A Japanese bishop has written a pastoral letter in which he noted that recovery from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami is a slow process.

“Much as I would like to say that with the passage of time the tsunami affected areas have bounced back, unfortunately that cannot be stated with some certainty, said Bishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Niigata. “Among other things, because of the negative effects of the nuclear plant accident, there are still places in Fukushima where the residents cannot yet return to their own homes. There are still a lot of people who cannot see a clear future, and suffer from anxiety over health and everyday living conditions.

Expressing gratitude for assistance from Filipino Catholics, the prelate urged Japan’s Catholics to aid the Church in the Philippines as it recovers from Typhoon Haiyan.

2014 Trinity Communications