Original Japanese written by Yuki Johnson

The English below written and arranged by Heeday, based on the original Japanese

The English edited by Rev. Dr. Henry French, ELCA

 

The Japanese-speaking church in the UK, where Ms. Yuki Johnson is active, held a service to commemorate the East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 again this year, six years after the disaster. The Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan, its Tohoku Diocese, and we, the No Nuke Project, sent messages to the Japanese-speaking congregation.

One of its leading members, Ms. Yuki Johnson, has sent us the following report on the service as well as some nice photos taken by Mr. Shu Tomioka.

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 We Won’t Forget You

　　　　　　For victims of the 2011 Great Eastern Japan     Earthquake and Tsunami

　　　　Marking the ６^h Anniversary of the disaster

　9:30 – 13:30

　11^th March (Sat) 2017

　　Please come to see the memorial tree

　　　 at St Margaret’s Church

　　　 Westminster Abbey

（Photo taken by Shu Tomioka at 11^th March 2017）

We held a vigil in commemoration of the 2011 disaster on March 11^th. Though the venue, Westminster Abbey, was not open to the general public on that particular day, we had more participants than we expected. At least 500 people attached a cherry blossom, the symbol of our remembrance of the victims of the 2011 disaster, to the Tree of Hope placed at the venue. Many of them also left deeply meaningful messages. The photos shown here were taken by Mr. Tomioka, a wonderful friend of mine.
With many thanks,   （Yuki Johnson）

 

At St. Margaret’s Church

 

— Ms. Yuki Johnson (center), volunteers, secretary of the Consulate, chairperson of the Fukushima Prefecture Association, Rev. Jane, and others

 

— Cherry flowers with names of places where victims lost their lives in the 2011 disaster written on them

 

— The flowers were attached to the illuminated Tree of Hope, together with the participants’ prayers