Seven years have passed.

It has been 7 years since the big earthquake in eastern Japan occurred today. I was seeing an ophthalmologist who gave me a diagnosis of cataracts when the earthquake occurred and was rushing back to my office after that. At this time on the day, I was struck dumb at the mess in my room of the office. Everything has fallen on the floor. My precious cello has survived despite of television set was fallen on the floor very close to it.

I have been apathic for a few days. In a couple of days, when I came back on the internet, I was surprised with gratitude to find dozens of e mails from all over the world asking how I was doing were in the mail box. Jim N3JT used to give me a phone call directly. Dave W0FBI, who used to do his military service for 4 years as a doctor in Japan, told me he would return to Japan and work for those suffering from the irradiation due to the nuclear power plant accident. How much I have thanked to all of them! Whenever I remember of those people showing their good will to us, I could not help crying. It was a real disaster but was still a chance to convince me there were good people in the world.  I thought I should change a bit of my way of living after that. I am not sure if I could come on that way. However, I still recall of what I thought that time whenever this anniversary comes on.

There was a charity concert of NY PHilharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert held in the NYC for Japanese suffers in only 7 days after the disaster. He has expressed supports to us on behalf of the orchestra members. It was Takemitsu's Requiem they performed. I have introduced on the episode and their performance as here.

There are still about 34k people evacuated from Fukushima. Many people are still with the sad memories losing their families. I should not forget them.