It does turns to a dark suit, with her only son, at his side, as well.
They are in a white dress, with her only daughter at her side as maid of honor.
But when they promise to love, honor and obey, because they are traditional wedding vows eight weeks from now, it is still undecided, the new wife of Daniel K. Inouye’s actually Senators name.
“We are still on the job, by the,” said Irene Hirano, the small and elegant 59-year-old Los Angeles Museum Executive accepts the marriage proposal of a year ago by a Hawai’i’s 83-year - old senior senator.
“She has her career,” he said, adding jokingly that he had a card saying, “Women and the American Senator Daniel Inouye,” with reserve “also known as Irene Hirano.
On May 24, the couple got married in a small private service in Los Angeles with their families. Inouye, said last week that his son, Kenneth, who is already on the modalities of stress.
“Do not worry,” he reassured the senator.
“We believe that it is small and easy,” said Hirano. “I have yet to make flowers.”
In the traditional mode, Hirano Inouye asked the family, including her mother 83 years, Jean Yasutake, two younger sisters and a brother, for allowing me Irene, a divorced.
“Agreed,” said Inouye, “but a sister saw me and said,” How many times can we expect that with her? “I said,” Six times. “She said,” Very well, six times a month, and I said: ‘No, six times a year. ”
But his son, the terms of the authorization which was, he needed to hear.
Ken, the only senator of the child, was particularly close to his mother, Margaret “Maggie” Inouye, died of cancer 2006, after erliegend. Inouye and were married 57 years.
“The most important is the reaction of my son,” said Inouye. “And he said,” Dad, you even exceeded. ”
After the marriage ceremony - Chosen, on the occasion of the opening of the cavity United States Senate - the couple is a five-day honeymoon and then fly back to Washington, DC, where Hirano is capable of a great speech.
But the senator has already started indoctrinating his fiancée to be saints with some Hawai’i inches.
‘I had to Zippy’s, “he says with a laugh.” And New Eagle Cafe.
Girls designated local Portuguese sausages and eggs. And all this done.
“It’s a matter Irene, it is not only chew, it ends,” said one admirer Inouye as his bride-to-be shot knocked him a look.
With marriage, barely two months away, Hirano a winning hearts Hawai’i in the usual manner with his warm, light laugh, and the list of coups.
Given that deserve financial bachelor and master of public administration at the University of Southern California, in the early 1970’s, it has to managerial positions in women’s health and cultural exchange programmes, as well as for national programmes of governance of these positions with institutions such as the prestigious Smithsonian, Ford Foundation, American Association of Museums and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For the past 20 years Hirano was President and CEO of the Japanese-American National Museum, which is based in Los Angeles, the building of the debt-ridden case hope, solvents reality. She led campaigns to fund-raising, has raised $ 65 million and 65000 members, is hereby established a foundation, and a growing number of dollars.
Richard “Dick” Kosaki, chancellor emeritus of the University of Hawaii-Manoa, who come into the museum on the governing board of the national central banks, “said Hirano, the powerhouse behind the museum to success.
“It is a done an excellent job for life,” said Kosaki. And they have reached the Caucasus, African-American and Latino communities. It is a great offer. … Dan has admired his skills and abilities. ”
The museum promotes the exchange of cultural programmes, Cutting-edge exhibition, and the Japanese community and the United States, an opportunity for its own unique history and the support of other groups to discover them.
“I think it is very happy to have found a woman like her,” said Attorney Colbert Matsumoto, President and CEO of Iceland Insurance Co., both works with Inouye Hirano and as a member of Museums Board of Governors.
“I am not surprised, she began her eyes. She is very capable and quite remarkable in respect of their personal abilities and leadership she sees.”
A surprise for many
Yet, their commitment was surprising, “said Matsumoto.
“The message has surprised many people,” he said.
One of the latter was Akemi Kurokawa, President of Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Maunakea Resort on the Big Island. Kurokawa also serves on the CRT of the museum, Hirano, and calls “a brilliant leader” and “magnificent”.
But he completely missed the burgeoning novel.
“I did not recognize that they are in a relationship of this nature,” he said, “but my wife told me they knew que los ahead. … This was undoubtedly the intuition of women “.
The question of the appointment was not surprised at his loss on the senator.
“I can not imagine what is going on in the heads of some of my friends,” he said after the luncheon twisted 65th birthday last Sunday, met hundreds of her compatriots in the war legendary 442 Regimental Combat Team.
Similarly, his wife him look surprised.
“They think they are very happy to you,” she said.
Kurokawa agree with him.
“Both deserve congratulations,” he said. “It’s a good connection for both. … After losing (Inouye) Maggie, I think, especially since it requires someone who really helps him, because he is busy, such a person. ”
“I really liked what I saw”
Inouye Hirano and know each other in the two decades it has taken the lead in the Japan-American National Museum. He chaired the board of directors of the national central banks, and was a tireless promoter and benefactors, the museum has flourished under the leadership of Hirano.
Inouye, said he saw Hirano three or four times a year on official business Museum, in the two years following the death of his wife, he began to share it.
“And I liked what I saw,” he said. ‘So I proposed. And we are here. ”
When he told the story of a banquet in honour of his recent, “he adds with a sort of wonder:” I think she loves me. ”
The couple has not yet developed his career as they juggle, but Hirano his resignation as managing director of the museum, even if it remains as chairman of board. Both are still being developed, such as the synchronization of calendars, sharing time between residences in Washington, DC, Los Angeles and Honolulu, as well as their two adult children.
Hirano’s daughter, Jennifer, is a graduate of Tufts University and holds an MBA from their studies in New York. Inouye son is married and has a career in the promotion of music.
During Inouye Hirano and are aged 24 years and age apart, they share a passion for the diversity of people and bridging the cultural divide. For Hirano, a few, along the history of their families, some of their own experiences with the poor understanding of race in America.
“The sharing of experience (Japanese-Americans) is that people think we are foreigners,” said Hirano. “I said, ‘My English is very good, where are you? ” ”
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, under the leadership of Hirano, the Japanese and the United States National Museum of the Arab community in Michigan to facilitate racial tensions brewing. From the Los Angeles Museum board was working with Dearborn, me, as a local councillor in a similar based Arab American National Museum.
“We recognized the importance of Japan and the United States, an institution to talk about what happened to Japanese-Americans after Dec. 7,” said Hirano. “It was important that we have a public statement . … It is still there, people were ready to talk to friends and colleagues.
“The reason why the museum was created to ensure that the past will not be repeated. For many young Japanese-Americans, they heard stories of the Second World War, but they never ever thought a threat to the resumption This could happen. ”
‘A sure
Hirano comes from the generation, knew little about the history of World War II, Japanese internment camps - and the impact on their own families - until the matter came to the university.
Only during a search for a presentation on, they discover that their own grandfather was interned with seven of his children, his family and seized. Only his grandfather, the eldest son, Michael Yasutake, to be Irene’s father, the refugee camp of experience, as it was already used in the US Military Intelligence Service.
My grandfather of the family was rounded up with thousands of other Japanese-Americans, and detained in a camp in Rohwer, Ark.. In the same reserve, a unique sensory experience versengte to 18 years, an army of volunteers called Daniel Inouye and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
A visit to the camp by training the men Hawaii, not far from Camp Shelby, Miss. - and the vision of Japanese-Americans behind barbed wire and machine gun towers - create a permanent link between the mainland and the Islanders their colleagues.
“It took us exactly between the eyes,” said Inouye barbed wire and gun towers. “Spukt I always - I voluntarily, when I was in this camp. I do not know. ”
Hirano, questions about why the family did not protest. But she said she came to see, it was an entirely different era.
“Our parents, what they had to be done,” she said.
And if the United States government of an official apology to the Internal 120000 at the end of 1980, it was more appropriate that the financial compensation, she said.
“For most people that I have spoken is that the greater part of the action,” said Hirano. “The fact that the apology from the American government. Yet … It’s never happened there.”
