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Ginoza Sonjin Kai

Notes by Yukio Toguchi: Ginoza Sonjinkai members have been very active in the United Okinawan Association: Dan Tsukayama (1961) and Yuichi Ige (1967) served as Association presidents; Yukio Toguchi and Howard Ige served as chairmen of the scholarship committee; Dan Tsukayama (1961), Yuichi Ige (1967) and Yukio Toguchi (1968) were selected as delegates on the Friendship Mission to Okinawa; and Yeichi Shinsato was chosen “Man of the Year” in 1972. Club members have also been involved in several projects beneficial to Okinawa. Between 1959 and 1961 a group organized by Uichi Ige, Gensuke Nakama, Kozen Nakama, Koroku Nakama, and the late Chokichi Ige shipped nearly half a million pineapple seedlings to Okinawa, helping to establish the pineapple industry there. Chokichi Ige was also partly responsible for bringing about the Farm Youth Training Program, under which many Okinawan youths received agricultural experience in Hawaii. In 1961 Dan Tsukayama, while serving as a Friendship Mission delegate, was instrumental in getting Ginoza-son, Okinawa, provided with electricity.