Rededication Ceremony of the Masashi Goto Memorial Monument (June 20, 2026)

On June 20, a ceremony was held in Wasatch County, UT to rededicate a monument honoring Mr. Masashi Goto who was an Oita Prefecture native. In July 1929, while piloting a small self-made plane on a transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to Japan via Europe, Mr. Goto was forced to make an emergency landing in the mountains of Utah due to a sudden change in weather and subsequently lost his life. The ceremony was co-hosted by three Utah chapters of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).

This monument was built by the local Japanese American community in October of the same year, just months after the crash. It since undergone repeated restorations with the cooperation of the Utah State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Forest Service. As part of the latest restoration, new panels have been installed to share the story of Mr. Goto’s endeavor and the history behind the monument’s construction and preservation.

In addition to members of the Japanese American community, representatives from the Governor's Office, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the U.S. Forest Service attended the ceremony. Vice Consul Zaitsu attended on behalf of the Consulate General of Japan in Denver.

As we honor the remarkable achievements of Mr. Goto, we express our deepest respect to all those involved who supported his endeavors in a foreign land, erected the monument, and have dedicated themselves to its preservation to this day.