Gold gifts mystify tsunami-wracked city
2013-02-22 14:00
Ishinomaki - A Japanese city devastated by the 2011
tsunami disaster remains mystified more than two weeks after receiving
anonymous gifts of gold bars worth over $300 000.
A fish market in Ishinomaki, about 350km northeast of
Tokyo, received a parcel containing gold bars weighing a total of 2kg in early
February, about a month ahead of the disaster's second anniversary on 11 March.
Kunio Sunow, president of the Ishinomaki Fish Market that
was destroyed in the disaster, said he casually opened the mystery parcel
addressed to him.
"I was stunned because... in there was 24-carat gold
in two plates," he told AFP on Friday.
"We don't have to identify this person of
goodwill... but we want to let them know we are grateful. If possible, I want
to invite him or her to the completion of a new market" set for early
2015, he added.
More gold bars were sent to other area organisations.
They were mailed from Nagano, northwest of Tokyo, in
packages that contained only the word "assistance" on the inside.
"We couldn't be more grateful," said Seitaro
Omori, who works for Manbow, a pubic-private company helping rebuild
Ishinomaki.
Omori said handwriting on all the parcels appeared to be
the same, suggesting one good Samaritan was behind the gifts.
Some of the bars were wrapped in pages from a health
magazine for seniors, he added.
Over at the Ishinomaki Revival Support Network, the shiny
gift sparked disbelief.
"I opened the mail half-worried as it was heavy...
and then everybody in the room said 'Wow!'," said Yoshie Kaneko, who heads
the non-profit group.
Ishinomaki was devastated by the 9.0 earthquake and
massive tsunami it generated on 11 March 2011.
The disaster killed nearly 19 000 people, including more
than 3 000 in Ishinomaki, and sparked the world's worst nuclear accident in a
generation.
At current market prices, the total of 6kg of gold bars
could be worth more than $300 000.
- SAPA
