George Ariyoshi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Ariyoshi
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Ariyoshi in 1974
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| 3rd Governor of Hawaii | |
| In office December 2, 1974 – December 1, 1986 Acting: October 17, 1973 – December 2, 1974 |
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| Lieutenant | Nelson Doi Jean King John Waiheʻe |
| Preceded by | John A. Burns |
| Succeeded by | John Waiheʻe |
| 5th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii | |
| In office December 2, 1970 – December 2, 1974 |
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| Governor | John A. Burns |
| Preceded by | Thomas Gill |
| Succeeded by | Nelson Doi |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Ryoichi Ariyoshi
March 12, 1926 Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Jean Hayashi
(m. 1955) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Michigan State University (BA) University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Unit | Military intelligence |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
George Ryoichi Ariyoshi (Japanese: 有吉 良一, born March 12, 1926) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the third governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. As a member of the Democratic Party, he is Hawaii's longest-serving governor. He was also the first person of Asian descent to become a governor of a U.S. state.
George Ariyoshi took over as acting governor in October 1973 when Governor John A. Burns became ill. He was then elected governor in 1974. His time in office was very long, a record that is unlikely to be broken. This is because new rules called term limits were put in place after he left office. Today, Ariyoshi is seen as an important and respected leader in the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Early Life and Education
George Ariyoshi was born in Honolulu, which was then known as the Territory of Hawaiʻi. His parents were immigrants from Japan. He finished high school at McKinley High School in 1944.
As World War II was ending, he worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army's Military Intelligence Service in Japan. After the war, he returned to the United States. He studied at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa first. Then he moved to Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. Later, he received his law degree (a J.D.) from the University of Michigan Law School in 1952.
Political Journey
George Ariyoshi's career in politics began in 1954. He was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives. This was a part of the government before Hawaii became a state. In 1958, he was elected to the Hawaii Territorial Senate.
When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he continued to serve in the Hawaii State Senate. He stayed in the Senate until 1970. That year, he ran for and was elected lieutenant governor of Hawaii. He served alongside Governor John A. Burns. In October 1973, Governor Burns became ill. Ariyoshi then took on the role of acting governor, as allowed by the state's rules.
Serving as Governor
In the 1974 election, George Ariyoshi was elected governor on his own. Nelson Doi served as his lieutenant governor. He was re-elected two more times. In 1978, Jean King was his lieutenant governor. In 1982, John D. Waihee III served as his lieutenant governor.
Ariyoshi's time as governor was known for being careful with money. This was important because Hawaii's economy faced its first economic recession after becoming a state. He helped guide the state through these tough financial times. Because of term limits, which set a maximum number of terms a person can serve, Ariyoshi could not run for another term in 1986. John Waihee then became the next governor. After leaving public office, Ariyoshi continued to serve on various company and non-profit boards.
Personal Life
George Ariyoshi married Jean Miya Hayashi in 1955 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. They have three children. Their daughter, Lynn, was born in 1957. Their sons, Ryozo and Donn, were born in 1959 and 1961.
Ariyoshi has also been the president of the Hawaii Bar Association. He served on the board of directors for several companies, including First Hawaiian Bank. He also served on the board of governors for the East-West Center. This is an education and research organization in Honolulu. As governor, he helped to make the organization stronger. He joined its board after his term as governor ended. He was chairman of the board five times.
See Also
