“Words cannot express the sorrow we feel for the tragedy that occurred last Tuesday the 27th,” states the letter sent to the embassy of Cuba by Tatsuya Yoshioka, founder and director of “Peace Boat”.

The group expressed grief for the devastating effects of the hurricane, when Cuba strives to overcome its complex economic context, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said last week during a visit to Tokyo.

“We know how difficult this situation must be for all the families of those affected. They are in our thoughts and prayers. We remain at your disposal and reiterate our commitment to the people of Cuba,” the letter says.

The president of the Japan-Cuba Friendship Association, Masahiro Kudo, stressed for his part that Ian tore up Cuba’s power grid shortly after the fire at the supertanker base in the Matanzas province, putting the Cuban people in a “desperate situation”.

AALA director Yasuhiro Tanaka said they were “heartbroken” by the massive damage and hoped for a speedy recovery as a result of the people’s efforts.

The Cuban embassy in Tokyo published the messages on its Twitter account and thanked the Japanese organizations for their gesture of solidarity.

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