I am surprised at the The Japan Times for printing Megumi Watanabe's March 29 letter, "Hope for 3/11 survivors."

While all of us would agree with the sentiment expressed in the headline, I wonder if Megumi really knows what she is saying and really understands the feelings of those poor people in the disaster areas. Has Megumi suffered and endured the loss of loved ones, especially children? Has she experienced the despair and hopelessness of never seeing her children again? I have.

She talks of our children "watching us from above" — from where exactly? — and of life being "a gift from God." Which god? One of Shinto's legions or the Jewish/Christian/Islamic god?

Does she, as a Japanese, really believe in that one god and that our children are watching us from above? I doubt it.

I believe The Japan Times was wrong to print such an unsubstantiated letter — regardless of the real, if misguided, sentiment behind it — and that it should have known better!

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

paul gaysford