Hideto Kono, 82, key state strategist

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hideto Kono, who helped chart the state's future immediately after statehood in 1959 by reorganizing the territorial government, and later served as a key member of Gov. George Ariyoshi's Cabinet, died Oct. 2.

Kono

Yesterday Ariyoshi called Kono "a futuristic man" — who as his director of Planning and Economic Development, shouldered the duties of developing 12 state strategic plans to guide a future of balanced growth from the mid-1970s into the 1980s.

"We often talked about making a difference, and what a difference Hideto has made," said Ariyoshi in remembering Kono, who was both colleague and friend.

"Corporate executive, government leader, innovative educator — but those categories do not really describe the work of Hideto."

U.S. Sen. Dan K. Inouye called Kono not only a great American but a friend.

"Hawai'i will miss his leadership and I will miss my friend," said Inouye from Washington.

After Kono left public service, he went on to become president of JAIMS, the Japan-America Institute of Management Science, a small private institution of higher education. One of his accomplishments there included creation of a Japan-focused Master's of Business Administration program offered since 1990, according to Blair Odo, vice president for academic affairs.

"Mr. Kono was the kind of person where if you went in to his office asking him for money for a certain thing, you'd come out feeling like he had given you a million dollars even though he actually gave you nothing," said Odo. "He made you feel so good you'd walk out of his office happy, even without the budget."

Later Kono also played an important role at the Japan-Hawaii Cultural Center and with the Urasenke Tea Group.

Fujio Matsuda, who stepped into Kono's shoes as president of JAIMS when Kono left in 1994, said Kono had a remarkable ability to get results, even under difficult circumstances.

"When you do broadly based long-term planning (as Kono did under Ariyoshi) involving several dozen professionals, department heads and community members, it's like herding cats," said Matsuda. "They go all over the place. He was able to keep everyone focused."

Kono was born in Kaumana on the Big Island in 1922 and served in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II and in the Military Intelligence Service. He was also president of Castle & Cooke East Asia Ltd., chairman of the Hawai'i State Public Utilities Commission and recipient of the Emperor's Award from Japan.

Kent Keith, who served under Kono in the Department of Planning and Economic Development during Ariyoshi's governorship before taking over from Kono, called Kono a visionary, saying it was he who oversaw a period of tremendous excitement at the end of the 1970s as Hawai'i pushed forward to find and build sources of renewable energy.

"He had this wonderful long-term perspective and was willing to make opportunities for the state that were environmentally sound and socially acceptable," said Keith.

Under Kono — and during the energy crisis of the 1970s — Keith said the state launched work on numerous renewable energy sources including ocean thermal, geothermal, wind, solar and biomass.

"There was a sense of hope all of these resources could be developed so we could be less dependent on oil," said Keith. "The immense irony is that a lot of what we started faded away when the price of oil went down. But now is the time to get back on track."

Kono is survived by his wife, Fannie; three sons, Dwight, Dayne and Daryn; daughter, Laurel Hayama; eight grandchildren; and sisters, Chieko Hamai, Kimiko Matsumoto and Amy Enright.

Services will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.