Amakusa Airlines has run into a problem: One of their pilots, a guy about my age, has had health problems, so they’ve had to curtail flights, mostly those on their longest leg to Osaka. (Demand for pilots is high, and those with experience go for larger companies.) I’d long considered the airline to be a boondoggle for local politicians, but the Kumanichi article I read noted that it’s known as the “Doctor Airline” - depopulation has resulted in a dearth of medical professionals in the area, making the airline a vital link to medical personnel and facilities. This fact totally changed my opinion of the airline.
The pastor at my church in his sermon this morning touched on the Kashiragashima Church (頭ヶ島教会), a World Heritage site located on the Gotourettou (五島列島), a group of small islands off the west coast of Nagasaki (I asked him whether the pronunciation was “Atamagashima” or “Tougashima” and whiffed twice) . Its history begins with the return of European Catholics in 1869, and the present church was completed in 1917. A main reason why the residents welcomed the foreigners was for their medical knowledge - “Doctor Boats.”
Apparently, depopulation has left the congregation at ten, including an 89-year old woman who tidies up the grounds, rain or shine. The theme of the sermon was fulfilling promises. They led us here, and we cannot leave them behind. Thought must be given to the plight of the elderly who remain in depopulated areas. - William