“The great Tohoku Kantou earthquake”
The following is a translation of Maimi’s 3/25 update on the official ℃-ute blog:
It’s Maimi.
This is the first update in awhile.14 days have passed since the great Tohoku Kantou earthquake.
Many people lost their lives in this great earthquake.
For those who passed, I pray from my heart for their happiness in the next world, and I sympathize from my heart with those who have suffered.
During the time we refrained from updating,
we heard a lot of people worrying for us.
Despite the countless aftershocks, thankfully the ℃-ute members, the members’ families and relatives, everyone is safe.
Those who worried about us, thank you very much.
During this period of days, I watch the news every day.
There I see the unbelievably sad reality reflected.
But, within that sad news,
I see people trying to live in earnest while fighting with the grief in their heart
and I was moved to feel “What strength everyone has”.
In the affected areas where the lifeline doesn’t go, despite many people having to live a life where they can’t say they’re satisfied,
person to person, cooperation, compromise, support… everyone combining their power to live, this scene makes me unable to stop crying.
Of course, I think there’s also a lot of sadness and hardships that aren’t reported.
And then, the feeling of “Isn’t there anything I can for those who were affected” isn’t just in Japan, many people outside of Japan’s borders are acting with assistance,
and again it made me feel
“People can’t live by themselves”.
If everyone does something small, it becomes something big,
and perhaps if everyone supports each other, a big sadness will become smaller…
I’m weak, but I feel I will do what I can with all my ability.
Still, now, there are people who are risking their lives for the people of this country.
I think that those people as well, they have their precious family and the people they want to protect.
What thoughts do they have while facing a dangerous place…
Though the body starts to hurt,
those people who are desperately trying to protect usI have a lot of gratitude I can’t express.
A life protected.
A life left behind.So as to not waste the thoughts of those people protecting us
and the thoughts of those who wanted to live but couldn’t
we must live stronger and stronger!!
Amongst all the sadness
we learn valuable things every day.The aftershocks haven’t lessened,
there’s also unease about the nuclear power plants,Everyone, somehow or another please stay safe.
I hope that someday the day when everyone can smile from their heart will come…
Posted on March 25, 2011, in Blog, Translations. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
MaimiLog 
thanks! that’s quick 😉
what a heartfelt message from maimi. whether or not she has had any close friends or family affected by the incident, she has obviously been shaken by the huge physical and emotional human cost dealt forth by it, and is desperate to do what she can to help.
in disasters of such proportion, it must be easy to feel helpless, especially for someone with such a strong in-built moral compass and sense of duty to her community as maimi… you are not weak maimi, your words carry with it the strength of your conviction and the weight of your feelings, which traverses international borders and resonates throughout the world in the hearts of all those who read them.
oh how i wish i could convey those thoughts to her. it is good to hear such a mature post by someone so young… maimi is indeed maturing into a fine young lady. her deep and kind thoughts reflects a beautiful person both inside and out… there really is more to Yajima Maimi than meets the eye.
Heh, I’m sure if you were able to tell her all those things, she’d become shy and try to deny it. (Though, it’s all true.)
of course… maimi is always humble and has her feet firmly on the ground (except when she has to jump or handspring… ^_^”). it’s adorable how she got embarrassed over the kissing the glass apple part of the PV