[1] Tanimoto became the managing director of Mayor Bernard Akana's administration following the departure of Akana's previous director, Susan Labrenz.
Mayor Akana died of stomach cancer on April 12, 1990, at the age of 70.
[1] Tanimoto became the interim Mayor of Hawaii upon Akana's passing.
[1] Democrat Lorraine Inouye won the special election to succeed Akana and Tanimoto in 1990.
[2] She defeated fellow Democrat Stephen K. Yamashiro by just 76 votes in the special election.