Show The Herald Journal Theaters A A World War 1 1 Shinto priest at a temple in Tokyo Classifieds Agriculture A photographer Logan Utah Sunday February 26 1984 isn't a curiosity in Japan veteran of Japan makes his living by playing the harmonica for passersby for Japan Editor's nott: This is tho lost In stries ot articles on stiff photographer Garry Bryant's observe! ions of the Orient plaintive song drifted down the subway stairwell as 1 ascended to a Tokyo street At first I thought it was coming from a music store in one of the underground shopping malls that seem to be connected with every Tokyo subway station Not until I was waiting for a traffic light did I realise that a street beggar was doing the playing But the man was no ordinary beggar His military cap marked him as a Japanese veteran of World War II Leaning on his crutches and balancing on his two artificial legs he was playing a beautiful and mellow ballad on his amplified A sweetly l ' harmonica At first I flushed with shame I realised my people had caused his injuries and it was obvious those injuries had inalterably changed his life Never before had the sight of a war veteran moved me so deeply I dashed back through the underground mase of the mall and subway to the hotel where I was staying I grabbed a camera and stuffed a couple of lenses Into my pants pocket and ran back to the scene The man was still there still leaning on his crutches and playing his mournful tune He made It plain though that he didn’t want to be photographed But somehow I wasn’t willing to let his image the image of a war fought and lost slip away So I decided to get out of his range of vision for awhile I watched him without him seeing me for about 20 minutes and then approached him from behind From in back of a pillar I photographed Urn with a telephoto lens That photo of the crippled soldier wasn't the only one I felt compelled to take during my visit to Japan Not only was I moved by an image of Japan's past but also by its present accomplishments ' The 23 million people who live in Tokyo make up a quarter of Japan's population so the city is a very busy one indeed Yet I have never found a more clean polite and honest people or a city which better reflects the character of its people The Japanese seem to have an unparalleled talent for adapting to their environment They have learned to take the best of Japanese and Western culture and to Mend them in the most advanced standard of living in all of Asia I roamed Tokyo in shock It was hard for me to understand how Japan could be so superior to nearby Taiwan Not only did Japan have all of Asia beat but in a great many things it excelled over America The Japanese are a united people The people and country are working together to be a superior power in the business world Granted America and Europe have biased the technological trail for Japan But Japan has taken Western know-hoand expanded it to realms unimagined by its originators The big companies respect and treat their employees with excellent benefits and honor As a result Japanese businesses can boast that their employees are more loyal and productive then any others in all the world w see RISING page 22 story & photography GARRY BRYANT of the Herald Journal o - |