Minh hanh
Dear Minh Hanh
The long, long, difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.
Fewer people in Japan are wearing masks, and the government has changed its policy to require citizens to take appropriate measures to prevent infection at their own responsibility, so people are now acting freely in appearance.
How are you, Minh Hanh, your family, and all your staff?
How has your daily life in Vietnam changed?
I retired from my position as a professor at Kyushu University, a national university, at the end of March 2021 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I also decided to decline many of my roles as a member of Japan's national councils and an advisory expert on local government.
I had worked at the university for 30 years, but I had long wanted more than anything to have time to live freely, so I was able to retire with Kaori's understanding and support.
The precious time I was able to gain by quitting has allowed me to refine my thoughts and philosophies that I have cultivated over a long period of time.
At the same time, it has become easy to hold contactless remote meetings using Zoom, so I can easily contact fellow researchers in Japan and around the world. This remote method has become an amazing innovation in my lifestyle.
On the other hand, I have finally been able to travel freely abroad, so I have resumed overseas expeditions that I had refrained from for a long time.
In July and August of this year, I traveled to Nepal and India with Kaori. Nepal is a holy place that I wanted to go to for my first honeymoon after getting married 42 years ago, but I remember that I was a very poor student at the time and was unable to proceed with the travel procedures due to financial reasons, so I gave up. After 42 years, I revived my honeymoon to Kathmandu, Nepal.
I traveled from Kathmandu to New Delhi, India, and officially attended the 46th UNESCO World Heritage Committee as an expert. It was a huge international conference gathering diplomats and experts from all over the world, and Kaori also participated as an observer and watched the deliberations on the registration of World Heritage Sites.
This is how we are reviving our energy.
If the opportunity arises, I would like to meet Minh Hanh again and see each other's health and happiness.
I also wish your family and staff good health.
Sinceraly yours,
October 1, 2024
Keiyo FUJIHARA Kaori FUJIHARA
