Honoring our History and our Ties in Marpi

March 13, 2026 Newsletters Image I began my week back home by attending a solemn ceremony in Marpi organized by representatives of the Government of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties. The ceremony marked the cremation of Japanese war dead recently recovered through the ongoing efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of those lost during the Battle of Saipan. Events like this serve as a reminder of the deep history our islands still hold and the many lives lost during the war. I was grateful for the opportunity to pay my respects and to witness the care and dignity with which these recovery efforts are carried out.