Kessai Note
President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kessai Hesa Note (born 7 August 1950, in Ailinglaplap) is a Marshallese politician who was President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008.
Kessai Hesa Note | |
|---|---|
Note in 2005 | |
| 3rd President of the Marshall Islands | |
| In office 10 January 2000 – 14 January 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Imata Kabua |
| Succeeded by | Litokwa Tomeing |
| Speaker of the Nitijela | |
| In office 1988–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Atlan Anien |
| Succeeded by | Litokwa Tomeing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 August 1950 |
| Party | UDP |
| Spouse | Mary Neimoj Yamamura |
Elected in 1979 alongside Litokwa Tomeing, Note is one of the two longest-serving members of Nitijeļā.[1] He was the Minister of Internal affairs from 1985 to 1986, and Minister of Transportation and communications from 1986 to 1987.[2] Having served as Speaker of the Nitijeļā since 1988,[3] he was elected president in 2000. Note is the first commoner, rather than an Iroijlaplap or traditional chief, to be elected to the Presidency.[4] He is a member of the United Democratic Party, and was reelected by parliament in January 2004, receiving 20 votes, while Justin deBrum received 9.
On 7 January 2008, following the November 2007 general election, he was defeated in his bid for re-election in a vote of Parliament, receiving 15 votes against 18 for Litokwa Tomeing.[4][5]
Note is of Japanese-Marshallese descent, having inherited his Japanese heritage from his paternal grandfather.[6] Note's grandfather was a native of Niigata Prefecture, and settled in the Marshall Islands during the Japanese colonial era and married a Marshallese wife.[7]
He was the Minister of Justice from 2020 to 2022.[8]
In February 2023, The Washington Post reported that Note is under investigation by the Marshall Islands' attorney general.[9] In December 2023, the United States Department of State barred Note from entering the US under the Global Magnitsky Act for accepting bribes.[10]
