Okada promotes Saipan for saving his life

Kumeji Okada credits the beautiful island and friendly people of Saipan for saving his life—and that is a tale worth the telling.

Okada said that he was the owner of a business that got interrupted due to an unforeseen illness. He was diagnosed with dilated cardiomypathy, which placed him in critical condition. Heart transplant was recommended for full recovery.

Okada, however, chose a non-conventional means of recovery—a change of air.

His doctor recommended that he move to a new location that meets three conditions: (1) the location shall be within three hours distance from Japan; (2) it should have a year-round warm climate; and (3) the air should be clear and clean.

At the recommendation of his fortune teller to go south, Okada began researching and heard of a place called Saipan, which he was unfamiliar with, so he and his wife Yoshiko first visited Guam and found out that it is over-populated and environmentally unfit for his health condition.

Okada and his wife then continued their journey and landed on Saipan safely and successfully. They took a taxi, whose driver guided them to the Japanese Consulate Office where the employees were instrumental in providing them valuable information about Saipan.

After reviewing the information about Saipan and his wife’s fear of him dying, Okada was convinced that Saipan met his doctor’s recommendations, took the risk, and relocated to Saipan with his wife.

Since then, at the ripe age of 75, Okada has become a very active person. He has participated in many local walkathon events, and aging, cultural and other activities. He walks daily and drives around the island. He also represented the CNMI at the ECO Walkathon held in Arashiyama Japan.

Okada says that Saipan saved his life and he is proud to say that Saipan is the home of Kumeji and Yoshika Okada. He has also helped spread the word in Japan about the CNMI, helping promote the health benefits of the islands.

This has gratified the CNMI, and Okada was recently recognized and commended by the 8th Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council for being a goodwill ambassador for the CNMI and helping promote the islands in Japan.

“The members of the municipal council, the leaders of the CNMI and the people of the CNMI are extremely proud and gratified of [Okada] for spreading the news in Japan that Saipan saved his life and for contributions to the development and growth of the CNMI. The members of the municipal council, the leader of the CNMI and the people of the CNMI always welcome [Okada] to reside in Saipan and to participate in programs that will strengthen and enhance greater health conditions and life span.

Okada has already expressed hope that they be allowed to stay on Saipan beyond the 90-day tourist travel restriction for medical reason.

The resolution was certified by municipal council chair Gregorio V. Deleon Guerrero and vice chair David A. Indalecio and was attested by council secretary Antonia M. Tudela.