Donald Keene
most of you may already know about Donald Keene wanting to become a Japanese citizen after the quke - I finally found the video-interview with him regarding this matter from April 15th:
NHK World with Donal Keene
Donald Keene to become Japanese citizen
An American expert on Japanese literature, Donald Keene, says he will become a Japanese citizen and settle down in Japan, in a show of love and trust towards the country as it struggles to cope with the aftermath of last month's disaster.
The 88-year-old Professor Emeritus of Columbia University was interviewed by NHK at his home in New York on Thursday, before his retirement from the university at the end of this month.
Keene said he was deeply shocked by the massive quake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11th. He said he visited the region while he was translating "Oku no Hosomichi", or "The Narrow Road to Oku", by the 17th century haiku poet Matsuo Basho.
He referred to the foreigners who felt scared and left Japan after the disaster, including the staff of some foreign companies and baseball players.
He said it is time for him to show his trust in Japan by obtaining Japanese citizenship and living in Japan for the rest of his life.
He described his feeling that he is married to Japan. He said all Japanese are victims of the disaster, but the Japanese are an excellent people. He said he believes that Japan will become an even better country by overcoming the current hardship.
Keene has studied Japanese literature for more than half a century. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 2008.
Friday, April 15, 2011 13:40 +0900 (JST)
source: NHK World
I met him during a conference last year and was deeply impressed by his character, strength and knowledge
NHK World with Donal Keene
Donald Keene to become Japanese citizen
An American expert on Japanese literature, Donald Keene, says he will become a Japanese citizen and settle down in Japan, in a show of love and trust towards the country as it struggles to cope with the aftermath of last month's disaster.
The 88-year-old Professor Emeritus of Columbia University was interviewed by NHK at his home in New York on Thursday, before his retirement from the university at the end of this month.
Keene said he was deeply shocked by the massive quake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11th. He said he visited the region while he was translating "Oku no Hosomichi", or "The Narrow Road to Oku", by the 17th century haiku poet Matsuo Basho.
He referred to the foreigners who felt scared and left Japan after the disaster, including the staff of some foreign companies and baseball players.
He said it is time for him to show his trust in Japan by obtaining Japanese citizenship and living in Japan for the rest of his life.
He described his feeling that he is married to Japan. He said all Japanese are victims of the disaster, but the Japanese are an excellent people. He said he believes that Japan will become an even better country by overcoming the current hardship.
Keene has studied Japanese literature for more than half a century. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 2008.
Friday, April 15, 2011 13:40 +0900 (JST)
source: NHK World
I met him during a conference last year and was deeply impressed by his character, strength and knowledge