​1975-1979: Declining population

Within six months of arriving in Hawaii, Ninth Minister Tanaka Kodo became the resident minister of Hakalau church in October 1975. In the climate of declining population in Hakalau, he continued teaching Japanese language school for a small number of students, starting Japanese language class for adults and  Karate class. He put in tremendous effort in the church. However, he resigned on August 15th, 1979, and returned home to Japan. He changed his last name to Nagai and moved to the Shinkyoji temple in Tottori city.

Ninth Minister Tanaka Kodo, 1975-1979

​1979-1996: Dwindling membership and activities focused on home visits and administrative work.

​Tamura Hakushi arrived in Hawaii on August 15, 1979, on the day former Minister Tanaka resigned, and was appointed as the Tenth Minister and took office on August 17 of that year.
 
In the environment of remaining church as the only base of activity, like the recent history of Pu’unene in Maui, Minister Tamura made home visits for missionary work and took care of administrative work of Hamakua Jodo Mission. His sincere effort is notable.

Rev. Tamura wrote the history of the mission from the first minister through his time as the tenth minister. During this time, he writes of a bleak situation:

Unfortunately our future is not the brightest due to the lack of creative actions taken immediately following the closedown of Sugar Cane Plantation a dozen years ago, even though there were many understandable reasons why the actions were not taken at that time.

Tenth Minister Tamura Hakushi, 1979-1996

​1996-1999: The end of an era

Eleventh Minister: Kenyu Sawaguchi (1996-1999): Rev. Sawaguchi was the last resident minister of Hakalau Jodo Mission. When Rev. Sawaguchi resigned, Hakalau Jodo Mission was not able to have a resident minister any longer. ​

Eleventh Minister Kenyu Sawaguchi, 1996-1999

​1999-present: Part-time ministers, aging church members and new neighbors

Twelfth Minister: Wajira Wansa (resident minister of the Kurtistown Jodo Mission),  (1999-2009): Rev. Wansa of Kurtistown Jodo Mission started to take care Hakalau Jodo Mission as the 12th minister.
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Thirteenth Minister: Junshin Miyazaki, (2009-present): Rev. Miyazaki is the resident minister of Hilo Meishoin and also serves the Kurtistown Jodo Mission and the Hakalau Jodo Mission. Click here to find out what is happening at the Hakalau Jodo Mission today.