At the height of spring, our National Day also coincides with the renewal of nature as we look forward to the rewards and leisure of summer after a long and cold winter. But in this annual spring-time display of national pride and contentment, we also pause to look beyond our borders to those less fortunate. To the many people suffering in a world of widespread poverty and injustice, of death and destruction due to armed conflict and of recurring natural disasters as well.
This year Norwegians in Tokyo will again gather to celebrate our National Day. But in a different way. This time with food produced in Tohoku in addition to the waffles, hot-dogs and ice-cream. This time mindful of the great natural disaster that so mercilessly has struck Japan and her people. The country that we are living in. The people, our friends, whom we so admire and respect.
A time to reaffirm ties
This moment in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake is surely a time to reaffirm, revitalize and renew the close ties between our two countries and people. And for Norway and Norwegians to stretch out our hands. To help and work with the Japanese people and authorities not only in immediate disaster relief, but also in longer term reconstruction efforts.
When the mega-catastrophe struck Japan on 11 March, H.M King Harald of Norway immediately offered his condolences to H.I.M. Emperor Akihito of Japan. The ties between our Heads of State are close. They met each other as Crown Princes, when then Crown Prince Harald first came to Japan in 1964 to participate in a sailing event at the Summer Olympics. In 2001, he came back, this time as King on an official state visit. Their Imperial Majesties went to Norway on a return state visit in 2005, the year we celebrated the Centenary of our Independence in modern times.
Prime Minister Stoltenberg of Norway likewise immediately sent his condolences to Prime Minister Kan to convey his sympathy to those bereaved and offering to support Japan in any way we could. Our Prime Minister had been looking forward to his official visit to Japan, which was to commence four days later on 15 March with a large accompanying delegation of Norway’s foremost businessmen to strengthen established ties and to seize new potential in our bilateral relationship in areas of fisheries and shipping, energy and environment as well as science and technology. The visit was postponed under the tragic circumstances of natural disaster to a time better suited in the near future, when it will be implemented with renewed purpose. Other cabinet ministers have likewise sent their messages of sympathy to their counterparts in Japan.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the honour of meeting with the Speaker of House of Representatives and the President of the House of Councillors to convey letters from the President of the Norwegian Parliament with condolences and sympathy on behalf of the members of Parliament following the disaster. The Standing Committee on Health and Welfare of Parliament is planning to visit Japan after the summer following up the important and successful visit of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.
A flow of sympathy
Such political level sentiments are, as we have seen by the flow of sympathy to Japan from all around the world, not unique to Norway. In addition to their bilateral relations with Japan, countries rich and poor, near and afar, appreciate Japan as a positive force in international co-operation in the UN and other fora for nuclear disarmament and sustainable development. Japan has been active and generous in helping others in long-term international development aid and shorter term disaster relief. If there has been a time for Japan to help the world, now is the time for the world to help Japan in return. The sympathy shown and support offered to Japan by the international community is impressive and deep felt in Norway as elsewhere.
As did many other countries, Norway immediately offered search and rescue teams to assist in the areas affected by the tsunami. Our experts participated in assessment teams to Japan and the disaster struck areas from the United Nations, EU and International Red Cross to prepare for targeted relief efforts in dialogue with Japanese authorities and organizations. We are prepared to assist in other ways as well.
Displays of empathy
Back home in Norway, solidarity concerts and other people-to-people displays of empathy were spontaneously organized. Such as the “Gift to Japan Concert” attended by our Crown Princess. Such as our biathlon athletes upon winning the World Championship in Russia donating all their prize money to Japan, matched by a similar donation by their athletic federation. And many, many more events around the country.
In the first few weeks after the disaster, Norwegian chapters of international relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, Save-the-Children and the Church Relief Fund transferred to their Japanese sister organizations more than Yen 250 million collected from responsive Norwegians, who care. Funds being dispersed in the way their Japanese counterpart organizations, who know best what local needs are, consider most effective. Some of this aid was also directly earmarked, such as the five thousand five hundred school bags with books and writing material handed out by Norwegian Save-the-Children in Ishinomaki two weeks ago.
The Norwegian company “Normeca” is now setting up two semi-permanent hospital units in Iwate prefecture. Likewise, state-of-the-art Norwegian technology and expertise in renewable energy and environment, could make an important contribution to the reconstruction efforts.
The coastal challenge
In terms of area, Norway is the size of Japan. In terms of population, we are far, far less, only 4.8 million people. On the opposite side of the Eurasian landmass, we too have a long coast-line scattered with communities dependent on fisheries. Living by the sea, we know that the sea can be generous as we harvest its bounty. Having lost many lives at sea, we have also learnt to respect its forces. The tsunamis show how cruel the sea can be and how devastating is its force. People in our coastal communities can visualize more easily than others the effects of tsunamis. Their empathy with coastal brethren in Japan is strong.
Fisheries, seafood safety and other marine activities as well as maritime industry stand out as an important pillar of Norwegian-Japanese co-operation. These areas, where Norwegian experience and know-how expertise is strong, will be important also in the coordinated reconstruction efforts of Japanese authorities in the North East. Our Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, who was to have participated in the planned visit of our Prime Minister in March, is looking very much forward to visiting Japan soon, not just to promote our fisheries co-operation, but also very much mindful of the challenges facing Japan in reconstructing devastated coastal areas. With coastal communities ourselves, we understand and deal with their unique challenges and have experience to share.
A global concern
Natural disasters strike without recognizing national borders and show no respect for religion or political systems. In the face of natural disaster, the human race is one. When disaster does strike, as it will again, the global community, governments, NGOs and ordinary people must stand readily prepared to lend a hand in common effort.
In January 2005, ten years after the earthquake disaster in Kobe, Japan hosted the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Relief Reduction, which adopted the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. This milestone in international collaboration for natural disaster risk management has clearly increased awareness of the importance of preventive measures. Norway and Japan are working closely together in this forum, which only last week held in Geneva the third session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
What has been done in Japan so far in the wake of a terrible disaster and the work that remains for a long time to come in reconstructing the devastated areas will give valuable experience that other countries will appreciate Japan to share, when disaster strikes elsewhere and when international experience, efforts and goodwill are required in relief and reconstruction again. When that time comes Norway will be working hand in hand with Japan and others to assist.
Tokyo, 17 May 2011
(The Japan Times)