On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which took place on 11 March 2011, the Embassy of Japan in Egypt extended heartfelt prayers for the lives of many of the victims, with sincere condolences to all those affected by the disaster. The Embassy also expressed sincere thanks and gratitude to the Egyptian people for their warm support and solidarity. This came in a statement circulated by the Embassy.
On 11 March 2011, a Richter 9 earthquake struck the Tohoku region in Japan, killing nearly 20,000, due to the damage from the earthquake and tsunami. The statement stressed that besides donations amounting to EGP 693,550 (at that time), Japan have received many letters of condolences and sympathy from Egypt.
The statement says, when the Great East Japan Earthquake happened in 2011, it was a difficult time not only for Japan, but also for Egypt, as society was shaken by major changes. The Japanese will never forget that the Egyptians, despite this difficult period, provided warm support to Japan, which was suffering from the earthquake, and continued to send messages of support and encouragement through concerts to commemorate the victims and others even after the earthquake, the statement added.
Ambassador Noki talked about his experience at the time of the earthquake 10 years ago, saying: “10 years ago, when I was in charge of climate change and global health in Tokyo, I personally experienced a violent earthquake inside my office, and was shocked to see the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami. At that difficult time, messages of support from our friends were a great motivation and encouragement for us.”
Over the past 10 years, too, the Japanese archipelago has been subjected to many natural disasters. For example, more than 80 people were killed in heavy rains in Kyushu in July 2020. Reconstruction efforts are progressing in every disaster area, but some people are still suffering from difficult conditions.
“The Embassy of Japan in Egypt sends a message of support and encouragement to all those affected by the disaster, with sincere thanks and appreciation from the Japanese people to the Egyptian people,” said the statement.
The statement concluded: “It is not only natural disasters, but we are now facing new challenges represented by infection with the emerging corona virus spreading all over the world. In the spirit of ‘rebuilding a better society’, Egypt and Japan will do their utmost to overcome this crisis and make 2021 a bright year.”
Tokyo commemorates 10th anniversary of Great East Japan Earthquake
