Japanese executives in India worried for their loved ones

Senior Japanese executives working in Pune are understandably a worried lot following the colossal tsunami that has rocked their country on Friday. They have had a sleepless night and a harrowing day after trying to get in touch with their near and dear ones.

Speaking to DNA through an interpreter on Saturday, general manager Yoichi Abe and technical advisor Kenichi Sato, executives at the Chakan-based Indo-Japanese engineering company, Keihin Fie near Pune, said many Keihin Japan employees had lost members of their families in the tragedy.

“Our family members are safe, but we feel sorry for our colleagues who have lost theirs in the catastrophe,” Abe said. Both Abe and Sato have been in Pune since August 2010.

Both executives told DNA that they had a harrowing time on Friday.

“It was very hard for us to communicate with our families. We just could not get through on the telephone until Friday evening. Thankfully, our own two families are safe,” Sato said.

Keihin Fie has one of its major plants near the Sendai city, which was devastated by the tsunami. “Our plant was partially damaged but our employees are safe,” Abe said.

According to Abe, Japan was equipped technologically to handle the worst of earthquakes, but they were never prepared for such a colossal tsunami. “We experience earthquakes frequently, but Friday’s tsunami was the biggest in our living memory,” Abe said. SV Gogate, managing director, Keihin Fie, told DNA that there were seven Japanese officers working in the Pune company. “They were extremely worried yesterday as the communication network was totally disrupted.”