Jul 24 (DW Documentary) - 80-year-old Haruo Obata is Japan's most famous volunteer. He's always on site where help is needed most. He heeded the call to help after the 2011 tsunami and has carried on to this day. As he sees it, being there for others gives life meaning.
Haruo Obata had gone into retirement just before the tsunami hit. After the disaster, he spent over a year living in his car and helping out where he was needed most. His marriage didn't survive his commitment, but Haruo Obata is still happy, even if he's had to slow down a bit in recent years. He collects plastic garbage on the beaches, helps in the retirement home and tells children about his life's philosophy: be strict with yourself but tolerant of others - and not too terribly normal. Mr. Obata's cozy but chaotic apartment, his red headband and his loud laugh make him one of a kind. In a country notorious for its conformism, he's become a kind of folk hero. Uwe Schwering spent a few days with him.
