Today, Japan is full of "Kindness".
Even in response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which is still continuing,
The political and business worlds are all competing to provide support and financial aid.
The prime minister should avoid looking at the debt-laden finances at this time,
and careful not to misspeak, appealed for large-scale support from the national government.
The three business organizations held their annual New Year's celebration with a toast of juice, and all pledged to stand by and support the Noto Peninsula disaster victims.
The president of a convenience store made such appeals as,
"We are sending 1,000 employees from our headquarters to the area!"
"Our trucks are out of service because of the roadblocks, so our employees are delivering the goods on their backs!"
It is obvious that such appeals for support are part of the company's image-boosting campaign,
If it helps the victims, it is not a bad thing.
However, I have never seen such a battle of "kindness" in a natural disaster in the history of Japan, or even the world,
It is only natural that urgent relief is needed.
We are grateful for America's "Operation Tomodachi".
What worries me, however, is the long-term support for the victims and their hometowns.
The danger is that the affected people and their hometowns will be left without hope because of unnecessary support.
This can be seen in the huge levees that were built after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which are so large that they obscure the view of the sea.
The devastating damage shows that the support from the ordinary people will never be enough.
It will take a huge amount of money,
Some companies are bound to make a fortune out of it, just like fire thieves.
No matter how much support is given, the affected areas will never fully recover.
This may sound like a cold-blooded dismissal,
If we are going to help, let's do it quietly and solemnly by our own hands when the time is right.
There is no sincerity in the "appeal for gentleness" battle based on "Japan's signature peer pressure.
It is very difficult,
There is nothing more precious than for the victims to grasp hope with their own hands.
And it would be hypocritical not to talk about it,
It may take time, but the survivors themselves need to "give up what they have to give up.