The city of Ono in Hyogo Prefecture sent 1,500 used abacuses to the small island nation of Tonga on Wednesday through the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The abacuses, which were donated by residents all over Japan, will be used at elementary schools as well as in teacher training programs in Tonga.
Ono, known for producing Banshu abacuses, posted on its website asking people to donate their abacuses. Collection sites were set up at the city's traditional industry hall and shopping centers.
City officials carefully packaged 500 abacuses into each box. Some had the original owner's name engraved on them or had an abacus exam certification sticker, indicating that they had been used with care.
The city has been sending used abacuses to other countries since 2010. So far, Ono has sent about 8,500 abacuses to such countries as India and Lebanon. About 80% of those, or 7,103 abacuses, have been sent to Tonga.
Even though learning how to use an abacus for calculations is a required subject at public elementary schools as it helps improve academic ability and concentration, Tonga has a shortage of them, according to the JICA.
"We hope that the abacuses, which were gathering dust in homes and other places, will prove useful," a city official said. "We also hope that it becomes more well-known abroad for its benefits."
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