A BOOK of condolence for victims of the Japanese earthquake will be opened tomorrow at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York.

The book will remain open until the end of the museum’s forthcoming Japan Festival on April 28.

NRM director, Steve Davis has already written to Japan’s ambassador in the UK, Keiichi Hayashi, with a message of condolence on behalf of the museum. The book will be sent to the ambassador once the festival has ended.

Mr Davis said: “Our Japan Festival was planned in order to honour the culture of Japan and mark our long established relationship with the Modern Transporta-tion Museum in Osaka and the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum in Kyoto.

“In light of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we felt it was important to commemorate the victims of this tragic disaster by opening a book of condolence. On behalf of all at the National Railway Museum, I wish to express our deepest sympathies and condolences at this very difficult time in Japan’s history. “ Mr Davis described recent television images coming from the quake-hit country as “truly shocking”.

The book of condolence will be situated next to the museum’s Japanese Bullet Train in the Great Hall of the Leeman Road site.

The Japanese festival, which begins on April 9, will mark the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the Shinkansen at the museum and will include a celebration of Japanese culture.