Governor's
MONTHLYLETTER

3

March 2021
Governor's
Message
Rotary International
District 2750 2020-21 Governor“The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand thingsand does not strive.”
In Japan, March marks the end of fiscal and academic years,
and is a time when graduation ceremonies and farewell parties
are held. What about now, though, in the midst of this COVID-19
pandemic? Our District Conference, which was normallysupposed to be held between February 22 and 23, was shortened
to a one-day affair to take place on May 26. While I personallywanted to go ahead with the Conference as much as possible,given the current state of things, holding the Conference inthe same manner we always have might be an impossibility.
Moreover, the decision was also made to conduct the RotaryInternational Convention, which was slated to be held between
June 12 and 16, using virtual means. Given how much I wanted
to see everyone directly, this only compounds my feelings ofdisappointment.
Moving on, the United States’ newly-inaugurated President Joe
Biden has begun to take steps towards international cooperation,
as evidenced by the nation returning to the Paris Agreement andcalling off procedures aimed at removing it from the WHO. How
will America proceed to come to terms with China? Looking at
the news on TV, some people are saying that in the context of theissues involving Hong Kong and the Uyghurs, the conflict between
the United States and China is akin to a struggle between
liberalism and totalitarianism. At the same time, the reality isthat China’s gigantic market is a source of considerable profitfor America as well as Japan. Additionally, over time, China hasdeveloped its economy amid a stable state of international affairs.
A conflict between the United States and China, therefore, would
not be in the interest of either side. I imagine that as a country
that has shared ideology and religion with China over the courseof the history of Asia, Japan’s positioning is taking on increasing
importance.
The above phrase in the title is by Lao Tzu, who is responsible
for founding Taoism in the 6th century BC. Taoism is considered
to be one of China’s three great religions alongside Confucianismand Buddhism. Tying the nature of water into how people live
their life, Lao Tzu taught: “Water … nourishes all things without
trying to. But it will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot
yield…it assumes the shape of whatever vessel it is placed in andseeps and soaks through invisible crevices…it is content with thelow places that people distain. Thus, it is like the Tao (The Path).”Almost contradictorily, China, which is Lao Tzu’s birthplace, hasadvanced into the waters of the Spratly Islands and the Senkaku
Islands to assert its maritime interests.
March is Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Month. While this news
is slightly old, it was reported in the Guardian, a major English
newspaper, that the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France wasdrained for cleaning purposes for the first time in fifteen years in2016. All sorts of things were found at the bottom of the canal— bicycles, motorbikes, suitcases, shopping carts, tables, chairs,bedframes and more. I can’t imagine that something like this islimited to France, and worry that at the bottom of the rivers andcanals that we commonly enjoy when taking walks, jogging or
taking pictures, similar things have been discarded. Assuming thatapplies to the Tama River in Tokyo as well, that means that wehere in Japan’s capital are drinking tap water taken from that river.
That’s the very same river that I used to swim in until I was in thesecond grade.
Earth is referred to as “the water planet.” It’s puzzling, then,why problems with water shortages and water sanitation andhygiene occur on that planet even though it’s supposed to havean abundance of that resource. The reason why is because
fresh water, or water that we can use, only accounts for 0.01%to 0.02% of all water on the planet. The rest of it is almost
exclusively made up of salt water (97.5%) or ice and glaciers
found at the polar caps. What’s more, the limited water that wecan use is reaching a critical point due to the increase in thehuman population and the contamination that accompanies it. It
is said that growth in our numbers has caused water consumption
by mankind to reach triple the levels that they were 50 years ago.
Moreover, where the issue of water sanitation and hygiene isconcerned, it is said that the number of children around the world
who lose their lives due to waterborne infectious diseases orunsanitary daily life water will reach around 5,000 per day.
Water shortages affect not only mankind but also biodiversity.
Our excessive groundwater intake and deforestation has caused
rivers to dry up and marshland and lakes to disappear. Numerous
living things dependent on water that inhabited those locations
are facing extinction or a threat to their survival.
Amid that situation, the Rotary Club has assisted movements
to dig wells, provided equipment to purify water, and taken partin activities to supply drinking water in various areas aroundthe world. Simultaneously, in our district, individual Rotarians
have conducted campaigns to reduce plastic bottles and otherplastic garbage so as not to pollute the seas and rivers, and havecommenced efforts for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Monthstarting with areas that are familiar to them. With the COVID-19
pandemic that has engulfed the world, I imagine how hard it
must be for anything other than the virus to capture people’sattention. Still, we as Rotarians are determined to show somethingfor our efforts. In the future, who knows — technology may comeabout that transforms salt water to fresh water at a low cost, orinexpensive materials to replace plastics that biodegrade once
they are disposed of may be invented. People may count on
developments in technology and new inventions, but until theycome about, let us continue to do what we can in our immediate
environment to protect water — “the origin of life.”

District 2750 Membership Report January 2021
Club NameRegularmeeting

Member quantity
July 1, 2020

End of Jan. 2021

Variations

Chiyoda GroupClub NameRegularmeeting

Member quantity
July 1, 2020

End of Jan. 2021

Variations

Yamanote West Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-South

1184187

3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jiyugaoka

016160Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shiba

156593

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Yoneyama Yuai

335372Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shimbashi

05654-2

Rotary E-Club of District 2750, Tokyo Yoneyama

234340Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akasaka

145450Rotary Club of Tokyo Daikanyama

128280Rotary Club of Tokyo-Minato

13230-2

Tama South Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Azabu

115172

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji

06361-2Rotary Club of Tokyo-Global

320200Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida15756-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Sunrise Shiodome

316171

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hino

33433-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji West3111110-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ginza

1180

182

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida-Naka

12827-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi

0204

203-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji East

03234

2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tsukiji

06969

0

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji South

478

77-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi East

04142

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida-Salvia

035361Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chuo0203201-2Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tobihino

422220Rotary Club of Tokyo-Nihonbashi West04544-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Machida East

030300Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ginza New

079790Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hachioji North

043430Rotary Club of Tokyo-City Nihonbashi

13836-2

Tama Middle Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chuo Shin

25660

4

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tachikawa

0119117-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akebono

220200Rotary Club of Tokyo-Koganei

23836-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Sanno

336382Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kokubunji

03230-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Mitaka

04239-3Ginza/Nihonbashi GroupKeihin Group
Rotary Club of Tokyo-Haneda

05552-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akishima

15553-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shinagawa

041421

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kunitachi

14745-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Omori

135394

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tachikawa Kobushi

087914

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shinagawa Chuo03029-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Inokashira023230Rotary Club of Tokyo-Denenchofu

148480Rotary Club of Tokyo-Akishima Chuo048480Rotary Club of Tokyo-Konan Marine

11817-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Musashi Kokubunji

142420Rotary Club of Tokyo-Osaki

024251

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Koganei-Sakura

025261

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kamata

059634

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Kunitachi Shiroume117170Rotary Club of Tokyo-Keihin02625-1

Rotary E-Club of Tokyo Peace Wing

423230Rotary Club of Tokyo-Denenchofu Midori

018180Tama East Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shirokane

124273

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Fuchu

05555

0

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Takanawa

02320-3

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chofu

06462-2Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tama

020200Rotary Club of Tokyo-West0197

195-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Komae

01413-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Josai

367670Rotary Club of Tokyo-Inagi

02827-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seinan

14443-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Musashi Fuchu

03940

1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Harajuku

11716-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tamagawa

02018-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Suginami

04139-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Tama Green

12928-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jingu

324240Rotary Club of Tokyo-Chofu Murasaki

06664-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Ebisu

0117112-5

Rotary Club of Tokyo i City

118180Rotary Club of Tokyo-Hiroo

42425

1Pacific Basin Group

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Shibuya

03536

1Rotary Club of Guam

*5251-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Roppongi

25352-1

Rotary Club of Saipan

4*40

43

3Rotary Club of Tokyo-Atago

131310Rotary Club of Tumon Bay*5955-4

Rotary Club of Northern Guam

*31310Rotary Club of Tokyo-Setagaya

04445

1

Rotary Club of Pohnpei*1816-2

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Meguro

33334

1Rotary Club of Palau

14162

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seijo017170

Rotary Club of Guam Sunrise*1514-1

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Setagaya South19789-8

Rotary Club of Truk Lagoon

880

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Jonan

013141

Rotary Club of Pago Bay Guam E*23252

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Yamanote

070

69-1

Total in Japan - 88

4,364

4,341-23

Rotary Club of Tokyo-Seijo Shin

031310Rotary Club of Tokyo-Aoyama

01615-1

Total in 2750 dis. - 97

4,624

4,600-24

Yamanote East Group

Yamanote West Group

2* shows the provisional data.