The Japanese social worker

At around late 2005 or about early 2006, a local newspaper had flashed a news, that a social worker from Japan, was molesting teenage girls from an orphanage. At that particular time, he was one of the biggest, probably the sole contributor, to the Nepal Children’s Organization; which ran an orphanage, Bal Mandir, under its roof.

The news came with bit of surprise to me. It was, some thing hard for me to believe but the news flash, compelled me to visit a good friend of mine, who had gone to Japan with one of the adopted daughter by Makimoto, who had picked all her bills during her stay in Japan, to study fashion designing for about a year during 1996 - 1997.

The man, is known only by the name Makimoto, to all the people, who knew him. He was a very successful businessman, back in Japan. The man was married with a daughter. Apart from doing business, he also was involved in many charity works, here in Nepal. A book collection of Japanese social workers in Nepal; dubbed him, as a Japanese Hero of Nepal. He had done so many charities not only in Kathmandu base organisations, but in the some rural areas of Nepal too. He had done remarkable contributions to uplift the needy peoples conditions in Nepal. Honestly, rest of his contributions is not known to me.

Me, being the product of the same the orphanage, we do keep getting news good or bad, that is associated in this organisation, through vast circle of childhood friends.

So, when I visited my friend, I asked her about the news and more importantly I asked her, could this be true ?

She knew the man by then for about 10 years and ‘Maki’ as she calls him, used to visit her during his regular visit to Kathmandu. In fact, Maki, used to visit the other girl, with whom my friend shared the room.

Lets call her Dhana, is the name of the other girl, Maki had adopted as a daughter. He used to visit Nepal once in every three months for many years. It was also because, Maki had ran one project, within the organizations premises first of its kind by any foreign sponsors to support the organization. This project supported only girls, married too with very few exception; who were discharged from the Bal Mandir.

The girls, used to make sweaters, caps and some freshers used to make some mufflers too, from the catalogue, which he used to bring from Japan. Finished product used to make its way back to Japan; where he used to sell them in high prices. In return he used to contribute handsome sum, to run the organization. This friend of mine, was also involved in knitting sweaters for some time for Maki’s project.

When, asked about the news flash, she revealed the other side of the social worker, which I was not aware of. She said the news, is not just rumour, it has truth in it too. She said the Japanese social worker, was very selective while choosing a girl for his lust. He only choose very shy, introvert and timid girls for his lustful needs; for example the daughter who he had adopted, was also being used for his physical needs.

As she had mentioned, Dhana, was Junior to me in the orphanage and was very timid, shy and introvert girl, I have ever seen in my life. She would not dare open up what was gong on in her life and not dare to talk about it, to even with her closest friend. No, not, even in her wildest dream. Oh ! yes, there were many like Dhana, in the orphanage.

Profiling his victim, was very careful task for Makimoto. He do not had to worry about the leakage of his lustful act, at least not from the girls he picked up for his physical needs. A father of a college going girl only picked girls in their teens or early 20s. Dhana, must have been, older, only by some years than his own daughter.

Teenage period is very fragile for both physical and emotional growth and known for being irresponsible and immature act any time. Well, how the journo sniff on the news, I have no idea. But, may be, thats what is the journalist work. My guess is one of the girls from the orphanage must have felt jealous for the gift showers along with occasional lunch/dinner in the five star hotel, these girls enjoyed.

Before his death by cancer on 2009, he was the sole and biggest contributor to the Organisation. May be that is the reason, when I read the news about the molestation charge, my mind was zapped for the first time. I could not decide whether he should be thanked for his contributions or cursed for whatever, he was doing to these teen girls. Or may be, I just wanted to overlook his, lustful act in front of his contribution. This is not some thing like me.

But, wait a second that definitely makes me the needy one accepting the bad act; just because that girl is not me. I am not being sensitive enough about the physiological traumas those girls may have, ever gone through.

Should girls accept the assault under such circumstances ? or the more serious question here, was there any way, they could avoid it ?

Whatever the situation is, once again, the knives are out for a sharpened debate on the acceptance of the gratuitous assaults on girls/women by those who wield power and money.