'WASURENAI 3:11', Japanese players express solidarity with earthquake victims: Table Tennis News
In order to show solidarity with the victims of the natural disaster the Japanese table tennis player will wear t-shirts on which 'Wasurenai 3.11' will be printed at the GAC GROUP World Championship next month. The announcement of the inclusion of the wording was made last week at a press conference held by the Japanese Table Tennis Association (JTTA).
The word 'WASURENAI' means 'I will never forget'. All the top current and past players attended the press conference and fully supported the idea. Representatives from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) also attended the conference and endorsed the idea.
Thousands of people lost their lives and millions lost their homes within a matter of few minutes. The lost ones will never comeback, but the misery of the people in the affected area can be lessened by supporting them through aid or kind.
The disaster in Japan did not restricted to the tsunami, it continued with the nuclear crises which worsened the situation. Millions of Japanese migrated from the radiation effected areas especially from the suburbs of the Fukushima Nuclear power plant. There was a leakage of radiation after the earthquake struck the plant.
There is a website from where people can buy the t-shirts online bearing the logo. The JTTA has ordered 100 t-shirts which is to be sold during the 2011 World Championship at Rotterdam, Netherlands. The championshiop will be held from May 8-15, 2011. This will help to raise money for the Disaster Relief Fund.
The Japanese squad has Ai Fukuhara in the lead of the women players. On her return back home after the 2011 Volkswagen Cup she was shattered to see the level of destruction of her home town Sendai. A small coastal town which was completely washed away after the earthquake and resulting tsunami. The 22-year player donated the her entire prize-money of US$12,500 which she won at the 2011 Volkswagen Cup.
Next on the squad are Sayaka Hirano, Kasumi Ishikawa, Yuka Ishigaki, Misako Wakamiya, Ayuka Tanioka and Yuri Yamanashi. In the men's squad Jun Mizutani will be the leading player along with Kenta Matsudaira, Seiya Kishikawa, Kenji Matsudaira, Koki Niwa and Kazuhiro Chan.
The JTTA is hoping that players from other nations also wear the logo to show solidarity and unity with the Japanese.
“We won’t forget” is the message and no one, whether a native of Japan or from foreign shores, will ever forget. The disaster which came on the morning of March 11, 2011 will never be forgotten by the Japanese and the people of the world.
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