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 theNitijela | |
| In office 1988–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Atlan Anien |
| Succeeded by | Litokwa Tomeing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-08-07)7 August 1950 (age 75) |
| Party | UDP |
| Spouse | Mary Neimoj Yamamura |
Kessai Hesa Note (born August 7, 1950, inAilinglaplap) is a Marshallese politician who wasPresident of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008.
Elected in 1979 alongsideLitokwa Tomeing, Note is one of the two longest-serving members ofNitijeļā.[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 theNitijeļā since 1988,[3] he was elected president in 2000. Note is the first commoner, rather than anIroijlaplap or traditional chief, to be elected to the Presidency.[4] He is a member of theUnited Democratic Party, and was reelected by parliament in January 2004, receiving 20 votes, while Justin deBrum received 9.
On January 7, 2008, following theNovember 2007 general election, he was defeated in his bid for re-election in a vote of Parliament, receiving 15 votes against 18 forLitokwa 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 ofNiigata Prefecture, and settled in the Marshall Islands during the Japanese colonial era and married a Marshallese wife.[7]
He was theMinister 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, theUnited States Department of State barred Note from entering the US under theGlobal Magnitsky Act for accepting bribes.[10]
The United States is publicly designating Note and Halferty, for their involvement in significant corruption by accepting articles of monetary value and other benefits in exchange for acts in the performance of their public functions. Specifically, Note and Halferty accepted bribes in the form of services and cash, in exchange for their legislative support of a bill in the RMI legislature to create a semi-autonomous region in the RMI.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | President of the Marshall Islands 2000–2008 | Succeeded by |
