RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- The "miracle lone pine tree" in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, is being lit in light blue for three days through Sunday to coincide with Saturday's World Refugee Day.
The pine tree, which survived the March 2011 tsunami, has been regarded as a symbol of reconstruction following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Illumination events of this kind were held nationwide to expand the circle of support for refugees.
Rikuzentakata's city counselor formerly worked at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which led to the decision to light up the pine tree, according to the city.
The city illuminated its iconic city landmark in light blue, the symbolic color of the U.N., as a show of gratitude for the medical staff who are on the front line tackling the novel coronavirus.
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