Miffy, the cuddly little rabbit from the nursery picture books, is crying for the children of Japan.

Its Dutch creator Dick Bruna made the drawing to express his compassion with the earthquake and tsunami victims.

Mr Bruna told Radio Netherlands Worldwide, "I can only do so much. I'm a regular visitor to Japan and I know many people there. It's shocking to see what's going on there." Japanese media have printed the drawing.

Miffy - whose Dutch name is Nijntje - is endlessly popular in Japan, one of the first countries where the comic books about the little rabbit were published in translation.

(rk)

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