At last, the Olympic year 2020 has arrived. Japan will once again be filled with voices cheering and shouting “Ganbare, do your best!” in continuance of the emotional wave of last year’s Rugby World Cup held in Japan. 
 
Frankly, I am not much of a fan of that expression. Long ago, I was preparing for university entrance exams for another year after graduating from high school. Whenever my former high school classmates who had got admissions before me said to me, “Ganbare, do your best, study hard,” I became a little unhappy, jealous, and envious, feeling “Year right. You are already enjoying your university life.” Even now, some years later, I still cannot bring myself to say those words. Telling “Ganbare” to office staffs is also becoming a taboo in reaction to the reform of working practices, as the expression could be taken as power harassment. The world is changing, indeed.
 
It is actually very difficult to find words to express sympathy or encouragement. Last year, Japan suffered many natural disasters including Typhoon 19, and I heard news reporters often said, “Take care of yourself and ganbatte kudasai (hang in there)” to affected people. I felt something was not quite right about the expression but could not come up with any fitting alternative words myself. One day, while pondering on the issue, I recalled the words of a famous enka singer who was addressing people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake: “You don’t have to do your best anymore. You’ve done enough just making it through this disaster. It is us who will make every effort to do our best from this juncture.” I remember I was very touched by it.
 
In the Public Relations Office, it is our job to provide accurate scientific information and knowledge in an easy-to-understand manner. No one will read an array of just toneless words, but how much emotion we should put in to the information depends on the context, standpoints of, and relationships between, recipients and us, and thus is difficult. With you, we would like to keep considering how this institute specialized in disaster can convey disaster-related information and knowledge to society. We will do our best.

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