東日本大震災から9年を迎えた。
9年という歳月が経っても、国民皆が大きな悲しみに包まれ、真の復興への道のりはまだまだ遠いと誰もが感じる。
2011年3月11日、夫と私は東京はおろか、日本からはるか離れた、地球の裏側のベルンにいた。時差のため、大地震発生時はスイスの明け方だった。
ケーブルテレビでNHKのニュースをオンタイムでみることができたので、朝起きてテレビをつけた瞬間から、信じられないニュースに大ショックを受けた。
それからのあまりにも衝撃的な映像と報道に、丸一日テレビの前をほとんど離れられなくなってしまった。
東京の留守宅に住む息子に電話をかけてみたがつながらなかった。
しかし、その後幸いメールはつながり、息子、娘、母の安否確認ができた。
地球の裏側にいて、なにもできないもどかしさを、このあと長いこと感じ続けることとなった。
スイスに大地震と津波のニュースが流れると、現地で親しくしていた各国の友人たちから、ありがたいお見舞いのメールが次々と届いた。
友人たちの心のこもった言葉に涙ぐむほどだった。
当時ずっと書き続けていた(非公開の)ブログ日記をいま読み返している。ほんとうに多くのトモダチから温かい言葉が寄せられていたことを再認識し、胸が熱くなった。
その中の一人、親しくしていたNさんのメールをコピペする。(原文のまま。訳無しですこと、ご容赦ください)
彼女とご主人は、ベルンの前に東京に二度も子連れで駐在した経験がある知日派だった。
震災直後ではなく数日経過してから届いたメール。(しかし、福島の原発事故の深刻さは、まだ完全にはわかっていなかった時期。)
日本に愛着を感じてくださっていただけに、彼女にはこの大震災が他人事と思えず、当初は言葉を失い、お見舞いのメールすらかけなかったのだと思う。
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Dear M-san,
> I just want to express my deep feelings to you on what is currently happening in Japan. It makes me worry so much about this country and its people who have hosted us for so many years.
I am listening to the news and can't believe it that this worse-case-scenario is unfolding in front of our eyes. We are trying to get in touch with friends and assure ourselves that they are still alright. But nothing is alright until everyone has been evacuated frome the most dangerous zone, has shelter and food and some hope, that life can go on under these circumstances.
The news puts us in a state of alarm that we want to do something to help.
> I hope your son and daughter are fine and can cope with the restrictions that have been imposed or have come as a consequence of events. Will you try to bring them to Berne until the situation becomes clearer on how dangerous the next days and weeks will be? You must be sick of worry about them and your family.
> When we drove to Gstaad last Friday we heard the news for the first time, we had not listened to the radio in the morning before leaving.
We knew immediately that an earth quake of that magnitude was very bad news and we were shocked. We all tried to react in the way: 'oh, let's deal with this later'. As if it might go away... We were all punished for this, because it is getting worse and worse.
> Our thoughts are with you and the Japanese people all the time and please accept our sympathy.
> Hope to see you soon and kind regards> N
私からの返信:
Dear N,
I thank you so much for your long compassionate letter. It is a strange feeling to think that we met happily only last Wednesday: now it seems as if it was almost decades ago.
I find myself sitting in front of the cable TV almost all day long, which is broadcasting the NHK news 24 hours, doing practically nothing, watching the outfold of the catastrophe--really a nightmare.
I was very moved by your words, especially because of your understanding of our country. I'm sure, the whole unfolding reality is making you think, just as much as I'm feeling now as a Japanese, "How can something like this happen in today's Japan??"
The force of the tsunami was beyond anybody's calculation, prediction, nor imagination. Still, as most Japanese, I say to myself that we must accept it as part of the "fate" of our country's geographical location.
Yet I am lost with words to see what's happening at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, which makes us more and more pessimisitic, not only for the Japanese, but thinking of the after-effects to all the countries around the world.
At the same time, hearing the desperate cries for help and aid from the isolated villages and towns which are now reaching the media really break my heart.
The lack of food, water, blanket, kerosene(for heating), medicine, etc. all over the regions is a phenomena we Japanese have forgotten for many decades.
I appreciate your kind consideration for our family; my daughter and son, and my mother are all fine and safe in Tokyo. With the restriction of the scheduled power-cut all around the Kanto area, it is true that there are quite many unexpected side-effects to their daily life as well, but we consider ourselves lucky being able to have the access to utility supplies during most of the day.
I feel frustrated for not being able to do a thing for the people in the areas hit by the tsunami, myself living so far away from Japan.
And personally, as a mother and as a daughter, I regret not being in Tokyo to assist my family in these hard and crucial days.
Their lives will go on in Tokyo, our hometown, and we are praying that the specialists will use all their knowledge and assets possible to find a way to resolve this most difficult challenge ever imposed on us in the after-war history.
With all my gratitudes, M