HONOLULU (Kyodo) "Never let the Japanese voice go extinct" — that was the key message Paul Yempuku of the newspaper Hawaii Hochi wanted to convey to the Emperor and Empress when he met them during their recent stay in Hawaii.

For nearly 100 years, Hawaii Hochi has been the voice of the Japanese-American community in the islands.

During his brief chat with the royal couple at Honolulu's Kapiolani Park, the 82-year-old president of the daily said he pledged to work hard to keep the paper from dying out.