Japan’s ambassador to South Africa, Toshiro Ozawa, on Wednesday thanked South Africans for their condolences for the lives lost in the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last week. Ozawa said the embassy in Pretoria had received countless emails, letters and telephone calls in the days since the disaster struck on March 11.
“I thank you for your words of kindness and support, and above all for the hands of friendship with which you are reaching out to us, the people of Japan, in this difficult time,” he said in an open letter addressed to the government and people of South Africa on Wednesday.
A magnitude 8,9 earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan last Friday, causing untold destruction and loss of lives. The resultant tsunami washed away entire towns and caused extensive damage at nuclear facilities on the coast. There are growing fears that the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in north-eastern Japan will melt down and release high levels of radioactivity.
A disaster response team from Rescue South Africa (RSA) left the country on Wednesday night on a chartered flight for Japan. RSA is an official South African disaster response team of volunteer emergency specialists drawn from the public and private-sector emergency and ancillary services.
The organisation has sent teams to assist with relief efforts in Haiti after the 7,0 magnitude earthquake that destroyed Port-au-Prince and to northern Pakistan after a 7,6 magnitude earthquake struck there in 2005.
The team of about 50 search and rescue technicians is expected to land in Tokyo early on Friday morning. They will then be deployed to the affected areas where they will work closely with local authorities. The team expects to remain in Japan for at least a week.
Ozawa said the team’s work in difficult conditions would become “a symbol of friendship and solidarity between the people of South African and Japan”.
The embassy of Japan has opened a condolence book in memory of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Well-wishers can sign the book at the embassy in Pretoria, on Thursday and Friday between 2:30pm and 4pm, or next Tuesday and Wednesday between 10am an noon.
The embassy is located at 259 Baines Street, Groenkloof, Pretoria. For more information, call 012 452 1500.