems that affect children in Okinawa.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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