Article in Jyllandsposten, 11 March 2012

One year has passed since March 11 th , 2011 - the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake. In commemoration of the one year anniversary of the unprecedented earthquake which was followed by the horrendous tsunami and nuclear accident, we remember and pray for the people who lost their lives and the survivors who are even now struggling to rebuild their lives.

Japan is indebted to the international community for its assistance in the year gone by. We would like to thank the Danes who, with their generosity and goodwill, have supported Japan through a variety of means. Denmark 's support and prompt actions of help have been a huge comfort and encouragement to us.

Now, Japan is taking measures for its resolve towards "open reconstruction," and working for the revitalization of the Japanese economy, using “special zones for reconstruction” in the disaster areas, where corporate tax is exempted, for instance. The vast part of our industrial supply chain has already been restored and we can confidently say to people who are thinking of coming to Japan that Japanese business including the tourist industry is functioning normally. The same is true for Japanese universities. In addition, Japan 's food safety monitoring system has been reinforced following the earthquake, to the degree that the safety of food is ensured wherever you are in Japan .

Tackling the shattering effect of the Great East Japan Earthquake has been a colossal challenge, but we can find some encouragement in the fact that the tragedy has revealed some positive elements for the future. We have experienced the courage and resilience of the Japanese people and the importance of solidarity (kizuna) in the community.

In order to turn hardship into opportunities, to return the favours we have received from the international community and to achieve human security through an inclusive development process, we will continue to address our international commitments through such means as Official Development Aid.

We also want to transform challenges into opportunities in such areas as reconstruction and revitalization after a disaster, and reduction in the risks for a similar disaster. Shifting to a greener economy and entering high level economic partnerships with major economies including the EU are among our other aspirations. We will work towards becoming a lead runner in addressing these challenges in the global community.