Regarding the March 16 article "Ishihara sorry for quake gaffe": Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's remark suggesting that the earthquake-tsunami in northeast Japan was "divine punishment" against the Japanese for egoism shocked me.

In Europe we would say that such an opinion smacks of rare late 19th-century Christian theology. But in 21st century Japan? I can't believe my eyes! Please tell me which god or goddess Ishihara believes in, or of which religious denomination he is a member. I sincerely hope that the Japanese people overcome this disaster, and I believe they will.

klaus littwin