The article "JFK at 100: a legacy etched in minds of Americans" in the May 29 edition made me ponder John F. Kennedy.

In the article, Kennedy's daughter — former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, is quoted as saying, "I've thought about him and missed him every day of my life." I am sure a lot of people around the world share her feelings and miss him.

On the day commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth, I looked back at some of Kennedy's well-known speeches and some of his remarks caught my heart.

Every country in the world today seems to have difficult problems and leaders face complicated decisions. We must not forget JFK's words: "Our problems are man-made — therefore, they can be solved by man."

I know that the U.S. political leaders have their own complicated issues and are making their best efforts. I do not know much about U.S. political history and the present situation, so I should refrain from saying something on U.S. policy. However, JFK's statement continues to speak to me: "The United States of America is opposed to discrimination and persecution on grounds of race and religion anywhere in the world, including our own nation."

And finally, the following expression is so easy to understand, but still it has a very powerful message for all of us: "... our most basic link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. ..."

HIROSHI NORO

HADANO, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE

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.