Aug 15, 2021 (NHK) - A Japanese jazz pianist who was badly injured during an attack at a subway station in New York last year has made a comeback in a famed jazz club in the city.
Unno Tadataka suffered a broken right shoulder after he was beaten up by a group of eight people in September. The incident occurred at a time when a series of hate crimes against Asian people were reported in the US city.
Unno underwent rehabilitation in Japan before returning to New York where he gave his first performance since the attack at the Blue Note Jazz Club on Friday.
Unno still has limited movement of his shoulder and is waiting to undergo a second surgery. But he looked happy during his performance, and his injury didn't appear to have affected his playing .
After the show, Unno said he felt grateful to be able to play music again with his fellow musicians. He said he was filled with emotion, being back on stage.
A Japanese woman who lives in New York said she clearly remembers the incident and that she is glad to see the performer make a comeback. She said Unno's performance was so good that people who didn't know about the attack would be unaware that he had been assaulted.
Hate crimes targeting Asians have been on the rise across the United States.
