Japanese return cash recovered after tsunami

[n2doc]

By Tom Miyagawa Coulton and John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times
September 22, 2011, 10:49 p.m.
Reporting from Tokyo and Seoul— The unmarked envelope floated into the living room of the home in northeastern Japan, riding the wave of tsunami floodwaters. Inside, the astounded resident found $40,000 in yen notes.

More money has been found in wallets, paper bags, and other containers swept away from their owners and scattered across a landscape ripped apart by the March 11 earthquake. One woman found $26,000 in a purse she had spotted atop a pile of debris. One police locksmith opened the heavy door of a recovered safe to find $1.3 million in yen notes.

What followed is a testament to a culture of honesty and altruism: The Japanese have turned over more than $48 million in loose cash to authorities.

"People tell me they just want the money to go to its owner," said Kouetsu Saiki, a Miyagi prefecture police officer who oversees the collection, identification and return of salvaged money and valuables.


more
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-returned-money-20110923,0,647353.story

[BlueCollar]

1. Doesn't surprise me...

I deployed to Japan several times and found the Japanese to be honourable and gracious hosts. I hope that they recover soon.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Such suffering they've gone through, and yet honesty is important to them. nt

[dkf]

3. I love these people.