News from Japan

23. März 2011

18 March 2011
Dear Friends,
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

We have received a lot of sympathy and enquiries about the Japan earthquake and tsunami from puppeteers and puppet theatre people all over the world.

First of all, the members of Puk in Tokyo are safe and sound. However, some of them have to visit their families and relatives in the disaster stricken area. The damage caused by the tsunami was unbelievable. It was an unprecedented disaster. As if it were not enough, the nuclear crisis at Fukushima (about 200 kilo from Tokyo) caused by the tsunami, only added to it. The residents within 30 kilo radius have been ordered to evacuate. It is indeed the worst situations for the disaster sufferers. As to the communication with the disaster stricken area; the local people have no means to communicate and even if they have, such means (e.g. mobile) can be overwhelmed by over usage. At the moment a lot of people still have not been able to contact their beloved ones, let alone telling them that they are alive.

Therefore we have been recommended not to use any means to communicate unless absolutely necessary.
So we must wait. That is why we cannot reply to your warm inquiries about puppet theatre people in the
Tohoku region.The Fukushima nuclear plant incident caused the shortage of electricity not only Tokyo but the surrounding
wider area. We are dealing with power shortages by cancelling trains, periodical blackouts and such. Although
we will learn the extent of the social effects of such power shortage in due course, we will have to keep going;
we must continue to pursue our work.

I believe that our priority is to reconstruct the disaster stricken area. Therefore we must cooperate, focus all
our power, resources and wisdom, to this task, not only within Japan, but also all over the world.
Our vision, since Puk foundation is to perform puppet theatre for peace and happiness for people of all over
the world, and guides us in these hard, difficult times. Again, we have realized our mission that, we must
provide good quality puppet theatre for society.

I am very much obliged to say thank you for your warmest concerns, sympathy, solidarity and friendship.
Tatsuo Sato　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tamiko Onagi　
Representative　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 In chief, Int’l Dep.
Puppet Theatre PUK　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Puppet Theatre PUK