Families of Japanese 9/11 Victims React to News of Bin Laden’s Death

Yesterday, I posted some translations of Japanese netizen reactions to the death of Osama Bin Laden and the celebrations that were taking place in the United States. Here are some reactions from Japanese people who lost family members in the 9/11 attacks.

Some translations from a Mainichi article:

殺すよりも逮捕して、なぜ事件を起こしたのか、彼らには彼らの主張があったはずだ。それを明らかにしてほしかったが、死人に口なしだ

“Rather than killing him, they should have arrested him. I wanted to find out why he did it. Dead people can’t talk.” – 73-year-old mother of a Fuji Bank employee who died in the 9/11 attacks.

ほっとしているが、彼（ビンラディン容疑者）をとらえても彼に続く者がいるのではないかと心配だ。いまだに息子の遺体も見つかっておらず、悔しさをどこにぶつけていいか分からないまま、懸命に生きてきた。あのような悲劇は二度と起こしてはならない

“I’m relieved, but even though the got Bin Laden, I worry about somebody taking over where he left off. My son’s remains have not been found, and up until now I’ve been struggling to carry on and deal with the anguish. Such a terrible tragedy should never be repeated.” – 80-year-old Mother of a bank employee who died in the 9/11 attacks.

ビンラディン容疑者が死んでも息子は帰ってくるわけではない。これまでも死亡したという不確定な情報が流れたこともあり、特別な感情はわかない

“Even if Bin Laden is dead, it won’t bring back my son. There have been false reports of Bin Laden’s death in the past, so I don’t have any special feelings about this news.” – 68-year-old mother of a Nishi-Nippon City Bank employee who died in the 9/11 attacks

Here is an excerpt from the Yomiuri, which translated its 9/11 family article into English:

“I don’t know what to say. I’m so surprised,” Mari Sumiyama, 71, said at her house in Meguro Ward, Tokyo. Sumiyama is the mother of Yoichi Sugiyama, an official of the now-defunct Fuji Bank who died at the age of 34 in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York.

Sumiyama said she feels terrible because bin Laden died without revealing the truth behind the terrorist attack.

“So many innocent people died. I wanted [bin Laden] to explain why he did such a thing. I want to know what he thought about human life,” she said.

Sumiyama’s family still celebrates Yoichi’s birthday on Aug. 17 every year because she does not want to accept that he has died, Sumiyama said.

“I wanted [bin Laden] to tell the truth. I don’t know how to sort out my feelings,” said Yoichi’s 73-year-old father, Kazusada.

[...]

Tsugio Ito, 76, of Hiroshima, lost his 35-year-old son Kazushige, a Fuji Bank employee, in the terrorist attack.

“For the United States and international society, [bin Laden's death] may be the end of one chapter,” Ito said. “But for bereaved families who have not recovered the bodies [of their loved ones], their anger and grief will never end.”

“I hope the death of the leader will help reduce terrorism even a little, and that [the world] will take steps toward peace,” he said.

Satsuko Anai, 78, of Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, learned of the news Monday while watching TV. Her son Kazuhiro was 42 when he died in the 9/11 attack in New York, where he was the assistant manager of the local bureau of Nishi-Nippon Bank Ltd. (now Nishi-Nippon City Bank).

“Right after the attack, I felt hatred whenever I heard the name [bin Laden]. I feel a bit of relief now, knowing he’s dead,” Satsuko said.

“I’d like to sit in front of the Buddhist altar [in my home] and tell my son about the news,” she said. “I’d always relied on my son, and was extremely sorry to lose him.”

[hat tip to Ponta]

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