There are presently about 50 households (mainly from Futaba in the Fukushima prefecture) that have been evacuated to Namiki, Tsukuba city. In this context, we are delighted to hear that Kazunari Watanabe, native of Futaba, will attend the London Olympics to compete in the cycle race. We have initiated the “Kazunari Watanabe Cheering Program” for Futaba evacuees and the citizens of Namiki, Tsukuba — it is our hope that this program will foster communication and understanding between the two communities.
A cheering flag was created at the Summer Festival of Namiki held on the 15th (Sunday). The central image was designed by the artist Kensuke Miyazaki; the people of Tsukuba adorned the banner with messages of support directed at citizens of Futaba and other districts around Fukushima. Since the disaster, Kensuke Miyazaki has been diligently working on various projects promoting recovery. For more details about his activities, please visit his website:
>>http://www.miyazakingdom.com/


The flag, without a blank space, was completely filled with words of encouragement.

Mr. Miyazaki also organized a live painting session in which the spectators could participate. A variety of people, from children to adults, participated in this event.