2001 Fire Victims Remembered at Tokyo's Kabukicho

Tokyo, Sept. 1 (Jiji Press)--Bereaved family members and others remembered victims of a fire in the busy Kabukicho district of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward that claimed 44 lives 25 years ago.

Those bereaved were seen laying flowers Monday night at the site where the fire-hit building used to stand.

"Many things have changed over the past 25 years, but I'm glad I can come here again today," said Yasuko Ueda, 74. She lost her daughters, Aiko, 26, and Saiko, 22, who were working in the building.

The mother laid flowers and 4,400 paper cranes she made, and prayed for the victims.

"It can't be helped that many people nowadays don't know about the fire, but I want people to look back at the time, even for a second," she said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]