LONDON--Children from a tsunami-stricken town in Iwate Prefecture have donated seeds of a Japanese red pine and other plants to express their gratitude for Britain's assistance to Japan following last year’s disaster.
LONDON--Children from a tsunami-stricken town in Iwate Prefecture have donated seeds of a Japanese red pine and other plants to express their gratitude for Britain's assistance to Japan following last year’s disaster.Taichi Kon, 12, and Anri Minato, 12, both from Yamada in the prefecture, donated the seeds of six species to the seed bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London on April 3.“I wanted to convey our appreciation to the British since we have received lots of assistance and letters to give us encouragement,” said Anri, who was visiting London with Taichi after graduating in March from Orikasa Elementary School in the coastal town.The Japanese red pine seeds were found in the vicinity of the only pine tree left standing in a grove of tens of thousands of pine trees after the tsunami on March 11 last year swamped the coast of Rikuzentakata in the prefecture.They also planted a zelkova tree, a symbol of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were also hit hard by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, at the Kew gardens.The botanical garden’s seed bank collects and stores seeds of wild vegetation with the cooperation of more than 50 countries.