Japanese students say ‘thank you’ for letters of hope

 Japanese students wrote thank you messages for students from Saipan who took part in the “Kibo No Tegami – Letters of Hope” campaign of the Saipan Mayor’s Office.

“Kibo No Tegami – Letters of Hope,” which was launched in April, encouraged public school students to write letters of support, encouragement, and hope to families in Japan that were affected by the devastating earthquake and a tsunami that damaged the East Asian nation last March.

Through the assistance of the Saipan Rotary Club and the Hasaki Rotary Club, the 823 letters from Saipan have reached hard-hit areas, including the prefectures of Ibaraki, Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.

Rev. Shoji Takahashi, high priest of the Katori Jingu group, which recently visited the island for their annual peace pilgrimage, brought over 100 letters with them and presented them to Mayor Donald G. Flores in a brief ceremony at the Fiesta Resort and Spa in Garapan on Saturday.

Yoichi Matsumura, president of Pacific Development, Inc., which coordinated the Katori Jingu group’s visit, said that the Japanese people were not expecting the letters of encouragement from Saipan.

Matsumura said that Hasaki Rotary Club president Junichiro Izumi, who is also an active member of the Katori Jingu group, wanted to make sure that they express their gratitude to the people of Saipan.

Masaru Hashimoto, governor of Ibaraki Prefecture, said in his letter that the March disaster caused “unimaginable damage” and took away many lives. While essential utilities have been restored, the governor said they have just begun the restoration of public facilities and industries.

“The touching letters we received from the elementary, junior high and senior high school students [have] offered great encouragement as we work toward restoration,” said Hashimoto. “I will continue working alongside the people of Ibaraki Prefecture in an all-out effort to revitalize the region as quickly as possible.

Kamisu City Mayor Kazuo Hotate, for his part, said the encouraging messages from Saipan students were translated by Izumi and the International Affairs Division of Ibaraki Prefecture and given to the Fukashiba Elementary School.

Their sixth grade students, Hotate said, were “touched by the messages from Saipan” that they held a gathering on June 27 called “Bond with Saipan People” wherein the students read and gave their reaction to the translated letters.

“They really appreciate the warmhearted encouragement and made a new resolution to overcome the disaster,” he wrote in his letter.

Hotate expressed hope that they could further the cultural exchange between Kamisu City and Saipan and bring opportunity to develop a bond between the island’s elementary schools and Fukashiba Elementary School.

Flores said he plans to give copies of the letters from Japan to the students who took part in the “Kibo No Tegami – Letters of Hope” campaign.

“Our students on Saipan wrote from their hearts and came up with compassionate letters to help the people of Japan rise above the devastating impacts of the earthquake and tsunami that happened to their country,” he told Saipan Tribune.