Hirono. Adult child of alcoholic and gambling addict father. Born in Fukushima Japan. NOW I KNOW WHY SHE HATES MEN

I owe much to the courage and determination of my mother. My early childhood was spent on my grandparents' rice farm in Fukushima, Japan. My mother sent me to live with my grandparents because of family circumstances. My father was an alcoholic and compulsive gambler and I did not get to know him much. As a result, our family had little stability or money. At times, he would even sell my mother's belongings to gamble away.

Hirono 2011

When asked about her role in the Pay to Play scandal, Hirono’s campaign manager Julie Stauch indicated she had never heard of it, saying, “What’s that?” Stauch said she would have to do some research before providing a more substantive answer. Wong indicated that no other Hawaii media had inquired about the status of Hirono’s Pay-to-Play illegal campaign contribution assessments.