GOVERNOR LINGLE TO STRENGTHEN = RELATIONS=20 WITH INDONESIA AND JAPAN

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For Immediate Release: May 16, 2007

HONOLULU =E2=80=93 Governor Linda Lingle announced = today she will=20 lead a 12-day business trip to Asia that will focus on increasing = security=20 and emergency preparedness partnerships between Hawai=E2=80=98i = and Indonesia, as=20 well as promoting tourism and business opportunities with = Japan. =20 During the trip, which will take place from June 9 to 22, the = Governor=20 will visit Jakarta, Indonesia, and Tokyo and Okinawa, Japan. = It will=20 be the Governor=E2=80=99s first official state visit to Indonesia = and her second=20 official visit to Japan as Governor of Hawai=E2=80=98i.

=E2=80=9CThis trip is another important = opportunity to continue to=20 strengthen Hawai=E2=80=98i=E2=80=99s strategic role in the = Asia-Pacific region,=E2=80=9D said=20 Governor Lingle. =E2=80=9CBuilding on the success of our = previous visits to=20 Japan and other parts of Asia, our Administration=E2=80=99s goals = are to further=20 enhance our relationships in tourism, expand and diversify = Hawai=E2=80=98i=E2=80=99s=20 economy and our ability to compete in the global market, = strengthen=20 security partnerships with our neighbors, provide opportunities = for our=20 young people to become leaders in the Pacific region, and increase = the=20 quality of life for all the people of = Hawai=E2=80=98i.=E2=80=9D

The Governor will be accompanied by members of the = Administration who will take part in various segments of the trip, = including Major General Robert Lee, state adjutant general; Marsha = Wienert, state tourism liaison; Dr. Chiyome Fukino, state health = director;=20 Sandra Lee Kunimoto, chair, Board of Agriculture; Kurt Kawafuchi, = state=20 tax director; JP Schmidt, state insurance commissioner; Craig = Watanabe,=20 captive insurance administrator, Department of Commerce and = Consumer=20 Affairs; Lenny Klompus, senior advisor-communications; Russell = Pang, chief=20 of media relations; and representatives from the Department of = Business,=20 Economic Development and Tourism.

Charles =E2=80=9CChip=E2=80=9D McCreery, = geophysicist-in-charge, Pacific=20 Tsunami Warning Center; Rex Johnson, president and CEO, = Hawai=E2=80=98i Tourism=20 Authority; Dr. Carl Wilhelm Vogel, director, Cancer Research = Center of=20 Hawai=E2=80=98i; and Major General Vern Miyagi, mobilization = assistant to the=20 commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), will also participate = in=20 portions of the trip.

In addition, officials from the East-West Center = (EWC),=20 including Terance =E2=80=9CTerry=E2=80=9D Bigalke, director, = education programs, and=20 Richard Baker, special assistant to the EWC president, will serve = as=20 advisors to the Governor on issues relating to Indonesia, Japan = and the=20 Asia-Pacific region.

Jakarta, Indonesia
The = first leg=20 of the trip will include a three-day visit to Jakarta to = inaugurate a=20 Hawai=E2=80=98i-Indonesia State Partnership with the = Hawai=E2=80=98i National Guard in=20 support of PACOM=E2=80=99s security cooperation strategy. = The partnership=20 program will offer opportunities for increased cooperation in the = areas of=20 mutual security cooperation, disaster preparedness, trade, = education and=20 tourism.

Governor Lingle will meet with Indonesia=E2=80=99s = minister of=20 defense and other cabinet members, as well as representatives of = the U.S.=20 Embassy. She will also participate in a roundtable = discussion with=20 the Indonesian Center for Security & International Services = and the=20 U.S.-Indonesia Society, tour the Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami = Research=20 Center, and visit with U.S. forces participating in a disaster = management=20 exercise. In addition, she will meet with Indonesian women = leaders=20 and participate in an interactive conference.

Tokyo, Japan
During her = second=20 official visit to Japan to promote tourism and business, Governor = Lingle=20 will meet with visitor industry partners to discuss = Hawai=E2=80=98i=E2=80=99s=20 long-standing relationship with Japan and garner support for = future and=20 specific tourism initiatives between Hawai=E2=80=98i and = Japan. The=20 delegation will also meet with business and government officials = to=20 discuss the potential of exporting potted anthuriums and Rainbow = papaya=20 from Hawai=E2=80=98i to Japan.

During the course of the seven-day visit to Tokyo, = the=20 Governor and members of her cabinet will also participate in = various=20 seminars to raise awareness of new opportunities in = Hawai=E2=80=98i in diverse=20 sectors such as insurance and life sciences. One seminar = will=20 provide Japanese businesses with updates on = Hawai=E2=80=98i=E2=80=99s growing captive=20 insurance market. Captive insurance is a type of formal=20 self-insurance, where large companies set up their own insurance = company=20 to cover its risks. Hawai=E2=80=98i has licensed more than = 205 captive=20 insurance companies, making it the top domicile in the Pacific = basin for=20 captives. Another seminar will focus on opportunities to = attract new=20 business, investments, potential partnerships, alliances and = research in=20 Hawai=E2=80=98i=E2=80=99s life sciences. The Governor and = women in her cabinet will=20 also participate in a women=E2=80=99s career forum.

Governor Lingle will also meet with sailors and = their=20 families stationed at the Yokosuka Naval Base, located = approximately 40=20 miles south of Tokyo.

Okinawa, Japan
The = final portion=20 of the trip, a two-day visit to Okinawa, will include a = celebration of the=20 Sister-State Relationship that was established between = Hawai=E2=80=98i and Okinawa=20 Prefecture in 1985. In addition, the delegation will = participate in=20 a seminar on science, technology and innovation, as well as visit = with=20 marines, airmen and their families stationed on Okinawa.

Expenses for Governor Lingle and two staff members = will be=20 paid for by the Governor=E2=80=99s budget. Other expenses = for cabinet=20 members and government officials will be paid for by their = department=E2=80=99s=20 respective budgets.

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For more information, contact:

Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor =E2=80=93=20 Communications
Phone: 808-586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: = 808-586-0043

Major General Robert Lee
State Adjutant = General
Phone:=20 808-733-4246

Marsha Wienert
Tourism Liaison
Phone: = 808-586-2362

Last=20 modified 05-17-2007 11:51 AM

Governor = Linda Lingle,=20 State of Hawai'i

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GOVERNOR LINGLE TO STRENGTHEN = RELATIONS=20 WITH INDONESIA AND JAPAN

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