Eiji Sakurai (22)

Sachiko Sakurai (Mother, living in Ehime Prefecture)
He was very kind. He was an only son for me. So, I miss him veryvery much. It had been unofficially decided that he shoud work atIyo-Bank, he talked to me When I start there, I'll comeback to your home. that was a new year's day. He also toldus When my parents get old, I'll request my employer toassign me to a branch nearby.
That morning, his apartment's landlord called us Did youget a phone call from your son ? But we didn't. Then wewent to his apartment as soon as possible, and we reached therenext morning.
We inquired at the Fire Dept immediately, but they had noinformation on him, because his line was cut off. When we reachedhis apartment, 1st flour (his floor) was flattend by the upperfloors. So we took tatami away, cut the beams of the frame,however we didn't manage to find my son. In the end, he wascovered with a lot of books and stuff. After we found him,we,7 or8 people took him out from there. It was the morning of the 19th.Two days later, we carried his remains to our home, and held afuneral.
There were more than 100 friends at his funeral. I was very happybecause I thought he was loved very much by all his friends. OnceI said to him we have small fortune, so only we can providewith you is schooling. We received my son's diploma fromKobe Univ. in a few months later, but we were still grieving .

Wataru Mori (22)

Shigetaka Mori (Father,liveing in Osaka Prefecture)
He lived on the first floor of a flat. He was sleeping in hisbed, placed by the entrance and lost his life while he wassleeping. Pieces of the flat fell upon him. He had probably gone to bed near sunrise either because he spent his night before athis friend's club or was busy with essays. In the living roomthere was an elecric warmer. Had he been sleeping there, he mighthave been alive, but he probably went to bed for his health because exams were coming. Life is tough. But I try to console myself by telling myself thathe was lucky in that he went to heaven during his sleep without any pain.
With much gratitude, I would like to quote from the speech his professor given at the funeral.
'Mori, who had eyes full of brightness that knew love and therefore one who lived with a goal lived a short but very successful life and in the midst of it died with his awareness of love. In that respect, he is probably very lucky.'
All that we, the ones left behind now, can do is to accept his death and to recover from this melancholy with the consolation of God.

Yuka Hirose (24)

Masako Hirose (Mother,living in Ehime Prefecture)
We have lived in this year with regarding that our daughter, Yukaisdoing fine in Kobe. I would hereby like to express my gratitudetowards allwho took care and watched over Yuka at KobeUniversity. Please do not forgetour daughter Yuka, who livedcherishing dream as you do.
That day, we left Ehime by car at nine in the morning, stuffingin all herclothes and her favorite food,etc. When we could not goany further with thecar, we got off. It came to my mind thatraised her right hand and said Hi, and the image ofher doing so. Nail torn, covered with blood, it was alreadyeighto'clock at night of next day when we finally got there.
We were stunned at the image of the place with no buildings whatsoever. Wefound our daughter's house, scattered with booksand ran towards the place where people were kept safe from thedisaster. But she was not there.
Next morning our daughter and her cat, Luna were found in the bedclose together. I press my cheek against her cheek and I smelled her shampoo which she usually used. The biggest piece of the house had fallen upon them. The inquest toldus she died immediately.
Our beloved daughter has gone to the place where we can never arrive with Luna before we know. Crying,we left...

Photo: with the child of her sister

Takamitsu Kato (21)

Faculty:Law,2
Major:Kimura Seminar
Alma Mater:Hiroshima Prefectural Yasufuruichi High School
Club:ISA (International Student Association)
Stricken area:Room 207, the N-Mansyon Apaetments, 5-20, Yasui-cho, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture

Ritsuko Kato (Mother,living in Hiroshima Prefecture)
The train from Hiroshima to Itami left at 11:35 a.m. We arrivedand walked through the collapsed houses towards our son'sapartment, believing that he had survived. But when we got to himhe was already cold. He was lying dead in the grey pajamas that Ibought for him when he entered college.
International Laws has not yet been established, and theUnited Nations just dosen't work. He told me that he wanted to bepresent at that moment when international stability could beestablished, and that he wanted to play a role as a bridgebetween Japan and other Asian coutries. He had dreames ofstudying at a graduate school overseas for that reason.
But far from just studying international relations, he associatedwith many international students as well. He wanted to understandthe thinking of foreign students and have many positiveinteractions with them. In February, 1994, he visited South Koreaand experienced many personal exchanges. I wanted to meet thestudents whom Takamitsu got to know there, so I went to Seoulmyself the other day. After receiving the chance to meet one ofthem, he told me, Takamitsu, would have done a great job forJapan, South Korea, and the world. I can never forget him.
He always had wonderful friends around him, and they alwayswatched over him. He was our only son, and if his friends had notbeen so supportive, I don't think we could ever have gotten overthe shock. I feel like we now have many children, watching overus from all over the world.
He had high goals and was heading towards them. I wanted to seehim realize his aims, and I can't express the sorrow I feelknowing that he was unable to do so.

Photo: On the trip of ISA in South Korea in 1994.

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Kentaro Ninomiya (21)

Faculty:Law,2
Major:Economic Law, Negishi Seminar
Alma Mater: Ichikawa Gakuen Ichikawa High School
Club:Big Apple (tennis circle), president
Stricken area:4-1-19, Tomoda-cho, Nada Ward, Kobe

Hiroaki Ninomiya (Father, living in Chiba Prefecture)
How are you, Kentaro? I went and played tennis with your motherin Kurosuna today. That tennis court where we played togetherlast year, 1995 is coming to an end. I hope you are stillenjoying tennis over there as well.
An earthquake hit Kobe on Jan. 17. I hurried to Kobe the next dayand found you on the second floor of your apartment. What wereyou dreaming of as you were lying on your bed? Why didn't youfeel the earthquake and move to the next room?
I visited your apartment in Tomoda-cho last December. I waited until you got back from your part time job at a video shop, and we had a beer together. You were telling me about managing the tennis club at your University, your eyes sparkled with your hopefor the future. I was proud of how you had grown, the confidenceyou displayed as you talked about your friends, your study, yourlife. You were always emotional like me. That night was the lasttime I talked to you.
Your life was over in 21 years. You do not know how much we grieved, your mother cried for months. I know that you heard us.But you were blessed with cheerful kind friends, and with their support we have been able to continue our lives. Don't worry about us, and please keep playing your tennis.
Your mother and brother and I will always hold you in our hearts. We will keep living with the spirit and passion that you lived your life. This is the promise we will keep. Thank you Kentaro, I have many memories about you. I won't forget them forever.

Photo: Kentaro Ninomiya is getting on a bike in the center. In front of Tsurukabuto hall (Nada Ward) with his friends.

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