This program update information is here
「Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods」
https://www.japanplatform.org/E/programs/westernjapan-disaster2018.html

JPF Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods:Policies and Strategies for the New Phase Calling for Donations for Developing Strong Locally-Led Disaster-Resistant Network Functions: -Assisting local NPOs' and intermediary organizations' staff development and capacity building efforts -Supporting isolated evacuees（PDF 230B）

Japan Platform (hereafter referred to as JPF; Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will continue the ongoing Response to Emergency Western Japan Floods 2018 under a new policy aligned with the shift to a new phase in the areas affected by the floods.

In response to the record-breaking heavy rain that began on July 5 and caused widespread damages in western Japan, JPF decided to mobilize the Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods 2018 on July 8 and have continued with this emergency response phase to this day*1. At this time, we would like to extend our gratitude to our corporate, organizational, and individual supporters whose donations have allowed for prompt assistance for the affected communities. Based on the current conditions and challenges in these communities, we will be expanding the scope of our assistance according to the policies outlined below. We ask for your continued support and donations for those affected by the floods.

1. Flooded Communities' Challenges and Needs

Currently, the evacuees are gradually moving out of emergency evacuation shelters and into constructed emergency temporary housing, public-funded private rental accommodations, and back into their own homes. At this point and moving forward, flooding relief will shift from the initial emergency response phase to the locally-led recovery and reconstruction phase where we will fully back up efforts among those affected by the floods to rebuild their own communities.

1) SUPPORTING LOCAL INTERMEDIARY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS: Strengthening the Core among Local Organizations

For locally-led medium- to long-term reconstruction to be successful, it is imperative to have an organization that serves as the core NPO among all other local NPOs. These intermediary support organizations must have liaison and coordinator functions, understand local challenges and needs, and connect other local NPOs to resources that lead to solutions. Depending on the region, the local nonprofit sector that ought to step up into this core role are not functioning fully due to lack of human resources and/or damages sustained by the disaster, and those communities have needs for staffing and funding support.

2) SUPPORTING ISOLATED EVACUEES: JPF and JPF Member NGOs Assisting Vulnerable Populations in Coordination with Local NPOs and Governments

One of the major challenges in the coming weeks is in supporting evacuees who are prone to be isolated. These evacuees may have left the evacuation shelters and returned to their own homes that have been damaged by the flooding, leading their lives on the upper floors of their homes while cleaning up the ground floor and their outdoor property. Those who are still in evacuation shelters require continued assistance as well, since their homes may have been completely or partially destroyed and they may be at a loss as to where they can resettle to rebuild their lives. Currently, local governments and relief agencies do not have an accurate grasp of these vulnerable flooding survivors, and there is great need for a coordinated effort with the local NPOs and other relief providers to offer them flexible and hands-on support.

2. JPF'S Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods 2018: Policies and Strategies for the New Phase

To develop strong disaster-resistant network functions, we will support efforts that strengthen community resilience as we consider assistance provision through not only JPF member NGOs but also non-member NGOs (e.g. local NPOs) and work closely with local governments and Social Welfare Councils in implementing support efforts as illustrated below.

3. Response Plan Details and Necessary Funding Amounts

In order to respond to the aforementioned challenges and needs and to implement policies and strategies for this new phase as outlined above, there is a 120-million-yen shortage in funds. In preparation for potentially larger disasters in the future, it is vital for communities across Japan to become more disaster-resistant. We thank you for your continued support and donations as we move closer towards this goal.

*1:  JPF's Response to the Western Japan Floods during the Emergency Response Phase: In response to the record-breaking heavy  rain which began on July 5 and cause significant and widespread damages in western Japan, JPF promptly began to gather information. Mobilization was decided on July 8, and the JPF Emergency Mobilization Assessment Team arrived on the ground on the same day. To date, JPF's liaison and coordination efforts for the relief work and grants provided to 12 JPF member NGOs allowed for the implementation of support provision for psychosocial care, persons with disabilities, mothers with children, children, medical care, hygiene and environmental improvements, evacuation shelter management, disaster volunteer center management, relief effort coordination, and NFIs distribution. For more details on the activities during this phase, please refer to the JPF website with ongoing posting of updates: https://www.japanplatform.org/E/programs/westernjapan-disaster2018.html

*2: Corporate & Organizational Donations 548,137,915 yen; Individual Donations 36,181,455 yen. These amounts reflect the balance after administrative expenses (10% of corporate donations and 15% of individual donations) have been subtracted.

International Bank Transfer

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MUFG Bank, Ltd. (Swift Code: BOTKJPJT)

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Head Office
(Bank Address: 2-7-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8388, Japan)

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Saving

Account No.

0212719

Account name

TOKUHI JAPAN PLATFORM

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Please visit our website (Japanese)
https://www.japanplatform.org/E/programs/westernjapan-disaster2018.html

About JPF

JPF was founded in 2000 as a new and uniquely Japanese framework for emergency humanitarian assistance. In order to deliver prompt and effective assistance within and outside of Japan, JPF coordinates the efforts of NGOs, the business community, and the government, all of which participate as equal partners, and provides various types of support to member NGOS in Japan. Since 2000, we have built out trust through over 1,400 projects in 47 nations and regions totaling over 54 billion yen in assistance as we promoted cooperation among corporate partners and NGOs and accurately reported our activities. We share information and create humanitarian assistance projects together with our 42 member NGOs with diverse strengths. After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, over 7 billion yen had been provided from corporate and individual donors for disaster relief, and we partnered with locally-coordinating intermediary support organizations in providing assistance for local NGOs and contributed to the systemic development towards reconstruction.

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