Five years have already passed since I came here. I resigned as an overseas minister at the end of March. I could not believe that I spent 5 years in Hawaii but enjoyed my life. Some of you know why I need to go back to Japan. It is because I have to be a successor of my grandmasterÅfs temple. I will take over his temple a few years later. I could not refuse this order, so I will return to Japan.

As I became an overseas minister, I am very happy to meet all of you. If I do not have a faith in Nichiren Buddhism, if I did not become a minister, if I did not wish to become an overseas minister, I would not have been able to meet you. Because I became an overseas minister, I could notice how important it is to study English. When I came here, I was so nervous. However, after I could communicate with members in English, I felt so happy and enjoyed my Hawaiian life. I could communicate with other countries' Nichiren-shu members and we have the connection of same faith because I became an overseas minister.

Some members said to me that I will miss the ocean of Hawaii and I really think so. The experiences of Hawaii for five years are a very important and precious point in my life. I wish to work hard in Japan with my precious experiences.