PORTLAND --A group of 68 Oregonians flew to Japan Sunday to show the Japanese people they have not been forgotten and that, even after the devastating quake and tsunami, the country is a great place to visit.
Passengers of all ages and backgrounds made up the first group of American tourists to visit Japan since the disaster in March.
“I’m so excited I was jumping up and down this morning,” said Marim Faid, a high school junior who made the trip.
She and seven of her classmates from Tigard’s Muslim Educational Trust felt it was important to show Japan how much they care.
“I just want to give them a feeling of hope,” said organizer Sho Dozono. “Not sure what I’ll say exactly, but I want them to know that everything is going to be ok.”
Dozono, the owner of a Portland travel company, hoped to help jump-start Japan’s struggling tourism industry.
He organized similar trips for New York City after 9/11 and for New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
The group will tour some of Japan’s hardest-hit areas, including several coastal towns destroyed by the raging tsunami.
They planned to spend a day helping relief workers.
They want the world to know Japan is still a safe place to visit.
“Nobody here is afraid of any radioactivity,” said co-organizer Loen Dozono. “We’re doing it because we want to support Japan.
Oregon has a long-standing relationship with Japan, and this excited group of tourists hopes to make that bond even stronger.
