The UH Mānoa Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) is delighted to announce the establishment of the Tad and Lillian Yajima Memorial Fund (UH Foundation fund #210-1810-3), an endowment created in July 2024 that honors the legacy of Tad and Lillian Noda Yajima’s lifelong dedication to the local Japanese American community and volunteerism. Their involvement with the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Cherry Blossom Festival, and other efforts to perpetuate Japanese culture resonates not only in the organizations’ programs but through subsequent generations of leaders who, inspired by the Yajimasʻ dedication, carry on such vital work.

This $50,000 endowment, established through their daughter Lenny Yajima’s recruitment of over one hundred friends, families, and community donors, will provide valuable support to UHM students who are making meaningful contributions to their communities through their Japanese language and culture skills in Hawaiʻi or abroad. Particular attention will be given to students participating in the Ehime summer internship program (please see this update about the 2024 Summer interns’ activities in Ehime). We are especially grateful to Lenny for partnering with CJS and the UH Foundation and for her generosity and dedication to establishing the endowment. Lenny’s efforts through this endowment will also contribute to strengthening the sister-state relationship between the State of Hawaiʻi and Ehime Prefecture.

CJS Director Mark Levin adds, “With this endowment, we are able to provide lasting opportunities and invest in the future of our students who aspire to work on Hawaiʻi-U.S.-Japan relations. We are deeply grateful to Lenny and the many donors who have contributed for their generosity, vision, and trust in our stewardship.”

For more information on the Tad and Lillian Yajima Memorial Fund, please contact Eriza Bareng, PhD, Senior Director of Development, at Eriza.Bareng@uhfoundation.org, or click here to donate.