Letter from Mr. Naoki Murata, Director-General, Public Diplomacy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to JETAA Toronto
To : JETAA Toronto(JET Programme Toronto Alumni Association)
April 20,2011
More than one month has passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake has hit the nation. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to all the people who have suffered as a result of this disaster, both Japanese nationals and non-Japanese including JET Programme participants, and their families.
I understand that JETAA chapters across Canada are working for the earthquake relief efforts in Japan by means of a series events including the very successful JETAA Toronto JAPAN BENEFIT PARTY which was held on April 1. I extend my heartfelt thanks for such assistance from your organization. I am grateful for the fact that many JET alumni have prayed for Japan and extended support to us. I am deeply impressed by the warm encouragement.
The Government of Japan is currently mobilizing all resources to overcome the situation at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and working hard to stabilize the situation there at the earliest possible date. I would appreciate if those who have been away from Japan following evacuation advices issued by their mother country, among other reasons, and also those who hesitate to apply for the JET programme in this situation in Japan could judge and act calmly based on available information on the safety in Japan. I would like to point out that the Government of Japan considers that the areas outside the zones for evacuation and staying indoors are safe, and the Government of Japan has required each local authority to restrict the distribution of food products whose radiation doses exceeded the provisional regulation values. The Government of Japan has uploaded the latest information on the websites as follows. I would really appreciate if you could share this message with your JET friends and their possible candidates through your network.
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html
http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html
http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/index.html
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/2011_Earthquake.html
http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/saigaijohou/index.htm
http://eq.wide.ad.jp/index_en.html
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/2011eq/index.html
http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/index.html
http://www.maff.go.jp/e/index.html
There is no doubt that Japan will recover, become vibrant again, and become an even more marvelous country. I strongly believe that Japan will certainly repay, through its contributions to the international community, the cordial assistance from your organization. The Government of Japan will work to the best of its ability to realize a reconstruction of Japan. I appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
To that end, I add my own effort to those of my Government; I extend my best wishes to you for your organization’s future development.
Naoki Murata
Director-General
Public Diplomacy Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan