Good Samaritan makes headlines with gifts of gold to tsunami-ruined city

THE ASAHI SHIMBUBN



ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--Masatoshi Saijo gingerly opened a package sent to his company on Feb. 7, wondering if it contained "hazardous material" because it was so heavy.

Saijo, 68, was flabbergasted to find it contained 1-kilogram gold bar worth around 5 million yen ($54,000).

And therein lies a story that is making headlines across Japan.

A mysterious benefactor has taken to sending gifts of gold--what the media dubbed a "goodwill gold rush"--ahead of the second anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami disaster that left this city in ruins two years ago and claimed the lives of more than 3,000 residents.

But this good Samaritan gave no name or contact details, nor instructions about what to do with the gifted gold bullion.

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