The Ehime Prefectural Government presented certificates of appreciation during a memorial service Sunday to local students for maintaining a monument dedicated to nine Japanese killed when their fisheries training ship was struck by a submarine off Oahu two years ago.
The certificates were given to students of St. Louis School and Iolani School in Honolulu who have volunteered to clean the monument built at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park.
The monument, a black granite stone cenotaph bearing an epitaph that names the victims and prays for peace and safety at sea, is administered by the Ehime Prefectural Government.
Local students have been caring for the monument since it was built a year ago.