History of Yoshi Coalition

The Yoshi Coalition supported the Hattoris' petition drive for 'Demanding
to Withdraw Guns from American Homes' that started at Yoshihiro's wake on October 25, 1992.

They economically supported the Hattoris as well as gathered the signatures for tougher gun control. Mieko Hattori, Yoshihiro's mother, wrote a poem titled 'Yoshi,' and Akemi Mano, a member of the Coalition and a singer-song-writer, created music for the poem. The Coalition produced and sold compact discs of 'Yoshi.' The profit from the CD enabled the Coalition to deliver 1,700,000 petitions to the United States and the Hattoris to meet President Clinton on November 16, 1993. That money was also used to send the four people-Mieko and Masaichi Hattori, Akemi Mano, and Kevin Moll to the United States. Akemi Mano accompanied Mieko and Masaichi to help them appeal to Americans for anti-gun violence through songs, and Kevin Moll to help them as an interpreter.

In 1995, the Association of Lawyers in Nagoya awarded the Coalition the Human Right Award in recognition of their contribution to passing 'Brady Bill' which aims at stronger control over handgun sales and to energetically developing the movement in both the United States and Japan to build a society without guns.

Hiromi Bando and Mieko Hattori, who are members of the Coalition, wrote and published a book entitled 'Beyond Guns, Beyond Ourselves,' which describes Yoshihiro's story and the legacy the incident left behind.

On October 18, 1998, the seventh anniversary of his death, and
on November 3, the Coalition sponsored two separate events called 'Beyond Guns, Beyond Ourselves Part (2).' These events were a commemoration of Yoshi's untimely death. On October 18, a film 'The Shot Heard Around the World' was shown first. Dr. Richard Haymaker then addressed the audience focusing on the American gun control movement. A symposium was held regarding the reality about guns and gun control, and a concert by Akemi Mano closed the ceremony. On November 3, the original song contest was held.

The Hattoris won their civil suit against the shooter of Yoshihiro, and they then established the 'Yoshi's Gift Award' with about $45,000 they received as damage compensation from the trial. This award was established for the purpose of helping two groups with an award of $3,000 each for better gun control in the United States. The recipients are chosen by members of the Yoshi Coalition, the Hattoris, and seven council members from the United States who each casts a vote. In 1999, the Yoshi's Gift Award will be given for the third time.