Australia in Minami Sanriku
30 October 2011
More than 60 Australians (and honorary Australians) visited Minami Sanriku on the weekend to show their support for the town's recovery, and shared a bit of Australia with the locals at their monthly 'recovery market'.
The Australians – including staff from the Australian Embassy in Tokyo, their friends and families, and members of the expatriate community – set up a 'sausage sizzle' and sold lamingtons and Australian wine and juice. Australian businesses generously contributed a wide range of Australian products which were given away as raffle prizes. All proceeds from the Australian stall will be donated back to the town and the recovery market.
Minami Sanriku, in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan's north-east, was among the towns worst-hit by the tsunami of 11 March. In the immediate aftermath, a 76-member Urban Search and Rescue team from Australia searched for survivors in the devastated town. In April, during her visit to Japan, Prime Minister Julia Gillard met with the Mayor and visited an evacuation centre in Minami Sanriku, and Australia donated a sizeable food aid package to the town at the Mayor's request.
The recovery market, which gives locals and others an opportunity to sell food, crafts and other goods, is designed to attract visitors back to Minami Sanriku and help the local economy. An estimated 21,000 people from all over Japan attended the market on Sunday, most of them stopping by the Australian stall at some stage.
As part of Australia's participation, the musician Old Man River performed on the market's main stage. At the close of the market, he was joined on stage by 40 children from the nearby Togura Primary and Junior High Schools to sing his song 'La', a number-one hit in Japan in 2008. Three puppets – a koala, emu and goanna – mingled with the crowd throughout the day, delighting children and adults alike.
The Australian participation in the market was funded jointly by the Australia-Japan Foundation and the Australian Embassy, with substantial financial and in-kind support from the Australian business community.
