BY Mizuho Ito
On January 26 a tragic accident happened at JR Shin-okubo station in Tokyo. Three people, a drunken man who fell down onto the tracks and two men who tried to help him, were hit by a train and killed. The men trying to help the man who fell down were Mr. Shirou Sekine, a Japanese photographer and Mr. I Suhyon, a student from South Korea.
The newspapers and TV news reported their courageous act of trying to help a stranger without regard to the danger to themselves as the lead story, and the news moved all of Japan. Afterward, a testimonial from the Superintendent-General of Metropolitan Police and a prize from the National Police Agency were awarded to them. And many average citizens attended Mr. Sekine's and Mr. I's funerals. Prime Minister Mori visited Mr. I's funeral to give his condolences. Mr. I's courageous act was widely covered in the Korean newspapers and a National Medal was also given to him with praise by the Korean government.
Thus, regrettably, the accident killed two brave men. However, their act made a great impression on people and made us, once more, think about how we usually act in our daily lives. Especially the fact that Mr. I, a Korean, did such a brave act in a foreign country surprised us. The fact that there is a sad history between Japan and Korea which hasn't been resolved yet relates deeply to the surprise of both nations' people.
In Korea, the difficult history between Korea and Japan is taught at schools, so Mr. I might have some anti-Japanese feelings. Nevertheless, his act in Japan means that there is less relation to his nationality than to his human nature. Some Koreans seem to think that Japan may try to make use of the accident as a political opportunity to propagate an amicable Japan. However, many others sent their opinion by the Internet such as " I will reconsider Japan which appreciates Mr. I's act, " " It seems that the Japanese treasure individuals, and I envy such a country." More than 50 million yen was sent to major newspaper companies as a donation for Mr. Sekine and Mr. I.
Mr. I was often saying in life, " I want to be a go-between for Japan and South Korea." His death is a pity, but it is certain that his brave act influenced the continued historical problems and lighted a new torch of hope over those problems between the two countries. However, Japanese mustn't forget that Japan once treated Korea cruelly. We have to think deeply about how much pain we caused the Korean people once more and to reflect on what we did. And next it is our turn to fulfill Mr. I's wish. Establishing better relations between Japan and South Korea will be the best legacy for Mr. Sekine and Mr.I.
This railway accident became not only an incident which made a great impression on the people as a brave act, but also one which influenced international relations. And since then the ripple effects have followed. Though there were later two railway accidents similar to this one in Japan, in both cases, a drunken man and a pregnant woman who had fallen down were rescued by the people who were there at that time. It may be the effect of Mr. Sekine's and Mr. I's courageous act.