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What Can I Do? (April 6, 2012)
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The disaster in Japan last year was a terrible shock to everyone around the world. The images of destruction were broadcasted live through TV and the internet. They were beyond imagination. People and cars run around with nowhere to go before the rushing onslaught of the tsunami. Houses and boats were tossed about like toys. Neatly maintained fields and roads were swallowed up in the blink of an eye. Watching these scenes, people the around the world, like me and the Japanese people, despaired at the powerlessness of humankind.
�gI found myself yelling at the TV. Run! Quick! Run!�h
Many people told me about their reaction more or less in the same way. They were unable to see the TV screen through tears, they told me. Seeing the extent of the damage, and the sadness of the victims of the disaster, anyone would feel anxious to express their feelings. In Africa, in France, in America; wherever I was, upon realizing I was Japanese, people would come up to me and tell me how much they had grieved. Then, almost everyone would end their tale by adding;
�gThen I thought, �eWhat can I do for them?�f�h
This question was shared not just by Japanese people. People from around the world asked themselves, �gWhat should I do? What can I do?�h Then, people started looking for something they can do to help. Huge amount of money was collected. Donations were not just money. Many encouraging letters were sent. Paper cranes were folded at elementary schools. Aid meetings and concerts were held.
One year after the earthquake, we at the Consulate decided to hold a ceremony to express our gratitude for the support shown to Japan. I wanted to recognize all of our American friends who grieved after the disaster, who thought about what they could do to help and then tried to do something. We extended invitations to the people and organizations that had sent donations and letters to the Consulate. But that wasn�ft enough. How could we contact the people who sent support directly to Japan, the people whose names and whereabouts we didn�ft have?
I decided to put an advertisement in the newspaper. It said;
�gWishing to honor the memory of the victims and to express our gratitude to the people of the Midwest, I will hold a ceremony on the occasion of the one year anniversary of the disaster. If you wish to share a moment of silence together, I would extend you an invitation.�h
Many people saw the ad and contacted us. I knew that those were only a small part of the American people who felt the same way. Still, I was delighted that people responded to my call.
On March 12th, we held the ceremony. Even before the event began, a big crowd had already gathered. Altogether, 200 people attended the ceremony. In the assembly hall, there was a photography exhibition, with photographs that showed the recovery of the areas affected by the disaster. Also we displayed photographs of the beautiful scenery of the Tohoku region. We prepared a corner where manufacturers from the Tohoku region displayed and introduced their products, such as iron kettles and lacquerware. Those Tohoku manufacturers were in Chicago by chance for a trade fair of household goods. So we had asked them to participate in the ceremony.
A young girl from Wisconsin was among the guests. When Ashlyn Neader, 11 years old at the time, learned about the disaster, she immediately donated the $15 she had saved up in her piggy bank. When people saw what she had done, they also wanted to contribute. This motivated Ashlyn, so she went around with a collection box. In total, she collected $6,600.
I met her at the ceremony. I told her. You had done a great thing. You touched the hearts of many people. This is what Ashlyn said to me;
�gWhen I saw the tsunami on TV, I cried and cried. I thought that even though I could only do a little to help, I had to help somehow.�h
It was more than a little. Ashlyn connected America to Japan, heart to heart, and person to person.
In my speech, I asked all of the guests for a moment of silence for the victims of the disaster. Then I expressed my heartfelt appreciation for the people of the U.S. who extended their sympathy to the people in Japan suffering from the disaster. I thanked for those who made financial contributions to help them, and who even flew to Japan to assist them. Nearly 25,000 American military personnel bravely took part in the relief efforts as part of Operation: Tomodachi. I declared;
�gThe Japanese people will never forget the friendship shown by the American people.�h
That was not all I tried to convey to the American people in my speech. I also tried to tell them that Japan is recovering.
�gThe Japanese are patient, and resilient against hardships. The Japanese people will make Japan stronger and better than ever.�h
Japan is making the utmost efforts to overcome our difficulties in various fields such as disaster prevention, environmental protection, and energy policy. I told the audience that Japan would become a leading country in those fields. Japan will find lessons that can be shared with other countries. Japan will contribute to making a better world.
Many people in the world, strongly impressed by the disaster, tend to think that Japan is overall still heavily devastated. But that is not true. The Japanese economy is rebounding more rapidly than was expected and the Japanese people are already moving forward to the future. In my speech I spoke about my own experience as follows.
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