Japanese citizens turning in cash found in tsunami zone

www.cnn.com...

Tokyo (CNN) -- A tsunami that followed a massive earthquake last month may have destroyed some of Japan's structures, but police say the honest practice of turning in lost items, especially cash, remains intact.

Residents have turned in lost cash across the tsunami zone at a much higher rate than usual, the Miyagi Prefectural Police Department tells CNN.

I hope that when we are faced with our next great catastrophe here in America, that we can look to the Japanese as an example of how a civilized species should act. Even in the face of adversity and overwhelming tragedy, they have placed their honor and honesty above all else. A tip of my hat to all of them.

reply to post by IamAbeliever


More likely there will be people breaking into ATM machines to steal the cash.

Oh, wait, they do that already.

I applaud their honesty and integrity, alas, I'm pretty sure this would not be repeated in the US or the UK when the time comes...

I say this with great sadness but also with certainty.

Originally posted by IamAbeliever
www.cnn.com...

Tokyo (CNN) -- A tsunami that followed a massive earthquake last month may have destroyed some of Japan's structures, but police say the honest practice of turning in lost items, especially cash, remains intact.

Residents have turned in lost cash across the tsunami zone at a much higher rate than usual, the Miyagi Prefectural Police Department tells CNN.

I hope that when we are faced with our next great catastrophe here in America, that we can look to the Japanese as an example of how a civilized species should act. Even in the face of adversity and overwhelming tragedy, they have placed their honor and honesty above all else. A tip of my hat to all of them.

I totally agree, and immediate star and flag. Where are the military with automatic weapons? Where are the police shooting the looters? Oh yeah that's right. No military to speak of and no looters- or extremely few.

Katrina anyone?

I wonder where all the found cash went in that case. I am not going to even guess. Yeah right, all washed out to sea. Uh huh.

What can be said that could possibly address the pain of the Japanese people, and our sorrow at their catastrophe? I have no words to bring to that pain.

And yet, as with no other disaster, we are given precious examples of how to maintain dignity and compassion in the face of appalling circumstances. I have heard many personal stories from ex-pats with relatives in Japan, as well as read written accounts of ordinary people behaving in a calm, ethical, and rational way on a collective scale.

Regardless of where the money may have gone after it was returned, those who returned it acted from an ethical decision made against self-interest and adverse circumstance. I applaud them from the bottom of my heart, as well as all the millions who have refrained from behaving as badly as historical precedent would lead us to expect.

20-plus years ago I worked in a factory that was bought out by the Japanese. Everyone grumbled and groaned about it. That was, until the Japanese arrived. We all found out very quickly that they are hard-working, kind, compassionate, and fun-loving people. There sense of humor was second to none.

My heart broke when I awoke on March 11th and saw the devastation. and now, nearly a month later it's stories like this one that remind me why I still to this day hold the highest regard for the Japanese people.