As part of the FC Tokyo Players Association activities, we visited Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School in Tomioka Town, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture on December 7, 2023 (Thu), continuing from last year.
Visits to Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School have been conducted since 2019, and this is the fifth time (in 2020 and 2021, only online exchanges and letters of encouragement were exchanged). This time, we had fun kicking the ball and interacting with about 50 children.
In the afternoon of the same day, after watching footage of the earthquake at the Tomioka Archive Museum, I visited the actual locations affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident, and learned about the current state of recovery.
Additionally, we empathize with the players' association's desire to continue such reconstruction support and to ensure that the memories of the disaster do not fade. Yojiro TAKAHAGI, a former FC Tokyo player from Fukushima Prefecture who also visited the school during the reconstruction support activities in 2019, participated together this time.
FC Tokyo Players Association will continue such activities in the future.
□Participating Players
Yuhei TOKUMOTO, Tsubasa TERAYAMA, Naoki KUMATA, Kanta DOI, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, Seiji KIMURA, Yuta ARAI, Kashif BANGNAGANDE, Kosuke SHIRAI
Total: 10 players
* Former FC Tokyo Yojiro TAKAHAGI also participated
□ Participant Comments(excerpt)
・Comment from Shuhei TOKUMOTO
"I didn't know that there are still areas where return is difficult, so I was very surprised to hear about it during this activity. Also, the children at Tomioka Elementary School were all bright and energetic, which gave me a lot of energy. I felt that I need to work harder so that I can give good news to those who are supporting us from Fukushima next season. I'm glad I participated in this activity."
・Tsubasa TERAYAMAPlayer Comment
What I felt this time in Fukushima was that such a difficult situation is still continuing.
There are probably things that you wouldn't understand unless you came here, so I want to continue to cooperate in whatever way I can. Playing soccer at Tomioka Elementary School gave me courage, and I would be happy if I could also give courage to everyone else.
・Comment from Naoki KUMATA
"The area where I lived during the earthquake did not suffer from tsunami damage, and compared to Tomioka Town, which I visited today, the damage was relatively small. However, there were many things I learned about the current situation in the disaster-stricken area and the circumstances at that time during my visit. As a soccer player from Fukushima Prefecture, I want to show pride in the town where I was born and raised through my performance, and I want to demonstrate my ability to promote Fukushima Prefecture."
・Kanta DOI Comment
"Even though it has been 12 years since the earthquake, I felt that it is necessary for many people, including myself, to know that there are still areas where return is difficult and challenging situations continue. This was my first visit to Fukushima, and I received a lot of energy through soccer with the children, so I want to continue to share this experience in my own way."
・Kota TAWARATSUMIDA Comment
I had the opportunity to learn about the Great East Japan Earthquake when I was in junior high school, and I learned about the extent of the damage and the threat of tsunamis. However, when I actually visited Fukushima Prefecture, I was able to feel many things from the atmosphere of the town that cannot be noticed through videos or screens, the stories shared by the local people, and the exhibits in the museum. I believe that recovery is progressing, but when I toured the city by bus, I was able to see with my own eyes the vacant lots and cleared land resulting from the earthquake's impact. I also visited an elementary school and had the opportunity to interact with many people, so I want to become a player that everyone would want to support.
・Taishi Brandon NOZAWA's Comment
"When I was with Iwate Grulla Morioka, I had the opportunity to hear about the difficulties during the earthquake from the community. Coming to Fukushima Prefecture, which is also in Tohoku, made me reflect on various things again. I was born and raised in Okinawa and came to Tokyo, so I didn't feel the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident as close to me. More than 10 years have already passed, but seeing it with my own eyes for the first time and hearing that the town and its people are being reborn while helping each other made me feel that it is very important. I still don't know what I can do as a professional soccer player, but I want to start by being close to the people I usually interact with and the community I live in, and steadily move forward from the things right in front of me."
・Seiji KIMURA's Comment
"Playing soccer with the children at Tomioka Elementary School was very enjoyable, and conversely, I received energy from them. Seeing the footage from the disaster at the Tomioka Archive Museum and directly visiting the places that were affected changed my impressions and feelings about Fukushima Prefecture significantly before coming here today. I strongly want to continue providing support in any way I can."
・Yuta ARAI's Comment
"Visiting Tomioka Elementary School was energizing and enjoyable for me. I felt sad seeing the facilities affected by the earthquake, realizing how severe the disaster was in a town I didn't know, and since we never know when a disaster might occur, I want to cherish each day of my life."
・Kashif BANGNAGANDE comment (second time following 2022)<br/>"By interacting with the voices and situations of the local people that cannot be seen or heard in reports on television and other media, I learned a lot. During our visit to the elementary school, we were able to entertain the children, and we received a lot of power and smiles in return. This activity, which started with player Takahagi at the center, makes me feel the importance of continuing by actually visiting Fukushima. I hope that when the children and local people we interacted with through this activity watch the Tokyo matches or soccer, they will think, 'The player who came to us back then is doing his best!' and I want to deliver that energy through my performance."
・Kosuke SHIRAI Comment
"It was great to participate in the Tokyo reconstruction support activities for the first time, moving around with the children from Fukushima and seeing their bright smiles. Watching the footage reflecting on the past of Tomioka Town gave me a renewed opportunity to think about what we can do for reconstruction."
Thank you very much to everyone who cooperated in this activity, everyone at DREAM Fukushima, and everyone at J-Village.
