Spring Seasons

Spring is the season I like most (though some do not like it because of the pollens) and because I am not allergic to this and since I like flowers a lot (must be the influence from my late grandma), I always feel good whenever I see flowers blooming. And this time around, I am glad to see there are still many flowers blooming (though I have missed out the Sakura blooming season).... and strolling in this kind of environment, with temperature averaging between 22 to 15 is very very nice.

choong
Kobe 2013

Back To Japan-Kobe (To pay my respect to Mr. Shiro Yoshida)

Honestly speaking, I am back this time at this stage of time, is basically because of the late, Mr. Shiro Yoshida-the gentleman sitting on the left (laughing out loud). I first met him in 1998, when I first came to Japan, and that was in September. He always laugh, speak quite good English, and seems like very happy go lucky guy of person. I did not go out so much with him for outings or during the weekends, as he is considered a senior in the team, and only talked, had dinner, and did spend some time with him.  The last time I met him was, I think early 2012, after he had come back from his operation, and during that time, he said, he was half of his original size. and before we separated, he was saying that we should find a time for a meal together.,and never could I imagine, that would be the last time, and the final time we will ever meet in this world forever.
On 31st December 2012, like usual, I still tried to send a message to him, and here I attached it below:

Yoshida-San, Nakamura-San, Kimura-San and Kamahira-San,

Woud like to take this final day of year 2012 to wish you, in advance, a Happy New Year 2013.

May this new year bring your Health, Happiness And All Good Things...!

Have a good holidays with your family.

With warm regards,

Choong

And on the 7th of Janaury, I was informed by Kamahira-San that Yoshida-San had already passed away.

Masafumi,

I am totally lost and speechless with this piece of news................

My deepest condolence to his family and I shall offer prayers to him tonite.

Pls find out where his burial place/graveyard is, and please bring me there to pay respect to him in my next visit to Japan. Is it in Osaka?

Can you arrange your private time to bring me there, please............................

Thanks in advance, Kamahira-San.

Sorry for my poor wordings, as I am very sad hearing this piece of news.....

Thanks for sharing.

Choong

-----Original Message-----

From: masafumi_kamahira@toyota-tsusho.com [mailto:masafumi_kamahira@toyota-tsusho.com]

Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 10:05 AM

To: Soonheng Choong; 'yukihisa_nakamura@toyota-tsusho.com'; 木村智

Subject: Yoshida-san

Dear Choong-san,

I deeply regret to inform you that Yoshida-san has passed away on 31st Dec 2012 because of liver cancer. He was 55 years old. According to his wife, he was hospitalized in last November, but it seems his symptoms worsened. Afterwards he went back home and had palliative care for the dying. His funeral servie had already held on 3rd Jan 2013 by his family only.

I am not able to accept it as fact yet and dazed with grief.

Sincerely yours,

KAMAHIRA

I was totally lost and speechless and tears immediately fell from my eyes (almost the same feeling like when my sister called from Penang informing the death of my dad).

Yoshida-San, we so 'argued sometimes' as our characters are very similar, firm, independent, self-opinionated, although I am the younger version type, and I remember, he usually tried to pacify me whenever he felt I was not happy and emotional (which was me, in my early stage of my career), and trying to explain to me, why certain issues happened in the way they were. Also, he explained a lot about customers, expectation in Japan, how he needed me to support Kasho team during that time, etc.
In short, he was like a mentor, a brother, a teacher, a friend,...
I remember, when I decided to leave Acidchem, he was very sad and upset with my departure.......but I could not help furher, as I think it was the right time to leave, and leaving my Japanese friends in Kasho/Toyotsu was one of the hardest for me.
I still remembered in the first few visits, and usually after dinner, we will walk around OSaka city with Jason (my former GM) and they will talked a lot and I will listen to their conversations,...And one of them I remmebered well is the talked on whether I could handle Japanese market well, and how well I could recognise the route back to Yaesu Fujiya hotel. Also another one was, when there was a stall near Kasho office selling ties, at JY 1000 per piece, and Yoshida-San mentioned it was worth to buy it. The ties are with me still.
There are too many things that I can write, but at this moment, I can't write too much, just not in the full swing of mood to do so. Just recalling memories...

Dear Choong -san

I'm fine in Osaka today.
Thank you for your concern.

best regards yoshida
------- Original Message-------
From:soonheng.choong@bayer.com
Subject:EarthQuake In Tokyo
To:shiro_yoshida@toyota-tsusho.com, yukihisa_nakamura@toyota-tsusho.com, satoshi_kimura@toyota-tsusho.com, masafumi_kamahira@toyota-tsusho.com
Cc:--
Date:Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:46:50 +0800
> Dear Yoshida-San, Nakamura-San, Kamahira-San,
>
> Trust you all are fine in Tokyo. Take care.
>
> Kimura-San,
> I guess you are fine in Osaka.
>
> Take care and with deep concern in Beijing,
>
> Dear.Mr Choong

Happy new year!
Looking for opportunity to see you again soon.
Let me know if you come to Japan.
Still enjoy single?

B.rgds Yoshida
------- Original Message-------
From:soonheng.choong@bayer.com
Subject:A Happy New Year 2011
To:shiro_yoshida@toyota-tsusho.com
Cc:--
Date:Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:51:00 +0800
> Yoshida-San,
>
> It was nice to meet you 3 months back, though only for a short while.
> And I would like to that this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and
> may year 2011 bring you more health, and happiness.

Dear Yoshida-San,

I am praying for you every time I offer my prayers at home, and this time around, I hope to visit you at your graveyard. We have worked together as a team for more than 8 years, and it was one of the happiest moments, together with Nakamura-San, Kimura-San and Kamahira-San and other team members...........These will be treasured by myself until I also finally breathe the final time.
Sorry for not having the chance to pay my last respect while you are still around, and this time around, I would like to visit you at your graveyard and pay you a final respect. And may you rest in peace................forever.

May Buddha guide you to the right path.

Sincerely, and with prayers, wishing you well, wherever you are.

Choong