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22 Feb 2019
By Junhan B. Todiño – junhan@mvariety.com – Variety News Staff
THE Zenkoji Buddhist group donated $500 cash to the Saipan mayor’s office for typhoon recovery program, the mayor’s special assistant Henry Hofschneider said.
The Buddhist group headed by its high priest Takanori Wakaomi presented the donation during his visit at the mayor’s office.
The high priest expressed his group’s wish that the donation will be used to help some of the typhoon victims.
Hofschneider received the donation on behalf of Mayor David M. Apatang who was on Guam.
“The people of Saipan and Mayor Apatang are very grateful for the thoughts and action of Zenkoji,” Hofschneider said. “Your donation will help some who are in need of assistance,” he told the high priest.
Hofschneider said over 40 years since it erected monuments on Saipan and Tinian, the Zenkoji Buddhist group from Nagano City has been visiting the islands every two years to offer prayers to those who lost their lives during World War II.
“Our commitment is to continue praying to the war dead and for world peace and understanding. Our mission is to continue visiting Saipan and Tinian every two years,” Wakaomi said.
Zenkoji has a monument in Marpi, Saipan, and another on Tinian.
This year, only 14 group members visited Saipan. In previous years, the Zenkoji high priest was usually accompanied by as many as 40 members.
“This year’s travel to Saipan was especially difficult because of the flight situation,” the high priest said. “We had to lay over in Guam and fly to Saipan the following day.”
The high priest and his group returned to Japan on Thursday, Feb. 21.
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http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/110849-japan-buddhist-group-donates-cash-for-saipan-mayor-s-post-typhoon-recovery-program