Visas of Hope

Sunshine English Course 2 (2021) pg. 121-123

Visas of Hope
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Details
Word count	294
Book	Sunshine
Grade	2
Year	2021

On July 18, 1940, Sugihara Chiune heard a noise from outside his office in Lithuania. He saw many Jewish people. They were asking for visas to travel through Japan. They wanted to be free from the Nazis.
Chiune sent a telegram to the Japanese government. He asked permission to write visas. Soon, a telegram arrived. It said, "Don't write visas to anyone if they don't satisfy our conditions."
Chiune had to obey the order. He also had to close his office and leave the country in a month. However, he wanted to help the Jewish people. He made up his mind. "In spite of all the trouble, I'll write the visas!"

Time was limited. Chiune wrote visas day and night. He ate very little. His arm became sore. On the last day, he was writing visas on the train for Berlin. When the train was leaving, he said from the window, "I'm really sorry. I cannot write any more visas. I truly hope everyone will be safe." Someone cried out to Chiune, "Mr. Sugihara, we will not forget you. Someday we will meet you again."

Chiune returned to Japan in 1947. He had to quit his job. One day in 1968, Chiune received a phone call from the Israeli embassy. Later, Chiune met a man. The man showed him an old piece of paper. "Do you remember this? We've been looking for you since the war ended," the man said in tears.
Chiune introduced himself as "Sempo" when he was in Europe. It was easier to pronounce. Because of this, the Jewish people couldn't find him easily.
Chiune wrote 2,139 visas and saved thousands of Jewish lives. Why did he go against the Japanese government? Later, Chiune said, "I just followed my inner voice."

See also

• Junior high school speech contest
• Chiune Sugihara (Wikipedia)