The annual Tokyo Bay fireworks festival has been canceled this year. Although the display was scheduled to take place on Aug 13, organizers say it has been canceled out of consideration for the victims of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that took place on March 11 in the Tohoku area.
This year's fireworks display was set to be the 24th in the festival's history. The announcement marks only the second time that the festival has been canceled since 1997, when it was called off due to strong winds.
© Compiled from news reports
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smartacus
This is not necessary. They are starting to cancel too many events. People have to be encourages to get out and spend money. Restaurants, stores, entertainment and leisure facilities are all struggling now and the effects on the economy are going to be catastrophic by summer, if we all don't make an effort to get things back to normal.
It is not disrespectful to victims to go to a movie, eat out or watch fireworks in August.
Zenny11
I don't mind if they cancel firework displays, as too much money gets blown away by those. In my home-country we stopped new year fireworks and rather donate that money.
Agree that things should get back to normal but events, etc can be organized at a fraction of the costs of a fireworks display.
Organize some Matsuri get the neighbourhood involved in running it, etc IMO is a better way.
Eddie Landsberg
There are a lot of shortages and logistical problems because of the quake... I wonder if that has anything to do with it as well.
bicultural
Nooooo!!!
nath
So, which is it?
Donating the funds the fireworks would have cost, towards rebuilding that area, or "gestures" of a punitive nature, for surviving?
SamuraiBlue
Fireworks have a significant semi-religious traditional meaning to guide the spirits to heaven. That is why fireworks displays are done during Obon-season and can be traced back to Edo period. It's not just to entertain people of the living but also a significant part of the people who lost their loved ones to wish them well as they part to the world beyond. The people who makes the fireworks should knows this, the people who organize these firework displays should know this.
laconic
Pointless!! Why not hold it and ask each spectator for a 500 yen donation?