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.
