As part of FC Tokyo player activities, we visited Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School in Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture on December 7, 2023 (Thu), following last year's visit.
Visits to Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School have been conducted since 2019, and this is the fifth time (only online exchanges and encouragement letters in 2020 and 2021), and this time we had a fun time 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, we visited the places that were affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident to see the current state of recovery.
In addition, former FC Tokyo player Yojiro TAKAHAGI, who visited the same school during the 2019 reconstruction support activities and shares the players' desire to continue such support and not let the memory of the earthquake and tsunami fade away, also participated in this event.
FC Tokyo Players' Association will continue these activities in the future.
□Participating Players
Shuhei TOKUMOTO, Tsubasa TERAYAMA, Naoki KUMADA, Kanta DOI, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, Seiji KIMURA, Yuta ARAI, Kashif BANGNAGANDE, Kosuke SHIRAI
Total of 10 players
※Former FC Tokyo player Yojiro TAKAHAGI also participated
□Player Comments(Excerpt)
・Shuhei TOKUMOTO Player Comment
"I didn't know there were still areas that were difficult to return to, so I was very surprised to hear about it during this activity. Also, all the children at Tomioka Elementary School, where I visited, were bright and energetic, and I was able to receive energy from them. I also realized that I need to work harder to be able to give good reports to those who support us from Fukushima next season. It was a great activity that made me feel glad to have come."
・Tsubasa TERAYAMAPlayer Comment
"What I felt this time in Fukushima was that the situation is still so difficult."
"There may have been things that I wouldn't have understood if I hadn't come here, so I want to continue to cooperate in the future. Soccer at Tomioka Elementary School gave me courage, but I would be happy if I could also give courage to everyone else."
・Naoki KUMATA Player Comment
"The area where I lived during the earthquake did not suffer from the tsunami, and compared to Tomioka Town, which I visited today, the damage was relatively small. However, by actually visiting the disaster area and learning about the current situation and the situation at the time, I was able to gain a lot of knowledge and it was a valuable experience. As a soccer player from Fukushima Prefecture, I want to play with pride in the town where I was born and raised, and I want to show my active role in promoting Fukushima Prefecture."
・Kanta DOI Player Comment
"Even though 12 years have passed since the earthquake, there are still areas that are difficult to return to and the situation remains challenging. I felt the need to make more people aware of this, including myself. It was my first visit to Fukushima, but I was able to receive energy through soccer with the children, so I want to continue to share this experience in my own way."
・Kota TAWARATSUMIDA Player 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 scale 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 I couldn't notice through videos or screens, the stories I heard from local people, and the things displayed in the museum. I think the reconstruction is progressing, but when I traveled around the city by bus, I was able to see with my own eyes that there are many vacant lots and empty spaces due to the impact of the earthquake. I also visited an elementary school and had the opportunity to interact with many people, so I want to become a player that they can support."
・Taishi Brandon NOZAWA Player Comment
"When I was with Iwate Grulla Morioka, I had the opportunity to hear about the difficulties during the earthquake from my interactions with the local community. Coming to Fukushima Prefecture, which is also in Tohoku, made me think about many 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 something close to me. It has been more than 10 years since then, but seeing it with my own eyes for the first time and hearing that the town and people have been reborn while helping each other, I felt that it was a very important thing. As a professional soccer player, I still don't know what I can do in the future, but first of all, I want to be there for the people and the community that I am involved with and living in, and steadily move forward from what is in front of me."
・Seiji KIMURA Player Comment
"Playing soccer with the children at Tomioka Elementary School was really fun, and it actually gave me energy. Seeing the footage of the disaster at the Tomioka Archive Museum and visiting the places that were affected by the disaster directly, my impression and emotions towards Fukushima Prefecture have changed a lot before coming here today. I strongly feel that I want to continue supporting in any way I can."
・Yuta ARAI Player Comment
"The visit to Tomioka Elementary School was energizing and fun for me, as I received energy from the children. I also felt sad when I saw the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami during the facility tour in a town I didn't know about. I realized that disasters can happen at any time, so I want to cherish each day and live my life to the fullest."
・Kashif BANGNAGANDE Player Comments (2nd time in 2022)
"I learned a lot by hearing the voices and seeing the actions of the local people that I couldn't see or hear in the media. During the elementary school visit, we were able to entertain the children and received a lot of energy and smiles. This activity, which was started by player Takahagi, feels meaningful to continue by actually visiting Fukushima. Through this activity, I want to deliver energy by showing a performance that makes the children and local people who have interacted with us think, "The players who came that time are doing their best!" when they watch our games in Tokyo."
・Kosuke SHIRAI Player Comment
"It was a great experience for me to participate in the Tokyo reconstruction support activities for the first time and to see the children of Fukushima moving their bodies and their cheerful smiles. Watching the footage of the time in Tomioka Town made me think again about what we can do for reconstruction."
Thank you very much to everyone who supported this activity, everyone from DREAM Fukushima, and everyone from J-VILLAGE.
