toshio suzuki became a baháʼí near 1963 and would later serve on the national spiritual assembly of japan and his brother, hideya suzuki, serve as the first japanese continental counselor. in 1965 alexander fell and broke her hip. she convalesced in japan for two years and returned to hawaii where she died in 1971. the first baháʼí cemetery — a division of a larger cemetery — was established in 1958. the first burial there was in 1964 and represented a departure from socio-buddhist norm of cremation. in 1968 masaaki ushibata traveled outside japan for baháʼí purposes and in 1975 became the first japanese pioneer — to the eastern caroline islands. in 1969 the japanese baháʼís arrange for the first national youth conference in jogashima. in 1971 the first residents of okinawa converted to the religion. there were some marriages between japanese baháʼís and other nationalities which sometimes faced racism in japanese society.