Fukushima Students Thank Taiwan for Reconstruction Aid

July 29, 2018

Taipei- Junior high and high school students from Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, visited a junior high school in Taipei on Friday to offer thanks for Taiwan's reconstruction support after the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident.

The three Japanese students, so-called Fukushima reconstruction ambassadors, called on Taiwanese students to visit their prefecture while explaining progress in its recovery from the disasters.

Taiwan donated some 20 billion yen to areas in Japan affected by the earthquake, tsunami and subsequent triple meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holding Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The Japanese students handed a personal letter from Masayuki Takahashi, head of newspaper publisher Fukushima-Minpo Co., to the Taiwanese school's principal.

The company promotes the activities of Fukushima reconstruction ambassadors.

In his letter, Takahashi thanked Taiwan for its aid and mourned victims of a powerful earthquake that hit the eastern part of Taiwan in February.

The Japanese students gave "okiagari-koboshi" dolls, viewed as a symbol of reconstruction because they spring back up each time they are knocked down, as gifts to the Taiwanese students.

The Taiwanese students presented the Japanese students with gifts including handwritten messages of encouragement.

Prior to their trip to the junior high school, the three also visited areas hit by the February earthquake. Jiji Press