Japan on the road to recovery

  Exactly a year passed yesterday since the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit the northeastern coast of Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people and causing billions of dollars in damage, yet the nation continues its recovery and rebuilding efforts in its quest to create a “new Japan.”

In the CNMI, the Consular Office of Japan hosted on March 9 a one-year anniversary reception commemorating the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster, spawning a devastating tsunami that inundated the Tohoku region and set off the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Friday’s event, held at the Fiesta Hall of the Hafadai Beach Hotel in Garapan, drew some 150 government officials, business leaders, and other community members.

Japan Consul Tsutomu Higuchi expressed his appreciation to the community and the rest of the world for their generous support and significant contributions in the aftermath of the March 11 disaster that left over 3,000 individuals still unaccounted for.

Higuchi said that the Commonwealth’s “warmhearted solidarity” with the Japanese was demonstrated through the donations that they and the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter received from the local government, business establishments, civic and religious organizations, and private individuals to help the relief efforts.

“Owing to such support from the international community, Japan is on the road to recovery and is once again looking to the future,” said Higuchi. “We are working hard to progress along the road to recovery.”

Higuchi said that in return for the overwhelming support, Japan will share with the global community the knowledge and lessons learned from the tragedy and will remain active in their contributions such as the Official Development Assistance and coming up with ways to realize human security and sustain economic growth.

“Japan will ‘turn the tables’ or transform the challenges into opportunities concerning various issues such as post-disaster reconstruction and revitalization, disaster risk reduction, a shift to “green economy,” the declining birthrate and aging society, high-level economic partnerships, and will offer the world a model as a ‘lead runner in addressing these challenges,’” he added.

While much of Japan was severely crippled by the disaster, Higuchi assured that most of these areas have thus far “returned to normal,” saying that the country can be once again visited for business, tourism, study or other reasons “without undue worries.”

Dr. John Joyner, senior policy adviser, was the Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s representative to the event. Fitial was unable to make it last Friday due to the visiting delegation of Republican presidential candidate’s son Matt Romney.

In a year’s span, Joyner said so much reconstruction has been done in Japan, which exhibits their determination and resilience in the face of disaster-something the CNMI natives have in common with the Japanese.

“We know disaster; we go down and we get up. These are lessons that we have in our genes,” he added.

Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio said the Commonwealth is very proud to step up to the plate and do what it can to help Japan. “Our prayers are with the Japan community and the people of Japan. We hope that we can continually do our part to help in the rebuilding process,” he said.

Attendees last Friday enjoyed refreshments while video presentations showing Japan’s reconstruction endeavors were played at the event. Each received after the event a gift box bearing okiagari-koboshi or a folk art doll made of wooden mold with melted traditional Japanese paper and recycled paper, considered a good luck charm in the Aizu region in the Fukushima Prefecture.