No matter how far away it may seem, Japan always draws closer to you, invoked by the flow of feelings that resonate with the genius of its people and its place. This sets in motion an exploration of both in spirit and memory. My visit to Japan was an emotional impulse, needing no justification, and a conscious awareness enveloped by compelling evidence. After Tokyo, the journey continued, rediscovering the planet called Japan, through Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka—each unique in its nature and cultural specificity. Yet a single thread connects all of Japan, despite the diversity in culture, customs, and traditions: the activity of its people, their devotion, and their passion for work based on the principle of collaboration, not individualism, for the public good.

Every individual in Japan is a guardian, committed to the excellence of any task entrusted to them, knowing that its impact reflects on the entire nation. This is the masterful Japanese principle aimed at saving both humanity and place—a skill demonstrated by the Japanese throughout different challenges and milestones. Perhaps the clearest evidence lies in the collective memory of Hiroshima, a name that evokes the black rain that followed the atomic bombing. If the Japanese were not who they are, it would be unimaginable how long it might have taken to recover from the complete destruction witnessed in Hiroshima. They are a people who race against nature, believing in willpower as a creative and forward-moving spirit.
 

The Dome Building, the site of the atomic bomb, stands not as a testament to devastation but as a motivator of the human spirit, reminding us that the Japanese people are capable of achieving the extraordinary. While immersed in imagining what transpired in Hiroshima, vivid images of the massive destruction caused by Cyclone Gonu in Oman in 2006 flashed before me. It was not easy on any level, nor was it simple to rebuild and restore things to a state even more beautiful than before, were it not for the spirit of cooperation and the determination of Omanis to triumph over nature's onslaught.

I tried to imagine the black rain washing over Hiroshima, a temporary rain that soon returned to clarity and purity. But there are many forms and images of black rain—there in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, and many parts of the Arab world still witnessing manifestations of ongoing black rain.

One of the great gains in Hiroshima was meeting Uncle Fukushima. Though we did not share a common language, and the translator’s role was limited to words, the true essence of our conversation was deeply emotional. I stood in awe of the great love Uncle Fukushima held for Oman—its land and its people. I repeatedly asked him about the source of this love, and his answer was always that it was a reciprocation of kindness. It was the water of love he found in the Omani people that led him to establish the Hiroshima Oman Friendship Association, which he still heads. He offers great services to both nations, with profound humanitarian and cultural dimensions.

Here, I also recall Captain Fareed Al-Shaheibi, founder of Karate in Oman in 1977, who harbors immense love for the Japanese, expressed through the art of self-defense. Behind this art lie many traditions and cultures. I hope that both the Japanese and Omani governments will honor these two figures for their deep emotional and cultural impact.
 

Now, we arrive in Osaka, chosen by the Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi as his capital in the late 16th century, greeting us with its history, cultural richness, and artistry. It is preparing for Expo 2025, which will feature an Omani pavilion that has already impressed the Japanese with its design and symbolism. This planet called Japan is an endless discovery of beauty, for no matter how much you uncover, new, undiscovered horizons emerge. Just when you grasp a secret of Japanese genius, you are humbled by the expanding dimensions of their character.

The essence of Japan is that it is a perpetual birthplace of genius, and life here is continuous training for success and readiness for work. The individual's belonging is like the sky above, the ground beneath their feet, and the nature that stretches before them. This is Japan.