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‘He helped make Kobe Beef known throughout the world’: Japanese fans honor Kobe Bryant’s death

US NBA's Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard Kobe Bryant (L) watches a game played by junior basketball players during his basketball clinic,
US NBA's Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard Kobe Bryant (L) watches a game played by junior basketball players during his basketball clinic, "Kobe81 Asia Tour Summer 2006" in Tokyo, 04 September 2006 (AFP)
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27 Jan 2020 03:01:07 GMT9
27 Jan 2020 03:01:07 GMT9

Arab News

Kobe Bryant’s sudden death has caused shock and grief all over the world. Japanese fans took to social media to express their condolences to the basketball star and his family after his death in a helicopter crash in suburban Los Angeles on Sunday.

The US embassy in Tokyo tweeted: “Rest In Peace to Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest American athletes ever.”

https://twitter.com/usembassytokyo/status/1221607517349744640?s=20

The embassy also mentioned Kobe’s efforts in raising funds for the aid and relief of Japanese tsunami victims in 2011.

https://twitter.com/usembassytokyo/status/1221614568893337600?s=20

Japanese basketball stars also expressed their condolences on Twitter, with Yuta Watanabe, who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA tweeting: “Say it ain’t so.. Kobe”

https://twitter.com/wacchi1013/status/1221517544697270274?s=20

Former Japan international footballer Keisuke Honda also tweeted: “I’m so sad.”

https://twitter.com/kskgroup2017/status/1221549037234470913?s=20

Noruyuki Shikata, the former Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in China, called Kobe a ‘great friend of Japan.’

https://twitter.com/norishikata/status/1221561730314178560?s=20

Japanese fans expressed their connection to Kobe as his name is also the name of a Japanese city.

https://twitter.com/3AcJLqAqN9O19Ki/status/1221606246668591104?s=20https://twitter.com/Kenji_English/status/1221617575097843712?s=20

https://twitter.com/Kenji_English/status/1221617575097843712?s=20

Tetsunori Tanimoto, an official at the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association, in Kobe, central Japan, expressed his deep condolences for Kobe Bryant’s death.

“He helped make Kobe Beef known throughout the world,” he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press Monday.

Kobe got his name, the legend goes, after his father ate Kobe beef during a visit to Japan and loved the taste.

Tanimoto, who watches NBA games on TV but has never met Bryant, said people know the story about how Bryant got his name.

“We have always felt a closeness to him,” he said. “It is so sad. And we offer our deepest condolences.”

*With AP

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