Sachiko Kobayashi distributes rice in Iwate, Miyagi
Entertainment ( 15 )
TOKYO —
Popular singer Sachiko Kobayashi, 57, visited Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture and Kesennuma City in Miyagi Prefecture on Sunday to distribute rice to evacuees from the March 11 disaster.
Kobayashi arrived in an 11-ton truck with Koshihikari rice which was distributed at elementary schools in the two cities, Sankei Shimbun reported.
Since April, the singer has been traveling around tsunami-hit areas, doling out words of encouragement along with rice and other food.
It is part of what Kobayashi calls her “Rice for Restoration” project. Kobayashi explained that she was repaying a debt. Kobayashi’s hometown of Niigata was struck by earthquakes in 1964, 2004 and 2007. “I still remember people from neighboring Fukushima volunteering to come and help us,” she said.
During her visit Kobayashi announced her plan to continue to visit all the quake-hit areas in the Tohoku region in an attempt to encourage survivors. “Today and tomorrow, this year and next year, I will continue to support the region. You won’t be forgotten by me,” she promised.
She also performed mini-concerts at her two stops on Sunday, singing five songs. Fans congratulated her on her Nov 15 marriage to Akio Hayashi, the 49-year-old CEO of regenerative medicine company TES Holdings. She said she wasn’t used to her new surname yet.
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15 Comments
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-1
some14some
To kill THREE birds with one stone(?) Her own publicity as a singer, PR for her husband's medicine company and finally Service to Mankind !
0
smartacus
Good for her.
3
ReformedBasher
@some14some
Are you saying you'd prefer to stay home and do nothing?
The article mentions her husband's job but does not say anthing about her talking about it?
She comes across to me as a very sincere lady, I'm glad she has done what she did
1
globalwatcher
Good for her!
Doing a good cause in humanity makes people to be more unselfish, humble and loving. If humanity is not important in life, what else is?
1
globalwatcher
And whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone,
-1
CrazyJoe
"Kobayashi arrived in an 11-ton truck with Koshihikari rice which was distributed at elementary schools". I hope the rice was presorted in small packages before delivery.
1
gyouza
I'd have been happy if the story was just that she did some (hopefully free) concerts for people in shelters. Adding that she arrived in an 11t truck with rice makes it sound so disingenuous (unless of course she was either driving it or was reading the maps, or perhaps paying for teh rice or transportation).
What could have been a good deed does indeed sound like a PR stunt. And I would have respected her even more if it wasn't actually reported!
1
GW
gyouza,
come on she cant control the crappy media for christs sake! She did, has done & sounds like she will continue to help, more than many of us are doing
1
zichi
There are so many expressing compassion to those who have lost and suffered so much!
1
BurakuminDes
Good on her. There are many hungry mouths to feed up that way, and Kobayashi did her bit.
0
gyouza
@GW - I really really wanted that to be true. As an aside, keeping the plight of these people in the spotlight IS good. But look at people like 柴咲コウ (who I don't specifically like) to see ways it can be done a bit more selflessy - no press, just a follow up article with pix from peoples mobile phones.
1
zichi
There are thousands of people helping out individually or in the active NPO's but they don't grab the media attention which is also important to keep the spotlight on the disaster of the earthquake and tsunami which has in many ways played second fiddle to the nuclear disaster.
-1
smithinjapan
Good on Kobayashi, and I'm sure TEPCO was thankful she didn't point out they were engaged in cover-ups and scandals in the earthquakes that hit her hometown as well as with Fukushima. Anyway, was the rice from Niigata?
I agree with a poster above that she seems pretty genuine, this one. And so again, good on her. People up there can use all the help they can get, and when that comes from a celebrity who can dually lift their spirits it's even better.
0
PT24881
@ smithinjapan
Agreed & Appreciated
0
Bartholomew Harte
Now That's A Lady!-I hope she performs at Kohaku this year as her voice really shows the roots of Enka,Minyo songs!
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