A young girl is photographed sitting by one of the many seismic fissures caused by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake. Her expression is one of anguish, despondency, and a seemingly inability to comprehend the reason behind such destruction.
She is barefooted, but beside her stands a pair of dusty heavy-duty boots. There are lines evident on both her calves, proof that just moments ago, she was wearing those boots.
Clothed in typical Japanese teenage fashion, with a faux fur coat, denim shorts and hair dyed red, under different circumstances, she would have been lost in a sea of other teenagers in shopping malls or themed cafes.
But these are not your usual days in Japan.
Behind her, fallen bricks and mortars of what used to be offices and homes serve as a reminder of the wrath and strength that Mother Nature possesses. In a matter of minutes, things that took years to build were reduced to mere rubbles.
To me, this photo symbolizes the loss of hope for a whole generation of young Japanese, many of whom may be too young to remember the Kobe earthquake in 1995. Whether or not this sense of despair is temporary, giving way to unity and optimism amongst the Japanese people which is much needed in the country's rebuilding effort, remains to be seen.
What is certain, is that this photo will prove to be the definitive image of this twin disaster, When the year ends, when it is time for newspapers and magazines to compile the year in pictures, and when Pulitzer prizes for featured photography is awarded, this photo will be in a select company of few others.
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