August 15, 2005

The Japanese I respect most.

Sugihara Chiune is the name of the street in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Seriously!!!
You can find it in a map.

Or do you want a story about Sugihara Chiune as a person?

...

He was Japanese (obviously).
He was a deputy consul in Kaunas, Lithuania during World War II.
He saw thousands of Jews surrounding the consulate and shouting in bloodshot eyes.
They came to ask for visa to escape from the persecution of Nazi.
Japan was one of the axis powers, as well as Germany.
Of course it is not allowed to issue any visa.

But he issued, with his own decision.

He issued the visa, even reducing the sleeping hours, even his arm began to swell, and even he was called back, he issued in the train going back and scattered from the window.
He carried through his convictions, took the responsibility, prepared himself for expected punishments and saved the life of 6000 Jews.

The honorary president of Chicago Mercantile Exchange is also included in the people who was saved by Sugihara.

...

He was imprisoned, and released.
He spent the rest of his life calmly and peacefully.
He never tried to go back to the world of diplomacy.

He was an ordinary Japanese.

He was not submissive, definitely.

But he's great as a human, don't you think so?

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