The Great East Japan Earthquake on Mar 11, 2011 was the greatest earthquake on record which caused tremendous scale of chain reaction disasters. Against such trying ordeals, I was greatly encouraged and given the strength to look straight ahead and to move on, through both material and emotional support from many people. And through JAL's "Let's Encourage Tohoku with Mile Donation Project", I was lucky enough to win 100,000 miles.

Thanks to this mileage, I was able to go to Kushiro in Hokkaido in the end of June to attend the first death anniversary of my wife's sister. While she was suffering an incurable disease herself, she always worried about us, affected by the earthquake. Desperately wishing to see us, she had left us, and gone to heaven.
It was a shame that I could not bring along my granddaughter, who she adored, but my wife and I embraced the urn in which the ashes of my sister in law was placed.

I still have some mileage left, so I'm planning to visit "The place" where I've never visited before with my wife, to restart our lives.
Thank you very much for the mileage contribution.

From "Granddaughter is my life!" Grandpa
(Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture / Age: 70's / Gender: Male)

My family was comprised of 4 members with my wife and 2 daughters, but I lost my wife and my 3 year old daughter by the Great East Japan Earthquake, leaving me and my daughter who was 10 years old at the time behind.
After 2 month of hard restoration work after the earthquake, I was subjected to receive a surgical operation for ruptured shoulder tendon. I shed tears from frustration and disappointment in the hospital bed.

In the hospital, there was a big rising sun flag filled with many cheering messages which was sent from Hawaii. My daughter receives numerous cheering messages from all over Japan, and from all over the world. Having been in such a state where I couldn't express my gratitude, and with my dominant arm immobile, I was just overwhelmed by those messages I merely kept receiving. Everyday, I kept asking myself "Isn't there anything I can do to show my gratitude?". Then I finally realized that the one thing I can do is sailing, and decided to show my appreciation is by crossing the Pacific Ocean in a yacht.

I participated in TRANSPAC YACHT RACE 2013 (biyearly yacht race starting from Los Angeles to Honolulu, 4,000km) in July. I was able to call my daughter and my father to Honolulu, the goal of this race, through the courtesy mileage received from this promotion. The couple who were my matchmakers also came to Honolulu, to celebrate our challenge. I spent the most precious and memorable week together with the crew members and their families.

With JAL's logo, the red crane on the body of our yacht and uniform as a symbol of the warmest cheers from JMB members, we have completed the full distance, winning 3 prizes; 1) First prize in the classified race which is the first winning case ever for a Japanese team, 2) the fastest record for under 49 feet class and 3) navigation award.
Our challenge to convey our gratitude was broadcasted on TV news in Hawaii. My daughter was so surprised watching it.

Thank you to all JMB members and JAL for all of your support.

From TEN QUARTER
(Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture / Age: 40's / Gender: Male)

I got to know about "Let's Encourage Tohoku with Mile Donation Project" and applied through the web.
I added my winning 100,000 miles to the mileage I already had through my everyday shopping with JALCARD for a 8 day trip (2 nights on-flight) to Sydney, Australia.
In Sydney, I enjoyed sightseeing tours to famous spots such as Taronga Zoo, The Three Sisters, Sydney Tower and Opera House.
Among all, the cruise from the quay near Olympic Park to Circular Quay was magnificent. It was a perfect picture of the blue sky with no spec of cloud and orangey sinking sun reflecting on the river surface.
I had a chance to talk with a Korean lady living in Sydney and working as a city tour guide. She had also made donations for the Great East Japan Earthquake. When I told her about this "Let's Encourage Tohoku with Mile Donation Project", she said "We are all cheering for you!" I felt really grateful.

I still recall the moment of the earthquake, and my heart still hurts.
However, I appreciate these encounters with the people who are caring for us in the southern hemisphere.
Above all, I'd like to extend my utmost gratitude to the mileage donors and JAL staff who worked for this promotion.

From Rondao
(Saitama Prefecture / Age: 40's / Gender: Female)