THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 6, 1994 TAG: 9412060017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
The report ``Japan apologizes for deception before '41 raid'' (Nov. 22) was of deep interest to me. Not so much that Japan did apologize to its countrymen, but that it had a word that expressed the reason why it was so necessary. The word is ``meiwaku,'' which means the trouble and shame one wrongfully causes friends and family. It is a word that America certainly needs in its vocabulary.
I find the English word closest to meiwaku is ``respect.'' many of us were taught to have so much ``respect'' for one's parents, extended family and friends that one did not do anything that would say to others that your parents had not raised you properly.
It is never too late for all of America's people to learn one of these simple words, ``meiwaku'' or ``respect,'' and not only use the word but also understand and use its meaning as answer to many of our drug and crime problems.
NORMA BUTT
Virginia Beach, Nov. 29, 1994 by CNB