Fusayo Koike, 93, broadcast Japanese community news

By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor

WAILUKU, Maui — Fusayo Koike, whose Japanese-language show was a fixture on Maui's radio waves for nearly 50 years, died Monday at Maui Memorial Medical Center. She was 93.

Koike, pictured in 1968, was on the air for 47 years. Advertiser library photo

The program first aired on KMVI in 1947, at a time when members of Maui's Japanese community were still unsettled over wartime accusations questioning their loyalty. The Koikes reassured the community that it was OK to reconnect with their heritage, said the couple's daughter, Claire Ching of Wailuku.

"I think they filled a gap after the war for the older people, many of whom were plantation workers," she said. "During the war they couldn't speak the language. They were afraid to speak it."

When her husband died in 1977, Koike continued the program another 17 years, and was honored with a proclamation signed by President Ronald Reagan in recognition of having the longest-running ethnic radio show in America.

"That was our bible. It was the only communication we had with the Japanese people of Maui," said Masa Hokama, owner of Hokama's Music, a longtime Wailuku business that advertised on "The Yamato Program."

"We didn't have a Japanese-language newspaper. It was the only way to get information on obituaries and all that was going on in Maui's Japanese community. She did us one good job. Everybody loved her."

Koike was born Feb. 23, 1910, in Keahua Camp on Maui. In 1942, when she was pregnant with her second child, her husband, a scholar and Japanese language teacher, was held at an internment camp on Maui and later transferred to a camp in New Mexico.

"She had no idea whether he was alive or dead," Ching said.

Koike moved in with her parents and was working at a plantation store when Haruo returned home after three years of internment. In 1947 she was offered a job as a radio announcer at KMVI.

"It was something she was completely untrained for," Ching said.

A couple months later, Haruo joined the show, and the Koikes were on the air six days a week. They were responsible for the entire program, including writing the scripts, selling ads and handling the technical aspects of the broadcast. They often brought their two children with them to the station.

"I don't know how she did it, but she learned how to operate all that equipment," Ching said.

They also appeared at many Japanese cultural events. When the Maui County Fair was held at the old Kahului fairgrounds, the Koikes hosted a popular song contest.

After Haruo died, the radio show became too much for Fusayo to handle alone, and it was cut to two days a week, and then to Sundays only. She retired in 1994 at age 84.

"I used to have her station on all the time. I loved her Japanese program," said Susanne Hotta, owner of Gilbert's Formal Wear, another longtime Wailuku business that advertised on "The Yamato Program."

"She always told about who died, what was going on with Japanese cultural things. All the Japanese used to listen to her."

Hokama said Koike was one of his best customers, accounting for four pages in the music store's sales ledger. She was also his best promoter, he said. When listeners would call to find out about the songs she played, Koike referred them to Hokama's Music.

"She was my No. 1 saleslady. I just loved her," said Hokama, who would bring Japanese recording stars to the radio studio for interviews.

Koike also compiled tapes of Japanese songs that are used today for o-bon dances on Maui. Her voice can still be heard on the tapes introducing the songs.

Services will be at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Wailuku Hongwanji Mission, with a reception to follow. Nakamura Mortuary is handling the arrangements.

Koike is additionally survived by a son, Kazuo, of Waikele, a sister, Mutsuyo Takemoto, of Wailuku, and a grandson.