文面に出ている井生さんは、Bond大学の同窓生でMBA取得後、大正大学に学びお坊さんとして活躍されています。

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LOCAL
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Shrine to be built for old Buddha statue

An old Japanese Buddha statue that was erected several decades ago on the grounds of what is now the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan in Garapan will be refurbished into a shrine, in hopes that Japanese visitors and believers will continue to honor it.

According to Century Insurance Corp. president Dave Sablan, Tan Siu Lin Foundation chairman Dr. Tan Sui Lin was strolling around the Fiesta Resort’s grounds and had come upon the statue, which had become neglected through the years. Determined to make it more presentable, Dr.Tan Siu Lin has expressed willingness to contribute funding to build a shrine for the statue.

“It will be a waste if nothing is to be done with this beautiful statue, so Dr. Tan Sui Lin is willing to
contribute for this project,” Sablan said.

The statue was reportedly erected in the 1940s. It was vandalized-its head was cut off-during the construction of the former Dai-Ichi hotel but was replaced in 1990.

When Dr. Tan Siu Lin came up with the idea of building the shrine, Sablan tried to find out the background of the statue and the group that built it here. That search led him to Rev. Yoshinori Suyama, executive director of the Alumni Association at Taisho University, and Rev. Shunsuke Ioh, who have agreed to provide information on how to go about erecting the shrine.

The statue itself has a special meaning, which Japanese believers continue to honor. “It brings peace and protection for children,” said Rev. Shunsuke Ioh, adding that it helps sharpen the minds of young ones. Ioh hopes that more Japanese will come and pay their respect at the shrine when it is built.

The shrine’s construction will take approximately 6-12 months. Monks will be invited to the unveiling of the shrine once it is finished.

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