Fakaalofa hofihofi atu kia motolu oti

Thankyou for coming here tonight to celebrate this occasion. 

Fakaaue lahi tumau e mafola moe monuina.

Welcome to Japan as this is my 2nd country now that I have been here almost quarter of a century, 20 plus years and I have a family here.   

Arigatou Gozaimasu to my loving wife here tonight, actually she studied and lived in NZ 8 years and attended University of Cantebury. She has also visited Niue. 

 We have daughters whom my Japanese father in-law and my wife asked to name them Niue names, which I named them after their Niue Great Grandmother.

Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu to My good friend who has been like an older brother to me,  Harry san for helping my 2nd career here in Japan from martial arts until now.  He kindily offered his Aobadai Building for the Honorary Consulate of Niue in Tokyo, the first of it’s kind in the world.  He is sponsoring this celebration event tonight at the Tokyo American Club and he brought his beautiful family here to share in this celebration,  with us.  Thankyou Harry for making the time to travel to Niue Island in 2018 and then believing in this dream to bring Niue and Japan together for future generations. Faka aue lahi ma Harry san. 

I would like to sincerely thank Hon. Premier Dalton Tagelagi for his visionary leadership and  his permission to bring Niue Island The Land of Sunshine into the the Land of the Rising Sun

 Faka aue lahi. 

Arigatou Gozaimasu for our honored guest Ambassador Toshihisa Takata san to honour us with your presence here tonight representing Japan Government and MoFA. Your presence here is very meaningful as you were the first Japanese Ambassador to Niue, symbolizing the long standing friendship between our countries.

Thankyou Frank Sioneholo and Taiichi Wada for starting this Japan Niue Friendship adventure 10 years ago in Niue, which spread to Japan and now here we are here in Tokyo, Japan 2024 as the Honorary Consulate of Niue in Tokyo. 

Fakaaue lahi to my fellow Niue Loa Morrissey, Emi Hipa,  Rev. Navy Salatielu, Jinnam Hopotoa

Faka malo to our Tongan guests Fonua san who studied here in Japan with our Niue Executive Assistant and Advisor to our current Premier Loa Morrissey

Happy Birthday 10th July, 2024 to Mia Ahosivi (same day as the Honorary Consulate of Niue in Tokyo opened).

Mia’s Tongan Uncle Piisi Ahosivi RIP who lived in Niue many years. 

Arigatou Gozaimasu to Isami Takada First Secretary, Head of General & Political Section, Embassy of Japan in New Zealand and Mio Otashiro Deputy Consul General of Japan in New Zealand from EoJ, Niue and Japan MoFA administration and the foremost the AOBADAI Building CP staff Hide san, Nick san, Akikosan, Yamada san, Ohta san for your due diligence behind the scenes to complete all these tasks.

Just so the Honorary Consulate of Niue of Japan in Tokyo could become a reality. 

I am truly blessed to be here with you all. 

Please forgive me if I don’t know anything about this job bestowed upon me as Hon. Consul of Niue, I have never been in this type of society before as I am a only sportsman.  All I understand is to do good for Niue and Japan relations. 

In Polynesia 

Our success here is not ours alone, It is not exclusive to just us. 

Our success was built on the successes of those that came before us, of the sacrifices they made to get us here. 

Some of them are not here alive today. Our matua tupuna Iona Ikihakumata Vemoa, Hon. Pokotoa Sipely, Hon. Sir Toke Talagi RIP ma matua tupuna.

I hear your voices cheering and guiding us and because I hear them I am honored to lend my own voice to theirs to cheer others on as well. 

Because everyone here deserves to succeed

When one makes it, we all make it. 

My final message here in Tokyo a long way from Nukututaha Niue

Ko au, ko koe, ko e tautolu, ko Niue! 

I am, you are, we are, Niue

Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu