YOKOHAMA, Japan (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Creed frontman Scott Stapp visited Japan to mark the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the island.
"My heart breaks for the victims. One year ago, our friends in Japan suffered a catastrophe of epic proportions. We will not forget the orphans, widows and families that lost every possession they have known. God bless all those at the US Embassy and our troops on the ground providing medical care, meals and shelter. I am looking forward to performing for our troops stationed in Japan and to let them know that we appreciate the hard work, compassion, and sacrifice required for such an extraordinary humanitarian relief effort," Stapp commented via Twitter.
Stapp's visit was coordinated through the efforts of the USO, The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan and IsraAID. While in Japan, Stapp visited with victoms of the Tusnami in affected Japanese towns such as Sendai and Ishinomaki on Japan's northeastern coast, as well as performing for U.S. troops deployed in Japan to thank them for their efforts at disaster relief.
According to Stars and Stripes, Stapp and guitarist Brent Look signed autographs at Yokosuka and then performed aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
“It’s amazing what Operation Tomodachi did,” Stapp told the military personnel during his performance. “We visited Sendai yesterday; we saw the destruction and we saw what you did, so we hoped to give everyone here a time to escape from their responsibilities and have fun. We want to remind everyone how much we appreciate and support them.”
Operation Tamodachi (the Japanese word for friends) was the name of the U.S. military relief effort to aid disaster-stricken Japan. The operation involved 24,000 U.S. serviceman, as well as 189 aircraft and 24 naval vessels. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
