It is now four years since the great East Japan earthquake and tsunami, and in addition to the almost 20,000 who died or remain missing, there are still a great many hardships being suffered as a result of the disaster. It is perhaps unsurprising that it is the region closest to the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant that the consequences are still the worst – people still find themselves re-located to distant temporary accommodation because they can’t return to their homes due to continuing radiation, and even if they could, their homes are now falling into serious disrepair, and many houses have been ransacked by burglers, and even wild boars and other wildlife. There are villages which are gradually becoming habitable again, so people could return, but many will not, as they have become semi-settled into work in the places where they have been relocated. Consequently, many of the businesses associated with a thriving town stand no chance of reviving, such as restaurants or fish-processors, because enough people will not return to the towns for them to be viable. With that prospect, even as hopeful people return, such business-owners stand no chance of being granted the loans they would need to rebuild and refurbish their businesses. Through no fault of their own, the people who once lived happy lives around Fukishima Dai-Ichi have found themselves as helpless refugees, unable to return to their former lives, and finding themselves powerless to stop the inexorable crumbling-away of what little structure of their former lives remains, struggling to stave-off the withering of whatever faint hope may remain of a way back to the happy lives they once knew.

…and there is no-one to blame. There is no war, no invading force to castigate; it’s not even as if the earthquake or even the tsunami could be vilified for this tragic loss, as the areas where the damage was limited to those natural forces are continuing to heal, to re-build – the evil here is silent, invisible radio-activity, conjured-up by the catastrophic failure of a utility’s machinery, technology which was supposed to serve and enrich human life continuing to poison it.

There can be no doubt that a great many tears of loss have been shed by the people of Fukushima, as well as tears of frustration at the incredible, immutable unfairness of it all – as good an example as has ever been seen of bad things happening to good people for no reason – it’s absolutely heart-rending.

And yet, Kendo points out that there is a great deal to learn from contemplating and understanding this situation, but that it needs to be done intiuitively, rather than intellectually. Karma and destiny may be fine as concepts for mentally “getting a handle on” some of life’s inexplicable complications, but a tragedy as vast and as human as that of the people of Fukushima really puts our own situations into perspective – few of us can have lost so much and suffered for so long, nor have such bleak futures to look forward to. Do the people of Fukushima have some magical formula for dealing with tragedy?

Probably not, but Kendo points out that they may be helped by their faith: Buddhism – it’s the faith of Japan. One of the fundamental precepts of Buddhism is that attachment must be transcended, because it causes suffering. When something we’re attached to is taken away, it is a natural reaction that we suffer, unless we have begun to free ourselves from this dynamic. Kendo concedes that learning such deep strengths is not easy or quick, but it’s the enlightened choice to do so. And, continuing the intuitively-aware way of contemplating those things from which we can learn, simply understanding the attachment dynamic must not make us cold to those who are suffering – as with the people of Fukushima, loss may be overwhelmingly enormous, and protracted, and have no end in sight, so Kendo tells us that such suffering must never be reduced to a neat, reasoned bundle – we must welcome its potential to richly empower us by awakening our perspective and compassion.

So, this Friday 13th, when Kendo strikes his singing bowl at 13:13 hours UK time and meditates on those in need of healing, join with him in sending renewing and empowering energy to all those who have asked him for healing, as well as those in Fukushima, so that the healing energies of nature reach them and help them to feel that even though they’ve lost so much, the universe still cares for them, and is actively willing them towards happiness.

Gambatte Fukushima – Kendo Nagasaki and his followers wish you the very best, and to keep on keeping on.

~　プロレス元世界チャンピオン　ケンドー・ナガサキ氏から
東日本大震災被災者に向けてのメッセージ　~

およそ20,000人もの死者と行方不明者を出した東日本大震災から４年が経ちました。
被災者の中でも最も被害を受けたのは、福島第一原発付近に住んでいた方々です。
自宅に戻ることもできず、遠く離れた地域に住むことを余儀なくされている被災者は、何十万人にも及びます。
また、被災前には繁華街だったところも現在は過疎化が進み、本当の意味での復興は前途多難な状況にあります。
幸せに暮らしていた人々は、一晩で家も故郷も失っしまいました。
どうすれば、以前の暮らしに戻れるのでしょうか？
一番辛いことは、戦争のように敵を作ったこともなく、被災者は何も悪いことをしていないのにもかかわらず多大な被害を被った、ということです。
被災した町は、毎日少しずつ復興に向かって前進していますが、その一方で今でも放射能への不安の中にあります。
皮肉にも、放射能問題の原因となった技術は、人々の生活に役立つものであったはずなのに、今では人々を苦しめています。

イギリス国民は、福島の被災者の苦しみを共感しています。
イギリスのことわざに「Sometimes, bad things happen to good people for no reason（善人は、悪事を働かずして被害を受けることがある）」という言葉があります。これは人の世の不条理さを意味しています。

東日本大震災の事を想うと、様々な見習うべき点があると考えます。
人というものは、困っているときにはカルマや運命を考えてしまうものですが、震災はあまりに残酷でこれに当てはまるべきものではありません。
イギリス国民は、福島程の大規模な被災は一度も経験したことがありませんし、福島の方々のように前向きに生活を送るということも想像すらできません。
このことから、私たちにとって福島県民はまるで超人のように思えてしまうのですが、彼らは同じ人間なのです。
ケンドー・ナガサキは、それは日本人の仏教的考えに基づいたものだと考えます。
「絆」をとても大切にすることは、仏教の教えの一つです。
この絆はお互いを想う愛情に基づくものなので、愛するものを失ってしまったときに悲劇は起こります。
しかし、私たちは生きていくうえで悲しみを避けることなどできません。
そのため、悲劇に立ち向かうためにも、日々心の準備をすることが大切です。
それは簡単なことではありませんが、悲しみを乗り越えたとき、人は強くなります。
イギリス国民はもっと強くなるため、被災者の方々を見習うべきです。

ケンドー・ナガサキは、今月13日13時13分に鈴（りん）を鳴らし、東北の被災者を想い、人々に癒しが与えられるよう祈りました。
世界中の人々が、被災者がどれだけ厳しい状況に身を置かれているのかを憂い、一日も早く復興できるように祈っています。
福島のみなさん、がんばってください。
ケンドー・ナガサキのチームは、一日も早い復興を心よりお祈りいたします。

(Many thanks to Chris Gould in Tokyo for this translation.)