On 28-29 November 2013, the Ambassador Ruth Kahanoff visited Miyagi and Fukushima prefecture, for the first time since assuming her post on September.
The ambassador's long-held desire to visit Tohoku has been fulfilled through this trip to Kurihara city, Sendai city, Fukushima city, and Minamisanriku town where the Israeli medical team set up a portable medical clinic after the earthquake.
Ambassadors' quote for the Tohoku visit:
"It was very important for me to see and understand the situation from close.
I wanted to express our solidarity and commitment, and to further develop the relationship with Tohoku which started with the arrival of the Israeli medical teams after the 3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake.
While the scopes of the disaster and the terrible loss of human life are shocking, I was touched to see the firmness of the brave people of Tohoku to rebuild the ruins and their lives.
I was also deeply impressed by the beauty of the Fukushima Prefecture and the snowy mountains, and I promised to come back again for a vacation with my family once the mountains will be covered with snow".
Here are some photos and impressions from the visit:
During her visit to Sendai city, Ambassador Kahanoff was welcomed by the elementary school children of Sendai Shirayuri Gakuen Girls School, where advances "Origami exchange" between Israeli elementary school.
The Ambassador lays flowers where the disaster management center building was swamped by the tsunami. Minamisanriku town, Miyagi prefecture.
In front of the sculpture made by Israeli artist David Suzanna for Japan's revival,
with Mr. Jin Sato, Mayor of Minamisanriku town, where the Israeli medical team came and administered necessary urgent care for 2 weeks after Tsunami.
With Ms. Emiko Okuyama, Mayor of Sendai city, Miyagi prefecture.
With Mr. Isamu Sato, Mayor of Kurihara city, who lived in a Kibbutz taking a special educational program in the sixties. Kurihara sity, Miyagi prefecture.
Fukushima prefecture governor Mr. Yuhei Sato and the Ambassador eating tomatoes, grown with drip irrigation system by Israeli company Netafim.