Taiwan Church News

3246 Edition

May 12 - May 18, 2014

Church Ministry News

Thank You Sir! Mr. Yoichi Hatta

Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan

Yoichi Hatta, 1886 - 1942, respected as "The Father of Chainan Canal", is commemorated on May 8th, the date when he deceased, for the 75th anniversary in Tainan. As proceeded for years, a commemoration service is held in the Yoichi Hatta Memorial Bronze Park located in Wusantou Reservoir. Tainan City Mayor Lai Chin-der attends and lays a wreath together with descendants and friends to pay their tribute and respect to Yoichi Hatta.

Born in Kanazawa of Ishikawa in Japan, Yoichi Hatta was famous for his gigantic contribution in hydraulic engineering in the Japanese-ruled Taiwan. He stayed in Taiwan over 30 years, offering his most energetic life to build up the irrigation reservoir and channels across Chia Yi, Tainan and Kaohsiung. Wusantou Reservoir and Chainan Canal is two of most widely known. Hatta's great job made Chainan Plain being a fertile land to raise rice and no more fear about the water shortage.

Lai Chin-der, Tainan City Mayor, appreciated the great contribution that Yoichi Hatta brought to Taiwan, be it in daily utilities of water supply or in hydraulic irrigation systems, as these indispensable facilities like Wushantou Reservoir is still one of the major reservoir to Tainan City. Not to mention the world-class irrigation system, Chainan Canal, for her total length of each irrigation channels exceeds the length of China's Great Wall!

The descendants and friends of Yoichi Hatta also expressed their heart-felt appreciation for the warm reception and friendship from Tainan City and Chia-Nan Irrigation Association, especially on the annual commemoration of Yoichi Hatta and good maintenance of Wusantou Reservoir as a wonderful milestone and communication platform. They sincerely hope the friendship between Taiwan and Japan will be long lasting!

Seeing the wide ranging influence of Yoichi Hatta's achievement, Tainan City Council member, Lee Wen-chen further suggests that May 8th to be stipulated as "Yoichi Hatta Day" in Tainan City, like "George Leslie Mackay day" or "Lai Ho Day" in other Taiwan cities. "This will not only facilitate communication between Japan and Taiwan, but will also boost the tourism locally!", said Lee.

Translated by Peter Wolfe