By Victor Ocasio
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In what may seem like the distant past now, Japan and the United States have had what can easily be described as more than a tumultuous relationship.

Having all but completely dismantled and destroyed their homeland in so many ways, we both were able to see past the violent nature of our politically driven motives and extend the hands of understanding toward one another to help the disillusioned and battered civilians affected by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

From that moment on, the U.S. worked across the Pacific in conjunction with financial support and the determination and strong will of the Japanese people to turn one of our most infamous enemies of World War II into one of our strongest allies.

And sadly, the citizens of Japan are once again in turmoil, having had their lives and way of life completely turned upside down in the wake of natures uncontrollable fury.

But while we may not be the economic “last man standing” we once were, having in recent years accrued massive global debt and social problems of our own, we still owe it to ourselves and to the world to prove what kind of nation America has always been at heart.

The world as a whole is dramatically affected by the actions Japan takes, seeing as how they have become the super power they now are today. Beyond the fiscal responsibility associated with aiding our ally is the social and human element of it all.

The hungry, thirsty, cold, and lost still cling to what mementos they could scavenge from their now seemingly nonexistent lives. Women and children walk miles across a sea of debris and wreckage in the hopes that their husbands, sons, brothers and sisters are still alive.

These are the people that need our help. This is the Japan that needs America. Politics and logistics aside, it’s once again time for the U.S. to come to the aid and support of one of our oldest friends.