Junpei Koyama: My only wish is that such tragedies will not happen again

Mr. Riishi, Mr. Furuya:

Thank you for staying with us until late yesterday.

Regarding the comments about the consulate and the company, you can decide on your own. But I still hope you understand my feelings, so I wrote this letter. Perhaps it’s more for organizing my emotions, and some parts may not be well-written, so please forgive me. Whether to forward it, and to whom, please decide freely.

Kohei loves insects and reptiles very much. He has a unique eye and can discover any small creatures. He has a more gentle heart than anyone else. He has loved drawing since he was a child and is a child with a talent for languages, able to speak Japanese and Chinese fluently.

He has always been hesitant about the arrangement to go to Shenzhen with me. Due to his picky eating habits, he initially found it difficult to adapt to the local food, but recently, he has come to like more and more Chinese food, and has become fascinated with the basketball he just started playing.

He left us so suddenly, I never expected it. Now, my heart is filled with confusion and endless sorrow. I can no longer see how he grows up, how he becomes an adult. Being unable to protect him will become a regret I will never be able to let go of in my life.

Kohei is both Japanese and Chinese. His mother is Chinese and lived in Japan for nearly ten years; his father is a Japanese who has spent nearly half of his life in China. Kohei himself spent most of his time before the age of three in his Chinese wife’s home. Regardless of how the outside world reports it, the fact that he has roots in both Japan and China will not change.

We will not hate China, nor will we hate Japan.

Regardless of nationality, we regard both countries as our own. Although there are differences in customs and culture, we know better than anyone that everyone is the same. Therefore, I do not want the relationship between the two countries to be destroyed by the crimes of a very small number of despicable people with distorted thoughts. My only wish is that such tragedies will not happen again.

Kohei once said to me: “I want to be like my father in the future.” Perhaps it was just a whim, but as a father, this sentence made me extremely happy. I work in Sino-Japanese trade, serving as a bridge between Japan and China. My main responsibility is to bridge the cognitive differences between the two sides and promote smooth communication.

If this unfortunate event had not happened, I believe he would have become a more useful person than me. But now, I can only do my best to become someone he can be proud of, and continue to make a small contribution to the mutual understanding between Japan and China. This is both atonement for my beloved son and revenge on the perpetrator.

Most importantly, I want to express my gratitude to Kohei, thank him for making us parents, and thank him for spending 10 years, 8 months, and 7 days with us. We will continue to live strongly for him, and continue to walk the path he did not finish.