CWS Mobilizes Response to Unprecedented
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Situation Report
April 29, 2011
On 11 March, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck the north-eastern coast of Japan, triggering a
massive tsunami that washed away several coastal cities, destroyed critical infrastructure, including
schools and medical facilities, crippled hundreds of businesses and killed and wounded thousands of
people. Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures were by far the worst hit. The region is still
experiencing continuous aftershocks and the Government has issued landslide and flood warnings in
several areas where the ground has become unstable due to rising sea levels. In addition, several
homes, inside and outside of the disaster area have been damaged by an earthquake-triggered
phenomenon called soil liquefaction, where the soil literally behaves like a liquid. 12,000 homes in
Chiba Prefecture alone are experiencing this. Compensation for this is not currently covered in the
natural disaster victim relief law.
The crisis at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, although slightly ‘improved’ as of 28 April, is still not
fully under control and continues to add stress to the situation and the 20km radius remains a no-go
zone.
As of April 29, 11,324 people are still missing, 14,575 have died and over 5000 have been injured
(Source: National Police Agency of Japan). 115 children under 18 have so far been left orphaned. On
25 April, the 3rd massive search for the missing began, covering inland and coastal areas as well as
offshore. The search also included the area within 30km radius of the Fukushima plant, not covered in
previous searches.
The Government of Japan has estimated the total economic cost at USD 305 billion, with USD 196
billion damage to property alone.
The disaster crippled the fisheries industry across several Prefectures. 90% of fishing boats were
completely destroyed or have become unusable and essential machinery needed to carry out their
businesses was damaged. Excessive debris, electrical and water supplies remaining cut off in many
areas are some of the things that are preventing them from getting their businesses back on track.
Still, many somehow remain positive. One oyster farmer who lost part of some 10,000 hanamikaki
oysters in Miyako Bay to the tsunami shortly before they were due to be shipped said "It'll take
several years before I can ship oysters, but I'm sure I'll resume my business". The farmers are working
together to restore the beds using materials and equipment left from the disaster.
The tsunami also caused excessive damage to other farmland. The Government estimates that 23,600
hectares of farmland in 6 prefectures along the Pacific coast were covered by seawater. About 78
percent of the 2,300 hectares of farmland in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture cannot be planted this year
because the salt level is too high, putting a massive burden on rice and vegetable production in the
region. The process to remove the salt has started but it could take up to 3 years. About 1,400
households in nine coastal areas in Miyagi Prefecture, many of them rice and vegetable farmers are
considering shifting en masse inland. Not only are they fearful of another tsunami, they are also
worried about their livelihoods. One 72-year-old farmer, who lost his 2 hectares of land including rice
paddies, said, "I don't know when I'll be able to restart farming here. If I can relocate with my
neighbors to an area inland, I want to find some unused land and make a living there."
There are still approximately around 150,000 people living in evacuation sites across Japan. Ensuring
that the evacuees have access to basic food (hot meals), sanitation, medical and psychosocial care still
remains a massive challenge. During a CWS interview last week, the team came across a survivor who
seemed to be really outgoing at the beginning, but suddenly started to weep for the dead and
repeating how she could not save them at the time of tsunami. There are thousands like her who
need careful attention as they struggle to cope with what they saw and what they lost in this
unimaginable situation and how they will rebuild their lives.
An overwhelming number of people are keen to help. Applications for voluntary work in the disasterhit areas during the Golden Week holidays far outstripped the requested numbers. The Tokyo
Voluntary Action Center, which asked for 200 volunteers to work during the holidays from 29 April
through May 8, received some 600 applications in less than 20 minutes. However, many areas have
had to cap volunteer intake largely because it is near to impossible to find accommodation for them.
Latest information on the response from the Government of Japan, other Ministries, local
governments and organisations to address the crisis:
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Of the first supplementary budget submitted on 28 April of 4 trillion Yen (USD 47 billion),
USD 14.7 billion has been allocated for public works projects to restore roads, ports and
other infrastructure; USD 4.4 billion dollars is to be used to build temporary housing for
evacuees; USD 4.3 billion to remove and dispose of debris; USD 1.4 billion is to go toward
helping affected people receive free medical service; USD 2.7 billion is to be used to rebuild
damaged school buildings and make schools quake-resistant. USD 6.2 billion dollars is to be
set aside to help cash-strapped smaller businesses make ends meet. Measures in the budget
plan are expected to create about 200,000 jobs, mainly in disaster-hit areas. A financing plan
for the budget is being finalised.
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The Government is expected to submit a change in legislation that will allow it to cover up to
90% of municipal reconstruction costs in order to rebuild streets and waterworks, city halls
and other municipal facilities. The legislation is also expected to call for individuals and
business owners to be exempt from social security premiums and medical expenses and
there are also plans to strengthen financial assistance to farmers, fishermen and small
businesses.
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The Government plans to set up a study panel to revise their existing basic disaster
preparedness policy. This will include revising methods of predicting damage. They are also
expected to draw up plans on how to deal with 3 massive earthquakes that could hit central
Japan’s Pacific Coast, simultaneously or consecutively. This is expected before the autumn.
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The Government is considering relaxing the existing natural disaster victim relief law so that
those whose homes have been damaged by soil liquefaction will be covered.
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The Government is expected to shoulder a large amount of insurance payments to victims of
the disaster so that insurance companies can retain some reserves. It will include the
increase of its burden-sharing in its first supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2011.
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The Development Bank of Japan has begun working with local banks in the affected areas to
provide financial aid, in the way of loans to local companies to help rebuild factories and
facilities. DBJ also plan to set up a similar fund with automotive and electrical companies to
help their component makers who have been struggling to get necessary materials since the
earthquake.
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Japan’s Defense Ministry is to provide mental check-ups for the 100,000 Self Defense Force
personnel that have been deployed to clear bodies and debris. They are expected to have
the check-ups one month, six months and one year after their missions. If they show signs of
depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, they will be given counseling by a clinical
psychologist or psychiatrist.
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The Bank of Japan has unveiled a one-year lending facility for banks in affected areas,
doubled its asset purchase program and injected large sums of money into the financial
market. The Government is being urged to buy reconstruction bonds to help rebuild
devastated areas and get the Bank of Japan to buy them.
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Miyagi Gov. Yoshihiro Murai has called on the central government to make the areas' fishing
industries "state-owned" for a provisional period of three years or so and to finance new
vessels and port facilities with an eye to selling them to private businesses such as trading
houses at a later date.
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It has been reported that the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is drafting a social security
reform plan that would cap out-of-pocket medical, nursing care and childcare payments by
low-income earners.
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The Iwate Prefectural Government will set up a special fund to provide financial support to
orphans. They intend to provide 100 million yen to the fund and money will also come from
donations from firms, revenue from a planned reconstruction lottery and contributions
made under a program allowing people donating money to municipalities they like to receive
tax breaks. They will submit a bill to launch the fund to the local assembly in June and will
start accepting donations to the fund shortly.
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SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. is offering free remote-counseling, using the videophone system of
smartphones in shelters in Soma-city, Fukushima Prefecture. The counselors in areas around
Tokyo provide counseling with seeing the victims’ faces. SOFTBANK is planning to expand the
service to more shelters in other municipalities.
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ASHINAGA is planning to open a mental care facility in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture within 2
years. The facility will have a field for communication, gym and accommodation. One of the
experts said, it is very important for victims to communicate with people who have had
similar experiences.
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A group of clinical psychologists from Tohoku University has set up the special phone
counseling service set to run for 5 years. They made 5,000 cards with phone numbers and
are giving them out in evacuation shelters. They are asking victims to carry it and contact the
number if they need to.
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Prisoners across Japan have raised around USD 250,000 for disaster victims. A group of 70
sumo wrestlers have also pledged to give 120 per month each over the next 10 years to help
support children in affected areas.
Update on CWS Operations
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The CWS Asia Pacific has set up a small team who is stationed in Tokyo. CWS has an office
within the office of Japan Church World Service (JCWS) in NCCJ Compound.
CWS Asia Pacific has signed a partnership agreement with National Christian Council in Japan
(NCCJ), which will aim for long-term partnership between CWS and NCCJ in emergency
response, recovery, and other humanitarian initiatives in the region.
Another agreement has been made with Peace Boat to carry out relief assistance to
Ishinomaki City of Miyagi Prefecture to provide 2,000 hot meals per day, catering the needs
of evacuees where assistance has not been reached, and cleaning debris from evacuation
sites and surrounding areas (houses and roads) with over 140 volunteers managed by Peace
Boat staff.
Update on activities conducted with JPF Partner NICCO in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures, between 11
and 17 April 2011:
Miyagi Prefecture- Natori City and Iwanuma City
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In 6 days, over 245 patients were treated at Tohoku International Clinic.
Many people were treated for abrasion on their hands and feet while cleaning debris.
Wounds were sutured and the patients received tetanus toxoid vaccine.
Some patients from evacuation sites were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis and
influenza. Many patients were dehydrated, caused by sleeplessness and decreased appetite.
Compared to last week, the number of psychosomatic patients who were given intravenous
drip injection has increased. NICCO spent a lot of time attending to shouting and crying
patients in the treatment room.
Iwate Prefecture- Rikuzentakata City
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Provided mobile medical assistance to at least 29 people at evacuation sites. One month has
passed since the earthquake and the number of patients has decreased to less than half
since the evacuees can attend temporary clinics managed by local hospitals as their health
conditions are stabilizing.
The mobile clinic for internal diseases will end by 30 April as it was confirmed that the needs
have almost ceased except 2 evacuation sites that are far from temporary clinics.
Conducted home visits of referred cases by “Kokoro no kea chiimu” (care teams for the
heart) from Japanese Red Cross Society, Tokyo and Kanagawa after coordinating with them.
Installed 3 sets of solar photovoltaic devices in the community center in Yonezaki area and
25 sets of home solar lighting in individual houses where the electricity is not yet restored in
Hirota area. Battery lighting has been installed in 12 temporary toilets in Hirota and
Yonezaki areas.
Provided 9 high-pressure cleaners to evacuation sites and an elementary school in Otomo
area.
Provided drinks and snacks for 40 children in Otomo nursery school with money from our
own fund for 10 days.
Provided floodlights donated by Fuji-Jukogyo through JPF to evacuation sites in Otomo area.
Monitored usages of temporary toilets in Hirota area and confirmed that the toilets are well
managed and used hygienically.
Major challenges:
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The electricity was restored earlier than expected in the area where it was planned to install
solar lighting in Otomo and Hirota areas. We needed to readjust the plan.
It is still impossible to fill up the car with gas in Rikuzentakata city so gasoline needs to be
stored in containers.
Aftershocks still continue in Natori city and Rikuzentakata city. Efforts are made to ensure
safety and security when activities are carried out.
Useful links:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national (Daily Yomiuri Online)
http://www.asahi.com/english (Asahi)
http://www.ashinaga.org/e/index.php (Ashinaga)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp (Japan Times)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english (NHK)
http://mdn.mainichi.jp (Mainichi Daily News)
http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng (Jiji Press)
http://www.maff.go.jp/e/quake/press_110331-9.html (Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries)
http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/index.html (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)
http://nip0.wordpress.com (Multilingual website created by students at Tokyo University)
For more information and media
inquiries:
Financial contributions can be transferred
to the CWS Asia Pacific bank account:
Takeshi Komino
Head of Emergencies
CWS Asia Pacific
takeshi@cwspa.org.pk
+66 849 109 563
+81-90-9868-6952
Account name: Church World Service
Account number: 001-0-079704-0
Currency: USD
Bank name: Standard Chartered Bank
Branch: Bangkok Main Office
Swift Code: SCBLTHBX