~”Nikkei” in Palau~ Interview Series: Vol.13 Mr. Hiromi Nabeyama (Rubeang)

Mr. Hiromi Nabeyama, now 81 years old is a “Nikkei,” Palauan of Japanese descent born to a Japanese father, Mr. Yoshiaki Nabeyama from Hokkaido and a Palauan mother, Ms. Ochob Mekokil from Ngatpang. His father worked as a land surveyor and they lived in Ngatpang until his father left to Japan after world war 2. Mr. Nabeyama is blessed with 12 children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
 
Mr. Nabeyama’s mother got married to a man from Peleliu so they relocated to Peleliu where he attended Peleliu elementary school. After he graduated, he went on to continue his education in carpentry at Mokko Carpentry Apprentice Training Center. After that, Mr. Nabeyama worked at his family store in Koror until he was recruited to work at Mr. Tmetuchl and Mr. Baules’s construction company. Mr. Nabeyama after working in construction for some time, decided to start his own construction company. Currently, his son runs the construction business and Mr. Nabeyama spends his time tending to his aquaculture business in Ngatpang.
 
Mr. Nabeyama had no contact with his father until 1962 when his father read an advertisement on the newspaper offering to carry letters from the Japanese living in Hokkaido who used to live in Palau, to friends or families in Palau. His father decided to write a letter to him and his mother. After that Mr. Nabeyama’s father visited Palau and Mr. Nabeyama visited his father in Japan four times.
 
One of the best things that resulted in Mr. Nabeyama reuniting with his father was meeting his half-brother who has the same name as himself. When his father returned to Japan, he thought that he wouldn’t be able to see his son in Palau again, so he also named his second son from his second marriage in Japan, Mr. Hiromi Nabeyama. Mr. Nabeyama laughs as he recalls how awkward and funny it was to have two brothers with the same name. Mr. Nabeyama cherishes the moments that he spent with his father and brother. Despite any initial awkwardness, Mr. Hiromi is very appreciative of his father and brother. This is very evident in the way he describes their many memories together.
 
He has many fond memories of his visits to Japan, especially at a karaoke party when Mr. Nabeyama not knowing which Japanese song to sing, sang a Palauan song, “Karkimenai” at a dinner party. His father recognized the song and got up to dance, which filled Mr. Nabeyama with happiness and pride. He also loved the fresh and delicious seafood and other crops produced in Hokkaido. He enjoys listening to enka and likes popular singers such as Mr. Frank Nagai and Mr. Kitajima Saburo. The only thing that Mr. Nabeyama doesn’t like about Hokkaido is the cold weather. During his visits to Japan, Mr. Nabeyama says that, he could understand some of the words that people were speaking because there are many Japanese words used in Palauan.
 
For the 30^th anniversary of Japan Palau diplomatic relations, Mr. Nabeyama believes that Japan and Palau should continue to support each other as they have been doing. He appreciates Japan Government’s many assistance to Palau and wants to see more technical cooperation and assistance in the area of aquaculture.