Kuniwo Nakamura Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency
Native Name:中村國雄 / 中村邦夫
Kuniwo Nakamura
Order:6th
Office:President of Palau
Vicepresident:Tommy Remengesau
Term Start:1 January 1993
Term End:1 January 2001
Predecessor:Ngiratkel Etpison
Successor:Tommy Remengesau
Office2:3rd Vice President of Palau
President2:Ngiratkel Etpison
Term Start2:1 January 1989
Term End2:1 January 1993
Predecessor2:Thomas Remengesau Sr.
Successor2:Tommy Remengesau
Office3:Justice Minister of Palau
President3:Ngiratkel Etpison
Term Start3:1992
Term End3:1 January 1993
Predecessor3:Vacant, held by Ngiratkel Etpison
Successor3:Salvador Ingereklii
Office4:Minister of Administration of Palau
President4:Ngiratkel Etpison
Predecessor4:Franz Reksid
Successor4:Sandra Pierantozzi
Termstart4:January 1989
Termend4:1992
Birth Date:24 November 1943
Birth Place:Peleliu, South Seas Mandate
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Koror, Palau
Spouse:Elong Nakamura

[2] was a Palauan politician who served as the President of Palau from 1993 to 2001. He had earlier served as Vice President of Palau from 1989 to 1993, under Ngiratkel Etpison.

Background and early life

Nakamura was the son of a Japanese immigrant from Matsusaka, Ise Province and a Palauan chieftain's daughter. He was studying in his second year of primary school when the surrender of Japan ended World War II. He graduated from high school under the U.S. occupation of Palau and went on to study at the University of Hawaii.

Personal life

His wife Elong Nakamura died on 17 November 2018 the age of 74.[3]

Career

Nakamura began his political career at the age of 28, becoming the youngest person to be elected to the Congress of Micronesia. He was elected to the Senate of Palau in 1980. He served as Vice-President from January 1989 to January 1993.[4] He held the additional role of Minister of Administration from 1989 to 1992, when President Ngiratkel Etpison appointed other members of the cabinet. At that time Nakamura was appointed to the additional role of Minister of Justice.

Nakamura was first elected president in the 1992 elections; he attracted 3,125 votes, versus 2,084 for one-term incumbent Ngiratkel Etpison and 3,188 for rival Johnson Toribiong, and then went on to defeat Toribiong in the runoff. He served two terms, being re-elected in 1996 by a 64%-36% margin over Ibedul Yutaka Gibbons.[5] He did not run in the 2000 elections, but backed his vice-president Tommy Remengesau, who emerged victorious by a 53%-47% margin against senator Peter Sugiyama.

Honors

In December 2021, the Taiwanese government paid for a statue of him in Peleliu for his role in establishing Palau–Taiwan relations.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former president of Palau, Kuniwo Nakamura, dies. Pasific Daily News. 14 October 2020. 14 October 2020.
  2. Web site: Congressional Directory. Pacific Islands (Trust Territory) Congress of. Micronesia. December 28, 1975. Mariana Islands, Publications Division.. Google Books.
  3. Web site: Former First Lady Elong Nakamura honored. Island. Times. December 4, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20231229204217/https://islandtimes.org/former-first-lady-elong-nakamura-honored/. December 29, 2023. live. Island Times.
  4. http://www.palaugov.net/palaugov/Executive/theVP/PastVPres.htm Past Vice Presidents
  5. Nohlen, D, Grotz, F & Hartmann, C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p757
  6. Web site: Family Unveils Statue of Palau Late President Kuniwo Nakamura. Internet. Team. Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Republic of Palau 駐帛琉共和國大使館. https://web.archive.org/web/20231229213527/https://www.roc-taiwan.org/pal_en/post/2093.html. December 29, 2023. live.