Tosiwo Nakayama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tosiwo Nakayama 中山 利雄
1st President of Micronesia
In office 11 May 1979 – 11 May 1987
Vice President	Petrus Tun Bailey Olter
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	John Haglelgam
President of Senate of Micronesian Congress
In office July 1965 – 1967
Preceded by	John O. Ngiraked
Succeeded by	John O. Ngiraked
In office Jan 1973 – May 1979
Preceded by	Amata Kabua
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1931-11-23)23 November 1931 Piserach Island, Truk, South Seas Mandate
Died	29 March 2007(2007-03-29) (aged 75) Honolulu, Hawaii
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Miter Haruo

Tosiwo Nakayama (born November 23, 1931 – died March 29, 2007) was a very important leader. He was the first ever President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He served as president for two terms, from 1979 to 1987.

Early Life and Education

Tosiwo Nakayama was born on November 23, 1931. His birthplace was Piserach Island, which is part of the Nomwunweito Atoll. This area is now known as Chuuk State. When he was born, the region was called the South Seas Mandate. This meant it was a territory managed by Japan.

Tosiwo had a Japanese father and a local mother. He was also the older brother of Masao Nakayama, who later became Micronesia's ambassador to Japan.

In 1955, Tosiwo received a special scholarship. This scholarship allowed him to study in the United States. He spent two years at University High School and then two years at the University of Hawaii.

Beginning His Career

After finishing his studies in 1958, Tosiwo returned home. He was appointed as the Supervisor of Adult Education. This job meant he helped organize learning programs for adults. Later, he became an advisor to the local government. He gave advice on political and economic matters.

Tosiwo then served in the local government of the Truk District. He was the leader of this assembly from 1960 to 1961. After his time in Truk, he became an advisor to the United States team at the United Nations. He helped them understand issues related to Micronesia.

In 1962, the people elected him to the Council of Micronesia. He served there until 1963. The next year, he became the Assistant District Administrator for Public Affairs in Truk. On September 10, 1963, he married Miter Haruo in Chuuk.

Leading the Nation

In 1965, Tosiwo Nakayama was elected to the House of Delegates. This was part of the Congress of Micronesia. During the first meeting of this group, he was chosen as the President of the Senate. He also served on many other important groups and committees. These included the Truk District Scholarship Committee and the Truk Board of Education.

In May 1979, a big change happened. The islands of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae officially became the Federated States of Micronesia. A new Congress was elected. From this group, Tosiwo Nakayama was chosen to be the first President of the new nation.

As president, he managed the smooth transfer of government duties from the United States. This process took place from 1979 to 1986. He continued to serve as president until 1987. This was the longest time he was allowed to serve under the country's rules.

Later Life

After his time as president, Tosiwo Nakayama took a new job. In October 1987, he started working at the Bank of Guam in Chuuk. He was the Vice President for Governmental Affairs. He held this position until December 2003.

Tosiwo's health started to decline in 1992. He had his first stroke but recovered well. In 1998, he had heart surgery. Later, he had eye surgery, which caused him to lose some of his sight. In 2005, he had another surgery for his heart. After this, he had another stroke that made it hard for him to move and speak. However, he remained fully aware.

In July 2006, the Congress of the FSM passed a bill. This bill provided money to help his family with his medical costs. In February 2007, he was admitted to a hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tosiwo Nakayama passed away on March 29, 2007.

See also

In Spanish: Tosiwo Nakayama para niños