Articles and Videos of Interest regarding our Sister City Naka-shi, Japan

• Naka - Oak Ridge Girl Scout Connection

• Mayor Beehan - WBIR-TV News Story
  http://www.wbir.com/rss/article/161856/2/Oak-Ridge-Mayor-reaches-out-to-sister-city-in-Japan

• Oak Ridgers worry about Japanese friends in sister city WBIR-TV
  http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=14237807

• Mayor Beehan's letter to Naka Mayor The Honorable Tooru Umino

• Oak Ridge mayor: ‘Please pray for Japan’  From the Oakridger, Wednesday, March 16, 2011

  

  OAK RIDGE, Tenn. —

  Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan has been in contact with several of Oak Ridge's Sister City residents in Japan, and he has e-mailed a letter to the current mayor expressing local concerns.
  
  Beehan said he had talked to former Mayor Chikaaki Oyake of Naka City by Skype after the earthquake and tsunamis that devastated much of Japan's coastal cities last week.
  
  "I talked to him about 11 p.m. Sunday, which was 11 a.m. there," Beehan told The Oak Ridger on Tuesday.
  
  "He speaks very little English and I speak no Japanese, but he said he was glad to hear from us ... and thanked us for caring enough to call."
  
  The mayor said Oyake said several times that "the family is fine."
  
  Beehan wrote in his letter to current Naka City Mayor Tooru Umino that, "Because of our sister-city relationship, we are deeply concerned for the people of your city and country as we have learned of the devastating effects of the earthquake and tsunamis, which have brought much destruction and harm.
  
  "After 20 years of exchanges between our cities, we have shared many experiences with the people of Naka City and we have many friends there, so during this time of tragedy, please convey to the citizens of Naka-shi our deepest condolences. Our thoughts and  prayers are with each and everyone of you during this tragic time.
  
  "Please let us know how you are doing, and if there is any way we might be of  assistance in your recovery."
  
  Naka and Oak Ridge established their sister city relationship in 1991. Naka is located in north central Ibaraki Prefecture, which is northeast of Tokyo. The nuclear connection with Oak Ridge is through the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute Naka Fusion Research Establishment.
  
  Beehan said he also received an e-mail from a teacher in Naka who told him the earthquake in Naka-Shi registered 6 on the Richter scale but no fatalities were reported in the sister city. She said homes were damaged but not destroyed.
  
  The teacher wrote that although the city lost electricity for a while, it was restored. However, because of the nuclear reactor danger, there's not enough electricity to go around.
  
  "‘I can't put it in words how horrible it is.' Thank you for your letter. Please pray for Japan,'" Beehan said she wrote.
  
  Beehan, along with several others including Steve Kelly, president of the sister city program, teachers from Robertsville and Jefferson middle schools and Oak Ridge resident Shigeko Uppuluri, visited Naka-Shi last July to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the program.
  
  Uppuluri is currently in Japan visiting family and also e-mailed Beehan that she and her family are in a city that is OK.
  
  Beverly Majors can be contacted at (865) 220-5514.

  
  Copyright 2011 The Oak Ridger. Some rights reserved

  Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan has been in contact with several of Oak Ridge's Sister City residents in Japan, and he has e-mailed a letter to the current mayor expressing local concerns.