Governor's
MONTHLYLETTER

8August 2020
Governor's
Message
Rotary International
District 2750 2020-21 Governor“If you want to know about
something, hark to the source.”
Please allow me to first express my deepest
condolences to the people who recently lost theirlives due to the flood and landslide disasters causedby record-breaking torrential rains, as well as mysympathies to anyone who was otherwise affected bythose disasters. There remains no end in sight for thenovel coronavirus (COVID-19). We have no visibility
on The Official Visits that are scheduled to commencein September. I am not even sure if my own presencein those visits will be through Zoom or perhaps as aparticipant in a hybrid meeting. Be that as it may, I
believe that gathering together is the foundation ofRotary, and wish to see you all face to face provided
that it is possible. Although The Pacific Basin Group
Official Visit that was originally scheduled for July has
already been delayed, I hope to make that visit nextSpring. Also, while August is “Membership and New
Club Development Month,” our goal from Past District
Governor Sawatari’s term three years ago, that of making
our female membership at least 20% in our district, has
yet to be achieved. The contributions of women are what
underpin diversity. Please make that goal a reality during
my year as District Governor.
While the situation at the moment does not permit
scheduling to go how we would like it to, since assuming
the post of District Governor, I have given thought tothe shape that Rotary will take going forward. What
prompted me to do so is the news that the number ofpeople infected with COVID-19 and the accompanying

mortality rate is overwhelmingly lower in the East Asia
than it is in Western countries. Some theories thathave been postulated as to why are the effectivenessof the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis, differencesin lifestyle and, more recently, mysteries whose answer
lies in genetics. I, for one, have the impression that thereasons are found in differences between Asian-type“Gemeinschafts” (communal organizations) and Westerntype “Gesellschafts” (associational organizations/profitoriented societies) and differences in the philosophiesand religions behind those concepts.
The title of this message indicates the frame of mindof haiku master Matsuo Basho when he penned hisworks. He instructed his disciples to hark to the sourceof the subject of their works while discarding themselves(the self) and merging with nature instead. As haikus
illustrate, East Asian ways of thinking are founded
in insentience, or the act of leaving the self behind.
Conversely, in Western countries, schools of thoughtby numerous noted philosophers such as Kant, Hegel,
Schopenhauer and Sartre begin with an affirmation of“the existence of the self,” or, to borrow Descartes’
immortal phrase, “I think, therefore I am.” In the West,
there is one truth, as well as one god. A characteristic ofEast Asian thinking is its diversity, with multiple religions
and philosophies that include Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism and Japanese Shintoism present. Our
everyday world is founded on coexistence.
It could be said that globalization as it exists today
is the final destination of capitalism as expanded overtime principally by the United States. While globalism
has certainly propped up the development of economies,
we now seem to be entering a phase of reflection on its
shortcomings. In New York, where COVID-19 spreadconsiderably, the rich fled the state. Meanwhile, inAsia, the communal mentality of “keeping yourself fromgetting infected and from infecting others” is working
to safeguard communities in the region. Back in 1905,
Paul Harris founded the Rotary Club as a communalorganization in Chicago based on the danger heperceived at the state of America at the time. I can see
why that organization has taken root across Asia today.
As the world experiences turmoil, the value of the Rotary
Club appears to be growing more and more over time.

District 2750 Membership Attendance Report May 2020
Club Name

Member quantity
Regular Attendance
meeting percentage July 1, 2019 End of June 2020 Variations

Chiyoda GroupClub Name

Member quantity
Regular Attendance
meeting percentage July 1, 2019 End of June 2020 Variations

Yamanote West Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-South

0189

185-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shiba

4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jiyugaoka

273.951516

170.52

50

56

6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Setagaya Central

382.50160-16

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shimbashi

368.216256-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Yoneyama Yuai265.00

3435

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akasaka

0Rotary Club of Tokyo-Minato

472.304845-3

Rotary E-Club of District 2750, Tokyo Yoneyama

195.00

32

34238

32-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo Daikanyama

252.002128

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Azabu

2756.2513152

Tama South Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Global
Rotary Club of Tokyo-Sunrise Shiodome

157.892120-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji

471.7967

63-4

357.902116-5

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida466.8056

56

0Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hino

281.43

34

32-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ginza

178.36184180-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji West490.58106111

5

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi

0202

204

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida-Naka483.272728

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tsukiji

182.287269-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji East

498.4027

32

5

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi East

2100.00

4741-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji South

4100.00

7678

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chuo

360.27211

203-8

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida-Salvia

475.763035

5Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi West287.214245

3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tobihino484.7021221

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ginza New

359.697479

5Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida East

283.342930

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-City Nihonbashi

270.504138-3Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji North

396.66

39

43

4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chuo Shin

360.905856-2

Tama Middle Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akebono

371.102120-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tachikawa

3100.00

114

119

5

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Sanno

268.183436

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Koganei

275.003738

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kokubunji

290.523432-2-2Ginza/Nihonbashi GroupKeihin GroupRotary Club of Tokyo-Haneda

05555

0

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Mitaka

373.504442

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shinagawa

282.364741-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akishima

475.725455

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Omori

388.294135-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kunitachi

2100.00

4947-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shinagawa Chuo03130-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tachikawa Kobushi

09187-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Denenchofu

281.42

48

480

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Inokashira4100.00

2623-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Konan Marine

269.442018-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akishima Chuo474.204947-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Osaki

377.642924-5

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Musashi Kokubunji

389.0036426

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kamata

394.5060

59-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Koganei-Sakura

280.002325

2Rotary Club of Tokyo-Keihin

02626

0

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kunitachi Shiroume390.401617

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Denenchofu Midori

279.742118-3

Rotary E-Club of Tokyo Peace Wing

450.002425

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shirokane

381.303225-7Tama East Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Takanawa

178.2622231Rotary Club of Tokyo-Fuchu

05855-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chofu

375.0064640

Yamanote East Group
Rotary Club of Tokyo-West

177.01

193

197

4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tama

370.632420-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Josai

459.51

71

67-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Komae

377.581514-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seinan

467.805250-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Inagi

374.6430

29-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Harajuku

465.282117-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Musashi Fuchu

483.994239-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Suginami

269.454041

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tamagawa273.20

21210

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jingu

393.602724-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tama Green

175.8629

290

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ebisu

3100.00

120117-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chofu Murasaki

3100.00

6971

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hiroo

362.962824-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo i City

275.001718

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shibuya

181.943435

1

Pacific Basin Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Roppongi

3100.00

5253

1

Rotary Club of Guam

6155

-6

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Atago

584.2030

31

1

Rotary Club of Saipan

3942

3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Setagaya

193.334744-3

Rotary Club of Northern Guam

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Meguro

2100.00

3733-4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seijo

375.0016171

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Setagaya South

2100.00

10097-3

Rotary Club of Guam Sunrise

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jonan

267.652013-7

Rotary Club of Truk Lagoon

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Yamanote

184.2971

70-1

Rotary Club of Pago Bay Guam E

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seijo Shin

480.4031310

Total in Japan - 89

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Aoyama

172.602316-7

Total in 2750 dis. - 98

Yamanote West Group

Rotary Club of Tumon Bay6162

13532-3

Rotary Club of Pohnpei

23230

Rotary Club of Palau

161601716-188013

1304,469

4,377-92

4,742

4,644-98

0456.00: Annual average attendance rate