| Year Started: | Chatan Sonjinkai - 1927. |
| Organizers: | Shitoku Uyema, Yamato Maeda, Kiman Kaneshiro, Taru Chinen, Nabekichi Iha, Nabe Miyashiro, Shiho Uyema, Hokin Isa. |
| Past Presidents: | Shitoku Uyema (1927-30, 1936-37, 1947), Taru Chinen (1931-32, 1954- 55), Kiman Kaneshiro (1933-34, 1952), Gentoku Maeshiro (1938-40, 1948, 1956-57), Yeitoku Uyema (1949-50), Yuji Tomisto (1951), Juki Teryua (1958-59), Handy Sueyoshi (1960-61), Kishun Kaneshiro (1962-63), Fred Nakandakari (1964-65), Shigeo Teruya (1966-67), Aaeron Uyema (1968-69), William Chinen (1970-71), Ronald Kaneshiro (1972-73), Shoichiro Itomura (1974-75), George Kaneshiro (1976-77), Hubert Maeda (1978-79). |
| Notes: | In 1977, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, Chatan Sonjinkai published a history of the Chatan people in Hawaii. The following are notes taken from that publication: (1) It was estimated that there were about 1,000 Chatan people in the State of Hawaii in 1977. Three of the prominent Chatan figures are Tau Chinen and the late Kiman Kaneshiro, who were instrumental in organizing the Island Pork Producers Cooperative Association, and Peter Iha, who served for over 15 years as a member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives. (2) At the end of World War II, club members wholeheartedly responded to the plea by the mayor of Chatan, Okinawa for assistance to the schools of Chatan. Approximately $1,300 was raised to buy clothing, books, pencils, sewing machines, tablets, and other items. Yeitoku Uyema spearheaded the drive and Kishun Kaneshiro purchased the items and packed them for delivery to Okinawa. |