I was surprised by the state of Japan when I returned from overseas. 1
Do you remember the Great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011?
The whole of Japan was in a state of panic.
Before the earthquake, I had traveled to countries relatively far from Japan, such as Europe and Australia. However, after the earthquake, my family temporarily evacuated to Hong Kong.
We began traveling mainly in Southeast Asia, which is close to Japan.
Southeast Asia is a region with great energy, and the local people have a strong will to survive.
I was particularly shocked when I saw street children in the Philippines.
Due to poverty, their clothes were tattered and they couldn’t go to school.
They spent their days searching through trash cans for food, but for some reason, they looked happy and smiling.
The Philippines also has a very young population, the complete opposite of Japan, with its declining birthrate and aging population.
The security situation is certainly not good, but unlike Japan, it’s a very lively place.
Despite the poverty and hardships of many people, they somehow seemed very happy.
Walking around the streets of not only the Philippines, but also Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries, I feel such incredible energy that it really gives me strength.
To be honest, it’s no exaggeration to say that I’m traveling to Southeast Asia to heal my body, which is exhausted from working too hard in Japan.
