NEW YORK – A year after Japan’s devastating triple disaster on March 11, 2011, Japanese Christians are active in recovery efforts to set their country back on its feet.
The 9.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred last year triggered a seven-metre-high tsunami and led to damage in reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Nearly 20,000 people died or were reported missing.
In May last year, regional Christian partners gathered in Seoul and formed the Japan Ecumenical Disaster Response Office, known as JEDRO, a consortium led by the National Council of Churches of Japan. In the earthquake region, JEDRO supports Tohoku HELP, which has expanded from the initial work of the Sendai Christian Alliance Disaster Relief Network to an inter-faith organisation with active participation by Buddhist groups.
The Tohoku centre, based at the Emmaus Centre in Sendai, has served as a channel for donations, volunteers and information with an understanding of local needs and the ability to support churches and denominations carrying out long-term projects. The centre registered 1,727 volunteers between March 15 last year and March 4 this year.
One of the most dedicated local volunteers is Ms Noriko Lao, a disaster response veteran and a volunteer consultant for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Her home church, the United Church of Christ in Japan, is also known as the Kyodan, and is an inter-denominational body that is the biggest partner in the National Council of Churches of Japan.
One of Ms Lao’s big tasks has been showing Japanese groups the logistical steps needed to obtain disaster relief funding. “In Japan, they have a totally different working pattern, based on trust,” she explained. “I help them to write their business plan or grant request in a way that will be acceptable to the steering committee of JEDRO so they can send it on to the international community.”
In July last year, the UMCOR provided two grants totalling US$102,470 (S$128,090) to the Kyodan to support the expansion of the Tohoku Disaster Relief Centre in Ishinomaki through staff salary support and the purchase of furniture and office and communications equipment. The centre offers coordination, support and care for volunteer workers as well as the local community.
Known for fishing and tourism, Ishinomaki, 135 km north of the Daiichi nuclear plant, was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. More than 3,000 people died, and over 600 remain missing. e Kyodan has two churches there. – United Methodist News Service.
Linda Bloom is a United Methodist News Service multimedia reporter based in New York.
