Wednesday marked five years since Japanese doctor, Nakamura Tetsu, was gunned down in Afghanistan. People gathered to pay tribute to his memory and to express resolve to keeping his work alive.

Nakamura spent over three decades in Afghanistan providing medical care and doing humanitarian work.
But he was fatally shot in the eastern province of Nangarhar in 2019.

A memorial service was held in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. About 90 people took part, including staff members from Japan and Afghanistan of the medical NGO Peshawar-kai who worked with Nakamura.

Dr. Zia ur Rahman Amarkhil had worked with Nakamura for many years. He said that Nakamura's contributions for humanity, especially in eastern Afghanistan, will continue to live in the hearts of not only the people of Nangarhar but also the entire Afghan population forever.

The Chairman of Peshawar-kai, Murakami Masaru, also spoke in memory of Nakamura. He said, "Our projects will continue until we prove that peace has the power to overcome war. Dr. Nakamura, please watch over us."

Nakamura devoted himself to building irrigation facilities in the Afghan desert, after a drought struck the country in 2000. Even after his death, Peshawar-kai is carrying on Nakamura's work supporting locals.