結 yui
The character yui ( 結) is composed of two elements. The left half means “thread” while the right half means “to firmly tighten.” Together they express the idea of “tying threads together.”
Yui can also mean mutual cooperation through physical assistance. In the past, people gathered to help their neighbors whenever there were tasks requiring a lot of heavy physical labor, such as farm work or building houses. In this sense, yui is an expression of emotional connectedness and the spirit of mutual aid.
In Japan, a country that frequently suffers natural disasters, the spirit of yui is demonstrated spontaneously every time a disaster occurs. People feel a connection to others in need, and have overcome various difficulties by joining forces to assist each other.
Many global issues, such as natural disasters, environmental problems, and infectious diseases, need to be addressed at levels that go beyond the local and national. In the spirit of yui, Japan has a strong desire to share its technology and know-how with countries around the world. It wishes for its citizens to share wisdom and work hard in places where people are suffering and make a positive contribution to solving problems on a global scale.