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Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda attended the Memorial Service for Firefighters Who Lost Their Lives on Duty held at a hall in Tokyo.

The Memorial Service was intended to honor the achievements of firefighters and those who suffered hardships while cooperating in firefighting activities, who unfortunately lost their lives on duty, and to show deep respect and appreciation for their souls, and has been held annually since 1982. This year will observe the 31st Memorial Service. The Prime Minister offered a silent prayer and delivered a memorial address, and then offered a flower.

The Prime Minister said in his memorial address, "I pray for the repose of the souls of 8 firefighting personnel and those who cooperated with the firefighting activities, who are newly enshrined. These are the people who were helping people evacuate and closing floodgates when the massive tsunami approached them, or were engaged in guard activity over an extended period, and lost their precious lives. There are also people who lost their lives in unexpected accidents while on duty. These included people who lost their lives helping people evacuate, or rescuing people, during the heavy rain caused by Typhoon Talas. In other instances, firefighters perished while engaged in emergency care activities.
I express my sincere respect and appreciation for the strong pride and sense of mission that all these people demonstrated firsthand and for their deep compassion for others. On the other hand, my heart is filled with an immense grief when I think of the sorrow of those who have lost their beloved family members, and I express my heartfelt sympathies for them.
In order to respond to the wishes of the 5,662 souls who have been enshrined to date, we will make our utmost efforts to create a secure and safe country that can also withstand major disasters beyond our expectations. I once again pray for the repose of the souls and for the peace of mind of the bereaved family members."