Japanese Representative to Taiwan Tadashi Imai and two Japanese community leaders in Taiwan yesterday thanked Taiwanese for their encouragement and donations for the victims of a massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of the country one month ago.
Imai, Japanese Association in Taiwan chairman Koichiro Kusano and Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry chairman Kishimoto Kyota called a press conference at the Interchange Association, Japan’s representative office, to express their gratitude on behalf of Japanese in Taiwan.
“Needless to say, a bunch of flowers lying in front of the Interchange Association on the third day [following the disaster] with a card that read that ‘Peace for Japan and its people’ deeply moved my soul. It was also a great encouragement to our staff,” Imai said.
Having lived in many countries, Imai said the relationship between Taiwan and Japan was very unusual.
“The consolation and support Taiwan offered us was really warm. We want more Taiwanese to know that we really thank you,” he said.
“Before the earthquake, Taiwanese were very friendly to Japan. After it struck, I was often so moved by the encouraging words of local people that I was unable to speak,” Imai said.
In the basement of the Interchange Association’s office building, where the press conference was held, numerous cards with -encouraging words were pinned on the walls.
“They were sent from various sectors of Taiwanese society, ranging from kindergarten children to elderly people ... I will keep all these in mind and further seek to widen exchanges between Japan and Taiwan to enhance and deepen our relationship,” Imai said.
Kusano thanked the hospitality that Taiwanese have extended to Japanese in Taiwan.
“As Taiwanese are always so friendly and passionate, we never feel like we live in a foreign country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan also received a letter of appreciation from Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Sunday, in which he expressed sincere thanks for the profound friendship shown by Taiwanese toward Japan.
One month into the disaster, about 13,000 people have been confirmed dead and more than 14,000 are listed as missing. More than 150,000 people are still living in shelters.
Kan’s letter, titled “Thank you for the Kizuna [bonds of friendship],” was delivered to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添).
In it, Kan said the assistance from friends abroad “gave us a great amount of courage” at the time when the tsunami had washed away whole communities and left people without water, electricity, food or the means to communicate with one another.
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