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On Sunday, Tokyo Tower will be lit up in the colors of the Australian national flag as a sign of solidarity for the victims of the bushfires that have been happening in various parts of Australia.
Australia is currently experiencing a disastrous spread of bushfires all throughout the country. The fires began in September 2019, and have been causing extensive damage that’s lead to the loss of more than 2,000 homes, 10 million hectares of land. As of January 23, 2020, the fires have also reportedly taken the lives of 32 people and scientists estimate that 1 billion animals have already perished.
The news of the light display was announced by Tokyo Tower through a press release, which also mentions that a call to famous towers all over the world was made by the World Federation of Great Towers in response to the crisis.
Other towers in other parts of the world taking part in the movement. Famous towers such as the Empire State Building in New York, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and the Calgary Tower in Canada have also started to change their colors to blue, white and red to represent the flag of Australia, or to Australia’s national colors of green and gold.
The Tokyo Tower Australian flag display will take place from 5:01 p.m. Sunday and will end at 12 a.m. Monday.
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- External Link
- https://grapee.jp/en/
25 Comments
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gogogo
Nice gesture but the world seems to think the fires are out, they are still burning!
Disillusioned
It's strange they don't mention that Sunday (January 26) is also Australia Day, the Aussie version of July 4 for the US. If this were acknowledged it would make it a much more meaningful gesture to the Aussies.
inkochi
Red, White and blue! Same colours as 20% of world nations’ flags.
Just wonder if ‘Australia Day’ got a mention in English-language press today as well as the age-old Indian national occasion (the 26 Jan norm)
FizzBit
I’m not up on my Australian history. What are the dates of their war for independence?
invalid CSRF
Serrano
Here's info on how we can help those in need
I've donated to the firefighters and WWF.
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/bushfire-relief-how-you-can-help-those-in-need/news-story/a0476ac3538b8c373f281ea6be204421
Disillusioned
It would seem your sarcasm is as weak as you knowledge of Australian history.
Read it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day
yoshisan88
Green and gold should be more appropriate to represent Australia. However, it is a good gesture so it should be appreciated.
sumikonagoya
"It's strange they don't mention that Sunday (January 26) is also Australia Day, the Aussie version of July 4 for the US. If this were acknowledged it would make it a much more meaningful gesture to the Aussies."
Instead of criticizing, would not be better to say thank you to Japanese people for their kind gesture to the Australian people, in Australia's time of suffering and hardship?
sumikonagoya
A class act by a classy nation.
browny1
sumikonagoyaToday 10:33 am JST
"It's strange they don't mention that Sunday (January 26) is also Australia Day, the Aussie version of July 4 for the US. If this were acknowledged it would make it a much more meaningful gesture to the Aussies."
Instead of criticizing, would not be better to say thank you to Japanese people for their kind gesture to the Australian people, in Australia's time of suffering and hardship?
sumiko - it's a far stretch to call that criticism. You are seeing something that is not there.
It's just a simple comment stating it's strange, that on Australia's official national day (Jan. 26), this fact is not mentioned in the article. I'm almost 100% sure the reason this day was chosen to remember the ongoing tragedy and victims was because it is Australia Day. Or it could be a giant coincidence - hardly.
And I'm sure most people are appreciative of the gesture, not only of Tokyo towers efforts, but the +ive response from the other famous world towers, as this was an initiative from the World Federation of Great Towers - not Tokyo in the first instance.
FizzBit
Why do some in the British Empire have such an aversion to sarcasm?
Anyway, I read the pertinent part of your link. It took about 65 seconds.
No way! Australia Day could or should be compared with the US’s 4th of July, 1776.
Invalid CSRF
Disillusioned
Try this then, Australia Day has the same cultural significance as July 4 in the US. Is that more acceptable for you? Not everything is bigger and more significant in the US despite what the locals think. (roll eyes)
sumikonagoya
@browny1
"It's strange they don't mention that Sunday (January 26) is also Australia Day, the Aussie version of July 4 for the US. If this were acknowledged it would make it a much more meaningful gesture to the Aussies."
Do you see a thank you in the above comment?
sumikonagoya
@browny1
"And I'm sure most people are appreciative of the gesture,"
Funny way of showing, Incidentally, I did not see a thank you, in your comment either. I wonder why?
sumikonagoya
Thank you Tokyo Tower, for showing a lot class and trying to send support to the people of Australia.
sumikonagoya
".because wasting power generated from fossil fuels is really going to help?"
Point made.
oldman_13
Good for them for doing this.
Anyone that has anything negative to say about this should be ashamed of themselves. They can't even let a nice gesture like this go without injecting their bitterness into it.
People, a simple thank you Japan is all that is necessary.
KariHaruka
If people wish to help out with donations. WIRES are a very good organisation that is helping the wildlife that's been devastated.
I've already donated a few times and its very easy as you can donate through Paypal.
browny1
sumikonagoyaToday 01:26 pm JST
@browny1
"And I'm sure most people are appreciative of the gesture,"
Funny way of showing, Incidentally, I did not see a thank you, in your comment either. I wonder why?
sumikonagoya - thank you for your prompt reply.
My comment re "most people are appreciative" refers to Most People in general and not just the haqndful of posters here. Sorry I should have made that more clear as in -
"...And I'm sure most people both here and in Australia are appreciative of the gesture, not only of Tokyo towers efforts, but the +ive response from the other famous world towers..."
And pleeeaaazzzee do not try to spin my true feelings towards the effort by Tokyo tower, just because I didn't say thankyou in my post. I actually joined this discussion to comment on your attack on a poster for not using in your mind enough gratitude. You have no understanding of how I feel about the situation and my own personal way of appreciating the situation. Stop looking for hate when there isn't any.
And rest assured this projection on Tokyo tower - and the other towers - will be duly noted and respected by media and people in Australia. I guarantee it will be shown and talked about.
And probably no-one will write a thank you and post it here from Australia. Why?
Moderator
Readers, please stop bickering.
Jenny Cleaver
Hi
green and gold as you will see in the 2020 olympics (and for past 50 years or so.) are Australian colors. The flag colours are just that...flag colours.
at the rugby world you would have seen gren and gold everywhere! the gold represents the wattle tree and the green is the eucalyptus tree.
But a huge Thankyou....being thought of is far greater act than lighting up thd USA colours.
Arigatou Nihongo
1glenn
Cool.
browny1
sumiko - chalk & cheese.
On this day instead of bickering over the irrelevant - just remember the sad loss of human lives to date, the apocalyptic destruction and the estimated 1 billion animal deaths.
Having been through 3 bushfires in Australia - one the terrible Ash Wednesday inferno - my thoughts are out to those who have and are still suffering.
Summer has a long way to go and the fires are still burning.
Less we Forget.
Tom Hook
As a Aussie I think this is kind and brilliant... First time going overseas and I couldn't be happier that Japan is the destination.