Building on its extensive experience in providing international
emergency relief, the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) has continued with relief
efforts to support affected communities in the aftermath of the Great East
Japan Earthquake. Through cooperation with the government and disabled people’s organizations,
AAR Japan has
utilised the mobility afforded to NGOs to continue its focused efforts for those in areas that are difficult
to reach. Together with expressing our heart-felt gratitude to the individuals,
corporations and organisations that collaborated with AAR Japan, this report entails our
endeavours for the last two years (March 2011 – February 2013).
*Owing
to the diverse range of activities that are undertaken, a portion of the report
has been omitted. Please view the following for individual activity reports.
Reconstruction Relief: For a new tomorrow
Reconstruction
of facilities for the elderly and persons with disabilities: 67 locations
 |
Using a trailer house, the ‘Earth village café’ from the Yamamoto Town Workshop in Miyagi Prefecture opened in December 2012. Many customers visit from the surrounding neighbourhoods. (6 December 2012)
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Many facilities for persons with disabilities suffered as a result of the earthquake disaster. These facilities offered skills training and employment to those who have difficulty working in private companies; however, as a result of the earthquake disaster, these facilities were lost. By conducting activities such as repairing these facilities for persons with disabilities or supplying the necessary equipment for work, AAR Japan relief efforts are assisting persons with disabilities in reclaiming a space in which they can conduct activities.
Market
stalls for products made at welfare facilities: 19 events
 |
| Several companies in Tokyo also agreed to participate in the market stalls. (9 March 2012) |
While
the production of sweets and handcrafts has resumed at welfare facilities in
the disaster areas, there has been a sharp decrease in sales. This is partly
because previous customers have also suffered from the disaster. By holding
markets stalls for welfare facilities from the three North-Western prefectures
at local companies, as well as supporting joint market stalls at shopping
centres in Morioka City and
Sendai City, AAR Japan is supporting the market expansion
of products of 23 welfare facilities. AAR Japan is also
contributing to the development of new products.
Holding
events that promote regional exchange: 157 events
 |
| In July 2012, the “Nishi-Aizu Exciting Kids School” opened so that the children of Fukushima Prefecture can relieve stress and counter the lack of exercise that has resulted from the evacuee lifestyle, by playing outside in the natural surroundings of Nishi-Aizu City. (22 July 2012) |
To
ensure the disaster victims live with both a healthy body and mind, AAR Japan supports a number of events that
are held under the “Building Healthy Communities Project”. In several areas,
temporary housing sites regularly hold events that combine rehabilitation, concerts,
and some focused activities. Additionally, AAR Japan also supports agricultural activities such as
small scale farming so that people can participate in fieldwork and use their
bodies, while interacting with their neighbors.
The
provision and set-up of playground equipment in Fukushima Prefecture: 26 locations
- The provision of water to preschools: 11,440 litres to 9 locations.
 |
| A park was born within the grounds of a temporary housing site. (Shinchi Town, Fukushima Prefecture, 27 February 2012) |
AAR
Japan has
assisted in creating play areas in which children can relieve stress and
counter the lack of exercise that has developed from living in cramped
temporary housing. This includes setting up large scale play equipment within
the grounds of the temporary housing sites and supplying indoor play toys to
places such as assembly halls and child care facilities. Furthermore, heeding
the concerns of mothers worried about radiation in the drinking water, bottled
mineral water has also been provided to preschools in Fukushima Prefecture.
Distribution
of radiation measurement devices: 11 devices
 |
| A radiation measurement device used at the Karishikida Daiichi Temporary Housing Support Centre in Soma City (centre-back). Results are produced within 15 minutes of placing chopped ingredients into the measurement device. |
To
measure the dosage of radiation in daily food or unprotected locally produced
crops, food radiation measurement devices have been set up in the community
centres and temporary support centres around Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture.
Delivering
thoughts from across the country
- Handmade tote-bags: 10,543 bags
 |
Harumi KAWAGOE from the Tokyo Headquarter, reads a message and delivers chocolate at the Nakazuma temporary housing development in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture (right). “It has lifted my spirits”, they happily responded. (19 December 2012).
|
Stemming from suggestions by disaster victims that a tote bag would be excellent to use when going to school or to arrange relief supplies that were provided, a large number of handmade bags with messages attached were donated after a nation-wide call out for their creation. (Bags collected in April 2011, October 2011 and September 2012).
- Chocolates: 4,843 boxes
Several
people also contributed to the “Heart-Warming Chocolate Delivery Campaign”
where messages of support from the public were attached to AAR Japan charity chocolates (with
cooperation from the Rokkatei Confectionary Co., Ltd.) and delivered to the
disaster areas. Some recipients shed tears
when they received the message “We have not forgotten you”. (Messages collected: Winter 2011-2012 and
Winter 2012-2013).
- Flower seedlings: 1,603 pots
In
the spring of
2012, AAR Japan commenced
the “Flowers and Heart-Warming Campaign”, which aimed to send flowers to brighten
up disaster areas. AAR
Japan purchased pot
plants from garden shops and facilities to deliver individually to persons with
disabilities in the disaster area, such as the temporary housing sites, each
with a message attached.
Improving
the welfare system for persons with disabilities in the disaster areas
- Staff dispatched: 5 staff members dispatched for 63 cumulative months.
 |
| AAR Japan’s Kazuo OHARA prepares to support the welfare office at the Morioka Regional Centre. (25 July 2012). |
In
cooperation with government and other organisations, AAR Japan addressed the maintenance of the
welfare system for persons with disabilities in the disaster areas. In Iwate Prefecture, 4 staff members have
been temporarily transferred to the regional centres of the “Iwate Disability
and Welfare Recovery and Relief Centre”. Creating manuals for emergency
evacuation and gaining an understanding of the conditions of disaster victims with
disabilities are examples of the work that is being conducted. In Miyagi Prefecture, AAR Japan has dispatched one staff member
to the “Miyagi Prefecture Linkage Cultivation Group”. Focusing on
Minami-Sanriku Town,
this project has continued with repairs of areas in which children with
disabilities can play after school and in the summer holidays.
Recovery Support:
Reclaiming daily life
Provision
of living essentials to victims in Fukushima Prefecture: 22,559 households
 |
| With the cooperation from the community and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, daily items such as fans, kotatsu (Japanese heaters) and detergents were delivered. (5 August 2011) |
Living
essentials such as kitchenware and cupboards were distributed to all households
in the 13 municipalities of Fukushima Prefecture that were moving into temporary and leased housing.
Vehicle
provision for the community and for facilities for the elderly and persons with
disabilities: 45 vehicles
 |
| Welfare vehicles were provided to the “Japan Disability Forum Fukushima Disaster Area Disability Support Centre”. (15 January 2013) |
Both
welfare vehicles and standard vehicles were provided to facilities and
communities throughout the North-Eastern region to be used by welfare
facilities in dropping people off and to transport those assisting in the
recovery effort.
Distribution
of domestic-use generators
- Domestic-use generators: 258 generators
- Manual sputum aspirators: 419 pumps
 |
| Domestic-use generators were delivered to the Izumi Station for Visiting Nurses to the Elderly (Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture). (19 October 2012) |
Power
failures and blackouts are life-threatening problems for persons with
disabilities that are living at home whilst using artificial respirators or
sputum aspirators. During the earthquake, several regions experienced power
failures and for many people, lives were saved by using car batteries or by
rushing to a hospital that was equipped with generators. For these people to
continue to receive care at home, AAR Japan distributed domestic-use generators and manual sputum aspirators
to households of persons with disabilities and to visiting nurse centres.
Provision
of container houses
 |
| Container houses that were set up in the “Rikuzentakata Future Shopping Arcade” are currently still being used as stores. (2 November 2011) |
Demountable
container houses that could be used as residences or shops were supplied.
Emergency Response:
Life-saving emergency relief
Distribution
of relief supplies: Delivered to a total of 1,606 locations and 180,000 people
 |
| Gasoline, gas oil and kerosene were primarily delivered to facilities for persons with disabilities in the disaster areas that experienced severe fuel shortages. (17 March 2011) |
AAR Japan activities have placed emphasis on the elderly and persons with disabilities; this stems from our international experience that indicates these groups are often overlooked during disasters. Adult diapers and instant care foods were well received at welfare facilities.
- Food
supply deliveries: 25,000 meals to 73 locations
Visiting
clinics and healthcare activities
- Recipients
of the visiting clinic: 817 patients
- Recipients
of visiting nurses: 387 patients
 |
“I was so happy to have people come to my house so many times and be concerned about my condition. Having people recognise my existence gives me strength.” (30 May 2011)
|
On
Oshika Island in Miyagi Prefecture, AAR Japan conducted activities based around
local doctor Toshiaki YASUDA
and his medical team. This team focused on carefully visiting evacuation
centres and homes of evacuees conducting medical treatment, examinations for
chronic illness, prevention of infectious diseases and offering psychological
support.
Plans for future activities
In
the future, AAR Japan will
continue to provide relief to the elderly and persons with disabilities of the
disaster region and those whose lives have been affected by the nuclear
disaster.
- AAR Japan will continue to carry out support to those living with in the aftermath of the nuclear accident. We will continue to provide the opportunity for children to partake in outdoor activities as they have been restricted since the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. To maintain a healthy mind and soul and move their bodies every day, we will continue the provision and set-up of play equipment to facilities for children with disabilities, temporary housing sites and the Nishi-Aizu Exciting Kids School. Furthermore, by making rounds to the temporary housing sites in Soma City and neighbouring municipalities, AAR Japan will continue to listen to the voices of the disaster victims and conduct relief activities suited to the residents.
- AAR Japan will continue to promote the participation of persons with disabilities in community and economic activities. Through the creation of jobs at welfare work places and the production of products with high market value, AAR Japan will continue to provide support to enable more persons with disabilities to live independent lives. Additionally, through cooperation with government and social welfare councils, AAR Japan will continue to support maintaining the foundation for recovery for disability and welfare across the three prefectures of the North-East.
- Through the “Building Healthy Communities Project” that is currently underway, AAR Japan will support consultations with livelihood counselors in addition to massages and health exercises provided by physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The project will also include the continuation of agricultural field work and handcrafts which the residents are actively involved in, revitalizing the interaction and exchange between the residents of the temporary housing sites while preventing the isolation of the elderly.
- AAR Japan will carry out support for disaster prevention and reduction. In cooperation with communities and related organisations, this will be based on its experience of emergency recovery relief to date.
- AAR Japan will continue to conduct activities that encourage public involvement and continued concern for the recovery of the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster. This will be achieved through the Hand-made Tote bag Campaign, the Heart-warming Campaign and the continuation of other activities that link the disaster area and the supporters.
The
AAR Japan’s North-Eastern
recovery relief activities are supported by generous donations from the public.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
