JAPAN

YASUKUNI SHRINE VISITS INSULT TO WAR VICTIMS

As a scholar of Japanese literature and philosophy for more than six decades and as a World War II U.S. Army veteran, I was both saddened and angered to learn (Advertiser, Aug. 15) of Prime Minister Koizumi's disgraceful visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

China and South Korea are thoroughly justified in protesting such a visit since it indicates that the Japanese government does not regret its past aggressions, however much it proclaims that it does. Supporters say that such visits are an internal matter. They are not, since they represent a profound insult to the millions of victims of the Pacific War conducted by Japan with such ferocity.

But I wish to point out that there are also many Japanese who vigorously oppose such visits. A Japanese Christian organization I have long admired, the Information Center for the Problems of Yasukuni Shrine and the Imperial Institution, has courageously opposed all such visits as well as educated the Japanese people about the role of the imperial institution in the conduct of the Pacific War.

I fervently hope that the work of the members of the splendid organization as well as that of like-minded Japanese will some day lead to a genuinely democratic republic of Japan, one unencumbered by an archaic and costly imperial institution and an obscene shrine to war criminals.

SENATE RACE

REP. CASE IS ON SIDE OF THE WARMONGERS

He might be filling Rep. Mink's seat in the House, but Ed Case is no Patsy Mink.

She would never put Bush first and our country last. Patsy Mink would be out there fighting for peace instead of supporting the warmongers.

When push comes to shove, Case sides with the ruling party, and it is the one-party rule (total control of all three branches of our government) that has destroyed our reputation in the world and is ruining our country. Ed Case is a Joe Lieberman "wannabe."

HAWAI'I BUSINESS

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS CAN BE EXPORTERS

Hawai'i's professional services firms should do well to heed The Advertiser's Aug. 13 editorial, "Hawai'i should sell tourism skills abroad." As the global economy becomes increasingly interconnected and interdependent, regions that export achieve a higher standard of living for their residents.

According to recent national data, employees at exporting companies earn 15 percent more and have 33 percent higher benefits than those in companies that do not export. In addition, the failure rate of export-oriented firms is one-third less than non-exporting firms.

Hawai'i's competitive advantage is our high-value professional services increasingly in high demand in Asia. These include healthcare, education, business management and technology incubation, to name just a few.

Recognizing the potentially huge demand for tourism development and management services in China, the Lingle-Aiona administration, led by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, initiated the formation of a consortium of Hawai'i architects, planners and engineers, hotel training and management, communications and information technology and all professional service providers specializing in the tourism industry. This consortium, named the Integrated Development Group, not only enabled Hawai'i firms to pool resources and reduce risks, but also created synergies among the participants.

To date, IDG has participated in over a dozen seminars and workshops in China and is working on over 10 projects totaling $500 million in development value.

DBEDT believes this consortium export model is applicable to a wide range of Hawai'i's professional service providers. A similar group, the Environmental Development Group, is now being formed to promote the export of Hawai'i's environmental technologies and services. Much as in tourism, Hawai'i is perceived as an ideal partner in environmental services.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS OFFER A SOLUTION

Nowhere is the need to create a "sustainable" strategy for the future greater than in the area of affordable housing.

A growing number of communities are using community land trusts to compensate for the skyrocketing costs of housing and the financial disincentives for developers to build affordable housing. In Hawai'i, land banking has long been used to protect agricultural and conservation resources. But the use of land banking to address affordable housing needs is a relatively new twist to an old idea.

Community land trusts can help for-profit developers meet government requirements to include a certain percentage of affordable homes in their projects. Projects that have permanently affordable units have a scoring advantage in competing for Federal Home Loan Bank funds. Community land trusts have benefited from this priority. Community Development Block Grant and federal HOME funds have been primary sources of financing for community land trusts, enabling developers to put together diverse and creative financing packages for such projects.

A community land trust has two key elements. First, ownership of the land is separated from the ownership of the housing unit on that land. Second, when the owner of the unit wants to sell, the trust has the first right to repurchase the unit at a predetermined price. This builds wealth for the community and the homeowner, while keeping the housing permanently affordable for low-and moderate-income families.

The trusts usually have a limited equity feature that allows the homeowner to realize a percentage of any appreciation in value upon the sale of the unit. A 25-75 percent equity split between the unit owner and the trust is common.

Last session, the Legislature enacted a law about community land trusts, Act 179, that is a starting point. The new law authorizes the state to lease parcels that it deems suitable for affordable housing at $1 per year to community trusts "to develop the parcel with ownership units through self-help development." Next session we should build on this first step by adopting a comprehensive community land trust statute that authorizes developers to build homes on state land leased to community land trusts for permanently affordable housing. We must provide affordable housing today without falling into the bottomless pit of never-ending rent and housing subsidies financed by taxpayers.

TRAFFIC

KEAUNUI DRIVE WAS DANGEROUS FOR PUPILS

I would like to address the recent letter complaining about the narrowing of Keaunui Drive. I am the one responsible for asking the city Department of Transportation to narrow the lanes. I realize that traffic has been affected, but after over two years of trying to educate drivers through media publicity, students holding signs and having HPD presence, drivers were still speeding and creating a safety hazard in front of our school.

Here are the facts: