I am en route home from what was always going to be a long trip (Abu Dhabi Dubai Qatar France UK) made longer by an unscheduled visit to ravaged Japan.

Japan has long been a very special place for me. Maarit and I lived in Tokyo during much of 1989 and took the opportunity to travel the country widely and get to know its wonderful people. I have been fortunate through my work to have occasion to visit Japan at least once every year and have thus maintained my relationships with and affinity for its people. There are of course wonderful people all over the world but I have always admired the very particular grace determination and collective spirit of the Japanese. These have never been in as high demand as during the past two weeks. A record earthquake devastating tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis have tested these fine qualities.

Much as after 9/11 I felt I should return to New York as soon as possible so too was I drawn to visit Japan as soon as my presence would not constitute more of a burden than benefit to the the already over-worked staff of Thomson Reuters Japan. In my visits to our various offices and talks with individuals and small groups I heard many heroic stories: Missing relatives reunited; nights spent sleeping under work desks or walking marathon distances home and back to work; and herculean efforts to serve our customers.

Much has been written about the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami the science of nuclear melt-down and the response of Tokyo Electric and the Japanese Government — much of the best of it in Reuters News. Instead for me inspired by the jewel-like concentration of much of what I admire most in Japan I offer this Haiku to my friends in Japan.

In our deep sadness
We must nonetheless rebuild
For all the children