This article looks back on the appeal titled “Dear Shinzo Abe,” sent on February 25, 2020 to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Office, and LDP headquarters. It records the proposal to supply masks to all citizens, sent exactly within the 2,000-character limit, and the subsequent action by Prime Minister Abe.

February 27, 2020
Because there was a 2,000-character limit, I cut several lines after “Dear,” and to my surprise, it became exactly 2,000 characters.
Taking this as an auspicious sign and feeling encouraged, I sent it out shortly after 2 p.m. on the 25th.
This morning.
A well-read friend came to visit me early in the morning.
He said that last night, while watching the 7 p.m. news, he could not help clapping his hands and called me.
Yesterday, because I had skipped lunch, I ate dinner a little early, and around the same time as the 7 p.m. news, I fell completely asleep, so I had no idea what he was talking about.
He said,
“Mr. Abe responded 100 percent to your email.”
Around 2 p.m. on the 25th, when I finished writing and sending out Dear Mr. Shinzo Abe, I thought that this should be delivered to the government, so first I sent the full text by email from the Cabinet Office website to two departments, one related to regional economy and the other related to disaster prevention.
I thought that sending it only to the Cabinet was not enough, so I also sent it to the LDP headquarters.
This had a 600-character limit, so I divided it into four parts.
A friend who had come to help me with the work said that I should deliver it directly to Prime Minister Abe.
Ah, there must certainly be a Prime Minister’s Office website.
Because there was a 2,000-character limit, I cut several lines after “Dear,” and to my surprise, it became exactly 2,000 characters.
Taking this as an auspicious sign and feeling encouraged, I sent it out shortly after 2 p.m. on the 25th.
I wonder whether the readers who watched last night’s NHK news also rejoiced, just as my friend did.
Those who did not watch it should read the article that I corrected in detail and republished at 1:34 a.m. on February 26:
Dear Mr. Shinzo Abe — The truly urgent task that must now be done before anything else is to realize, as soon as possible, the supply of masks to all citizens.