JAPAN: British teacher stays in adopted city of Ishinomaki to help recovery despite radiation fears

Record ID: 465504

  • Title: JAPAN: British teacher stays in adopted city of Ishinomaki to help recovery despite radiation fears
  • Date: 6th April 2011
  • Summary: ISHINOMAKI CITY, MIYAGI PREFECTURE, JAPAN (APRIL 4, 2011) (REUTERS) SUN SETTING OVER ISHINOMAKI CARS DRIVING NEAR POOL OF WATER CONTAINING DESTROYED CARS
  • Embargoed: 21st April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,People
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZTD4J4XI1W6M15693TQV1LHB
  • Story Text: Amidst the destruction and nuclear fears surrounding Ishinomaki city in Japan, one British teacher has decided to stay and help his adopted home rebuild, turning down embassy requests to evacuate.
    The city of Ishinomaki, once home to over 160,000 people, was flattened when the massive tsunami caused by last month's 9.0 magnitude earthquake swept through the city.
    Briton English teacher Richard Halberstadt was in his school's offices when the earthquake and tsunami struck. He was stranded without food, water or heating for several days before finding refuge amongst other evacuees in Ishinomaki and before the British embassy found him and offered to evacuate him out of the city. At the bidding of his friends, he initially took up their offer and was escorted all the way to Sendai.
    In Sendai, the British embassy was gathering all British residents of the region, recommending that they evacuate the country due to the danger caused by radiation released from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
    Once there however, Halberstadt had a change of heart, and decided to head back to his adopted home to help them in their time of need.
    Many residents in the destroyed portside area like restaurant owner Hisatoshi Abe, who had once hired Halberstadt's band play for the re-opening of his eatery, applauded his decision.
    "He seems to really love the people here, and I feel like he's one of us. I'm sure there's some sort of sense of purpose he feels in deciding to stay, but we're grateful and it feels like he's someone who we'll know for life," he said.
    Halberstadt explained he wanted to repay the kindness shown to him.
    "And thinking about the links of friendship that I forged in 19 years here and all the everything that people of Ishinomaki have done for me has just been so wonderful. And I didn't want to betray that, the feelings that they'd been giving to me," Halberstadt said.
    "So it just seemed that just when the going gets rough for me to go back and have a nice time in England, and then maybe come back later when everything's better again. It's not really how one's supposed to do things," he added.
    While Halberstadt decided to stay, many Britons and other foreigners left the country, either on the advice of their governments or due to their own fears regarding the stricken reactor.
    Halberstadt said that while his chose to stay, he understood that everyone's situation is different.
    "It's everyone's own decision, and there's no right and wrong about it. And especially, in my circumstances, I felt like I wanted to stay. But if my circumstances had been different, for example, if I had children I'd have been more worried about the reactor and the whole radiation problem and the long-term effects. But being middle-aged and I don't have any children, so that made it easier for me to make the decision to stay I think. So no, I have no ill will towards anyone who went and I quite understand their decision," he said.
    With years of rebuilding ahead for Ishinomaki to regain it's status as Miyagi prefecture's second largest city, residents appreciate Halberstadt's choice.
    "While the town itself is totally destroyed, we want to rebuild, we promise to come back and everyone hopes to do their part. So having Richard stay is really, well he's an Ishinomakian I'd say," said 49-year-old Mika Sakaki, a clothes shop owner.
    Asked when he expects Ishinomaki to recover, Halberstadt simply quips that one should come back in a year for delicious seafood.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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