On April 29, after a one-month delay, the Isatomae Elementary School in Minamisanriku (Miyagi Prefecture) finally held its graduation ceremony. They were joined by students from the Natari Elementary School, a school located 2 kilometers away that was heavily damaged by the tsunami and is … Read more
A staff member of the Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) shared his experiences helping at an evacuation center in the Minato Middle School in the city of Ishinomaki (Miyagi Prefecture). He first arrived in mid-April, about one month after the earthquake struck, to … Read more
Kids without Borders (KnK) Japan—one of the NPO members of Japan Platform—has been carrying out a Friendship Library project to send messages of support along with books to schools and evacuation centers in Rikuzentakata (Iwate Prefecture). In that city, the schools are beginning to reopen and … Read more
During a visit this month to Kamaishi, JCIE staff visited what remains of one of the city’s junior high schools. Surrounded by mounds of rubble, the images are a haunting reminder of the devastation that occurred that day. But in what was called the “Miracle … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) Japan recently delivered clothing and other supplies to Madoka, a social welfare facility in Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) that provides employment assistance to people with disabilities. AAR volunteers were accompanied by helpers from an American aid group who brought … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) Japan has been carrying out a project to improve the sanitary conditions in evacuation centers in Ishinomaki and Minamisanriku (Miyagi Prefecture), where approximately 1,000 evacuees are still residing. As temperatures and humidity levels have risen, AAR found that … Read more
On July 15, a ceremony was held to hand over the final donations from Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) for the reopening of the Ofunato fish market. PWJ has been working in partnership with an American aid organization, Mercy Corps, on this initiative to provide equipment … Read more
Summertime in Japan is a time for local festivals, many of which have traditions that date back centuries.There were doubts as to whether some of these festivals would be held in light of the tragic events. One of the region’s most colorful events, for example, … Read more
In August, the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) carried out a sports exchange in Okayama Prefecture. The program brought 46 junior high school soccer players aged 12–15 and 6 teachers representing 3 different schools in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures. In addition, 123 students … Read more
In Ishinomaki (Miyagi Prefecture), there are still many train and bus routes not running, with no target date in sight for them to be restored. During the first term of the school year (which starts in April in Japan), there were a number of students … Read more