Turkey:AAR JAPAN Dispatched Emergency relief team for the Earthquake Victims in Turkey

AAR JAPAN (Shinagawa, Tokyo = Yukie OSA, Chairperson) has decided to form a support team and dispatched 3 of its staff members to eastern Turkey in response to the earthquake that occurred on October 23. The team is to provide emergency assistance in the areas affected by the disaster.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, October 23, 2011, at approximately 1:40pm (local time). According to a report made by the Turkish Ministry of Interior on October 24, 217 people died and 1,070 people were injured. The toll is expected to rise. AAR JAPAN has sent Yumeka OTA, Atsushi MIYAZAKI, and Miyuki KONNAI to Turkey, who will be responsible for conducting damage inspection as well as distributing relief supplies to disaster victims.

AAR JAPAN has previously provided humanitarian aid to Turkey after an earthquake in 1999. Experienced in initiating emergency relief activities both domestically and internationally such as for the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake, we strive to efficiently and effectively provide emergency assistance in Turkey.

Yumeka OTA, AAR JAPAN - Programme Coordinator

OTA joined the Overseas Program at the AAR JAPAN Tokyo office in July, 2009. After completing her undergraduate studies, she worked for a research company in the USA before joining AAR JAPAN. In addition to coordinating the Laos program at the Tokyo office, she has been a part of other emergency assistance operations including the 2009 Sumatra earthquake in Indonesia and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

(28 years old from Kanagawa Prefecture)

Atsushi MIYAZAKI, AAR JAPAN - Coordinator

MIYAZAKI joined the Overseas/ Domestic Programs at the AAR JAPAN Tokyo office in September, 2011. His interest in international politics stems from his time in university, which led him to pursue a degree in Conflict Resolution Studies in the UK. Before joining AAR JAPAN, he had worked for an NGO that provides humanitarian aid in the Philippines.

(41 years old from Oita Prefecture)

Miyuki KONNAI, AAR JAPAN - Programme Coordinator

KONNAI joined the AAR JAPAN Tokyo office in October, 2011. She developed an interest toward Turkey, a country bridging the east and west, as a university student and further continued her studies at the graduate level. She has investigated various topics including the nation’s application to accede to the EU and immigration, conducted field researches in Turkey and northern Cyprus. She joined AAR JAPAN after spending 5.5 years at a newspaper company as a reporter.

(32 years old from Fukushima Prefecture)