Kayoko Ebina (87), an essayist who has lost six family members in the air raid and continues her memorial activities before the bombing of Tokyo, which killed about 100,000 people, in 76 years in 10 days. On the 8th, Chargé d'Affaires Young of the United States, who is stationed in Japan, sent a memorial letter.
According to experts, it is extremely rare for the American side to send a message in connection with the bombing of Tokyo.
Kayoko Ebina, the wife of the first rakugoka Hayashiya Sanpei, lost six family members, including her parents, in the bombing of Tokyo on March 10, 1945, and invested her private fortune to build a memorial monument. , I continue to carry out memorial activities such as publishing my own experiences as a book.
According to Ebina, on the afternoon of the 8th, a staff member of the US Embassy visited the memorial hall of the first Hayashiya Sanpei in Taito-ku, Tokyo, and handed over a letter from Chargé d'Affaires Young.
The letter says in Japanese and English, "Thank you for the opportunity to solemnly mourn those who died during World War II."
Mr. Ebina said, "I was very surprised to receive the letter. I am very pleased that my message,'Don't start a war,' was transmitted to the United States."
In addition, the US Embassy explained to NHK that "I sent it as a private letter from the spirit of friendship between Japan and the United States."
Regarding the bombing of Tokyo, the American side attended a ceremony hosted by Tokyo, with Ambassador Mondale at that time in 1995 and Ambassador Kennedy at that time in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Yutaka Yoshida, director of the Center for the Tokyo Raid and War Damage, said, "It is extremely rare for the United States to send a message in connection with the Tokyo Raid." I can appreciate it with a message that once again sheds light on the victims of the war. "