Japanese expatriates living and working in Bahrain and friends of the country have been left stunned by a series of dramatic incidents just a few months after a high-profile delegation of business leaders from the kingdom visited Japan to expand flourishing ties between the two nations.
Iain Lindsay, OBE, a former British ambassador and now the adviser to the chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), was on the trip, has close links as a result of his diplomatic career, and lived there for several years with his wife, Bridget and their son, Calum.
A massive earthquake claiming around 100 lives and leaving many trapped under rubble heralded a horrendous start to 2024 for Japan followed by a fiery plane crash. Some 379 passengers and crew were evacuated from the Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 after it collided with a coastguard plane on the runway of Haneda International airport.
Five of the six members in the smaller plane were killed, with the captain in a critical condition. The turboprop plane was due to ferry supplies to Japan’s earthquake-ravaged regions.
New Year is traditionally a time for Japanese families to relax together but the occasion has been overshadowed. “My wife and I were deeply saddened to hear the news of a significant earthquake in Japan on New Year’s Day, probably the most important day of the Japanese calendar, and the subsequent fatalities,” said Mr Lindsay.
“Only last October we had been in that area of Japan in the beautiful and historic city of Kanazawa, which has suffered some damage. The earthquake was followed by the awful crash at the airport, particularly harrowing given that those who died were on their way to the earthquake hit area to provide assistance.
“It really has been a terrible start to 2024 for Japan. Our thoughts are with our many Japanese friends.
“We lived in Tokyo for eight years, working at the British Embassy. Earthquakes are a fact of life, a constant threat for which one has to prepare. There would be earthquake preparedness drills at the embassy and our son’s school, such as taking it in turns to go into an earthquake simulator – a room with furniture on a hydraulic system that recreated the movements of an earthquake.
“We had a ‘grab bag’ beside our front door, including helmets and fire capes as well as essential food supplies, and large bottles of water and purification tablets.
“We were living in Japan in 1995 when the Great Hanshin earthquake occurred, killing several thousand people around Kobe. On another occasion, my elderly parents were staying when an earthquake hit, a truly terrifying experience for those not used to the regular tremors.
“Our young son had a rather different perspective on that earthquake, influenced by his recent memories of watching Jack and the Beanstalk. He woke up crying and exclaimed that there was a giant shaking the house, to which we replied that it was an earthquake. He said “Oh that’s OK then”, rolled over and went back to sleep!
“Let’s hope that the rest of 2024 brings better fortune to Japan, a country with which Bahrain has strong and enduring ties.”
A high-level delegation from Bahrain, led by Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro and supported by Sustainable Development Minister Noor Al Khulaif, last year visited Japan and South Korea, as reported in the GDN.
The visit was organised by the Industry and Commerce Ministry with the support of the EDB to strengthen trade ties between the two countries and attract investment into the kingdom.
In both Tokyo and Seoul, a line-up of government-to-government meetings and business networking events outlined high value investment opportunities in Bahrain, with a focus on priority sectors, namely financial services, manufacturing, logistics, information and communication technology (ICT) and tourism.
Bahrain is home to more than 20 leading Japanese firms operating in the kingdom, mostly in the manufacturing sector.
There are 185 Japanese expatriates currently living here.
The friendship between Japan and the kingdom recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. “Building on these well-established relations, I am thrilled and committed to further strengthen closer ties between our two nations,” said Asako Okai, the new ambassador of Japan to Bahrain, shortly after taking up her position.
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