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What Aid Makes Sense for Japan?

Traditional forms of disaster relief may only hinder recovery efforts. What will work instead?

March 15, 2011

Japan is a wealthy, industrialized nation, renowned for preparing for disasters. But the devastation from last week’s earthquake and tsunami has proved to be too much for even Japan. The scenes of destruction and human misery are provoking a worldwide urge to act.

Japan has two pressing needs at the moment: search and rescue teams and basic goods to care for people displaced by the disaster.

Families have been separated in the chaos. They've seen their homes and communities destroyed. Japanese social welfare organizations are taking the lead in tracking down and reuniting family members and providing displaced people with shelter, food, clean water and medical care for injuries. A particular focus will be on ensuring that children are protected and safe. The elderly and disabled also have special needs.

Donating cash to reputable organizations with Japanese partners able to turn this cash into emergency assistance is the best way to respond.

Local groups are leading the person-to-person relief effort, and they require international financial support. Volunteers and bulk shipments from abroad, while well intentioned, will hamper the response by demanding precious time to organize and clogging runways, roads and other transport infrastructure.

The human cost of this disaster is immense, and the heart-felt response of the American people is in keeping with a long tradition. Identifying and supporting organizations with the ability to be partners with capable Japanese ones is the most effective way to express care and concern.

Dear APWW Sisters,

JAWW greatly appreciates your compassion, sympathy and offers for the relief of our people in the devastating earthquake and tsunami stricken areas. In answer to your questions and offers, we are now in the process of opening a bank account to receive offers of support.

JAWW Board members are in constant communication through our network (it is not possible to have a meeting in the city at this time), and will decide on how to make your contributions most effectively to especially the women in the stricken areas.

At Hiroko Hara's request, Hiroko Hashimoto has already received assurance from the Gender Equality Bureau at the Prime Minister's Office that emergency supplies to the stricken areas will include: sanitary napkins, diapers, evaporated milk, sterilized towels, milk bottles for babies, sterilizers, baby food and utensils (such as spoons) etc.

Even in Tokyo and neighboring districts as far away as Shizuoka, we feel tremors everyday~sometimes even as strong as magnitude 3~6.

Since the meltdown of the nuclear plants there is the additional fear of the effects of radiation not only on the people of the neighboring area, but the fear that radiation particles will travel to a wider area~ such as Tokyo. Who knows in which way the winds will blow? We are advised not to go out, especially when it rains.               

The nuclear plants are run by Tokyo Electric Power, causing electricity shortage. As a result, train transportation is still not running according to schedule, and blackouts are carried out at different hours. "Extra-curricular" meetings are canceled and we do not know when things will run as usual. As this is the end of the school year in Japan, many commencement ceremonies will not be held as scheduled. We also are required to save on the usage of electricity in our homes, resulting on turning down the heating system and other electric appliances as much as possible.

The well wishes of all our friends have given us much courage and hope for a better world.

With much appreciation,

Mitchiko