Extending the period to support the strengthening of the system for watching over people  affected by the disaster

28th June 2022

Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ), a JPF member NGO, has been supporting the strengthening of a community-based system for looking after disaster victims in Marumori-machi, Miyagi Prefecture. The project, which was extended through May 31 in the March report, will now continue through July 31.
In addition, all scheduled listening skill improvement workshops were completed in April, but the frequency and content of the workshops will be discussed as the Marumori-town Council of Social Welfare has requested for this year's workshops.

Cooperative project for reconstruction and community development in the time of COVID-19

27th May, 2022

SEEDS Asia (SEEDS), a JPF member NGO, is implementing the "Cooperative Project for Reconstruction and Community Development in the time of COVID-19". Since 2022, a "Community Development Committee" has been established in the Naganuma area. In addition, "ONE HEART", a cross-departmental team was formed to support the reconstruction of the affected areas in Nagano City.

Implementation of Blue Tarps for Damaged Houses in the Chiba Region and Training of Support Personnel

April 25, 2022

Peace Boat Disaster Relief Center (PBV), a JPF member NGO, has extended the project period to June 30, 2022, to cover houses in Chiba Prefecture with blue tarps and to train support personnel. In March, four on-site training sessions (on-the-job training) and training sessions were held for a total of 20 participants.

Extension of Support Program

March 9, 2022

The support program in Marumorimachi, Miyagi Prefecture, by Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ), a JPF member NGO, which was introduced in last month's report, will be extended until May 31, 2022. We will report on the status of the support program from April onward as appropriate.

Resident-led system to watch over the people affected by disaster

22nd February 2022

Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ), a JPF member NGO, continues its support activities in Marumori-town, Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged when Typhoon No. 19 hit in October 2019.
In order to strengthen the resident-led system for watching over people affected by disaster, OBJ will provide support for registered local residents to participate in volunteer activities in temporary housing salons, such as holding workshops to improve their listening skills. Support activities will be carried out while taking into consideration the situation of COVID-19.

Extension of Support Projects

17th January 2022

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is providing health promotion support to the affected communities in Osato Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Due to concerns about both physical and mental health issues, especially among the elderly, the project is extended until March 31.

At a relief site in the area affected by Typhoon No. 19 in 2019

1st December 2021

In late November, two members of the JPF Regional Operations Department also visited the SEEDS Asia relief site to help complete the bulletin board for relief activities that had been created in the Naganuma district of Nagano City.

PBV’s Support Activities in Areas Affected by Typhoon No. 15

11th November 2021

In the southern part of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, which was severely damaged by Typhoon No. 15 in 2019, PBV, a JPF member NGO, has been conducting relief activities. In this area, typhoons and strong winds have been approaching more frequently in recent years, and in addition to continuing to provide support to the victims in cooperation with the government and social cooperatives, we are also focusing on training people to be responsible for putting up blue sheets.

Continuing Support Activities

13th October 2021

• ©JISP

On October 12-13, 2019, typhoon Hagibis caused damage to a wide area of eastern Japan. Some of the residents are still living in temporary housing or deemed temporary housing even after two years have passed.

JPF member NGOs are continuing their activities in Nagano and Miyagi, such as watching over temporary housing and supporting the reconstruction of communities. In addition, the Dormant Deposit Program is also providing support to the areas affected by Typhoon Hagibis.

Strengthening the foundation for a resident-based system to watch over those affected by disasters

14th September 2021

Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ), a JPF member NGO, is providing support to strengthen the infrastructure for community-based monitoring for those affected by disasters in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by Typhoon Hagibis.

As part of the support, a human resource development training course titled "Listening Skills Improvement Course and Workshop" is being held on the theme of watching over and listening to people.

Click here for OBJ's article

Training people to put up blue sheets in the heat of summer

5th August 2021

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is continuing its project to support the victims of the Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis by putting up blue tarpaulins in the affected houses in Chiba Prefecture and training people to help.
In addition to preventing corona infection, please be careful of heat stroke when working!
Click here for the article on PBV
https://www.facebook.com/PBVsaigai/posts/5929087377165648

JISP's Support Activities in Ogo Town, Miyagi Prefecture

14th July 2021

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, continues to support health promotion and agricultural work in Ogo Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which was hit by Typhoon Hagibis. An event was held on the day of Tanabata, a festival that is celebrated every year on July 7 in Japan.

Click here to see the event.
https://www.facebook.com/jisp.tohoku.japan/posts/1463862617305845

Continuing Support for Those Affected by the Typhoon

30th June 2021

It is that time of the year again when we start to worry more about torrential rains. JPF member NGOs are still providing support to the areas affected by typhoon Faxai and Hagibis in 2019.
In Chiba, the Peace Boat Disaster Relief Center (PBV) is training people to cover roofs with blue sheets. In Nagano, SEEDS ASIA (SEEDS) is implementing a reconstruction and urban development project. In Miyagi, Japan International Support Program (JISP) is supporting health promotion in the affected communities.
In Nagano and Miyagi, support is also being provided by the JPF Dormant Deposit Utilization Project. We will continue to report on our activities through our website and SNS.

Click here for the JPF Dormant Deposit Utilization Project "Typhoon Faxai and Hagibis Disaster Area Support Program

For a Healthy Life

11th May 2021 18:00

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, continues to provide health promotion support to the community of Ogo Town, which was affected by Typhoon Hagibis in 2019.

Click here for JISP's report
https://www.facebook.com/jisp.tohoku.japan/posts/1421323788226395

SEEDS to Support Reconstruction and Community Building in Nagano City

23rd April 2021 8:00

SEEDS Asia (SEEDS), a JPF member NGO, is implementing the “With Corona Era Reconstruction and Urban Development Cooperation Project” in Nagano City, which was affected by the typhoon Hagibis.

SEEDS is already supporting the JPF Dormant Deposit Utilization Project as an executing organization in the Naganuma area where the project will be implemented from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. SEEDS will continue to share knowledge necessary for reconstruction and provide methods for gathering the opinions of residents, while supporting the creation of a community where no one is left behind by the pandemic.

Click here for the Dormant Deposit Utilization Project

PBV’s Training for the Next Generation of Roof Tarping Workers

9th March 2021 12:24

JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has been providing roof tarping support in Chiba prefecture which sustained severe damages from the 2019 Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis.

Tarping roofs damaged by heavy rains and typhoons is very important as an emergency measure, and it is essential to train people who can carry out this task safely and effectively.

PBV’s report can be read here.

JISP’s Health Promotion Project in Osato, Miyagi

12th February 2021 17:00

JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is implementing a project in the town of Osato, Miyagi Prefecture, to help support community building efforts.

At a tea gathering held at the assembly hall, JISP is promoting mental and physical health by having residents dance to the traditional folk song Donpan Bushi and do radio calisthenics exercises together.

JISP’s report can be read here.

PWJ's Assistance for Welfare Facilities in Osato, Miyagi

18th January 2020 7:30

• Commemorative photo taken in front of the donated vehicles ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has been supporting an after-school care for children with disabilities in the town of Osato, Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by Typhoon Hagibis in October 2019.

PWJ donated two welfare vehicles to Merkmal, an after-school care facility that lost part of its facility and transportation vehicles due to the typhoon. The vehicles will be used to transport the children to and from their homes and facilities in and around the town of Osato.

PWJ’s report can be read here.

PBV’s Roof Tarping Assistance in Chiba

10th December 2020 11:00

• Tarping work ©PBV

JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has been providing roof tarping support in southern Chiba prefecture which sustained severe damages from the 2019 Typhoon Faxai. PBV is also training the new generation of workers as well.

More than a year has passed since the typhoon, yet people are still forced to live in homes with leaky roofs. To support these people, we will continue to respond to their needs for tarping assistance.

JISP's Activities Completed

26th November 2020 20:00

• ©JISP

JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) has completed its typhoon relief project that it had begun in November of last year. Through this project, JISP helped people who were affected by Typhoon Hagibis rebuild their lives in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures.

JISP engaged in active listening and consultation support at evacuation centers and temporary housing, and also assisted in the reopening of welfare facilities affected by the typhoon that were serving children with disabilities. There was a period of interruption due to the impact of the new coronavirus, but JISP hosted gatherings over tea, conducted door-to-door visits, provided opportunities for farm work, and received health consultations either by switching to online services or taking all possible measures against the spread of COVID-19. They have supported the mental and physical health of those affected by this typhoon and contributed to the community building efforts.

A beneficiary commented on JISP's activities positively: "This year has gone by so fast. I felt depressed thinking about too many things and I was sometimes lonely, but now that you guys have given me planters and seedlings, I feel a lot more cheerful and positive."

OBJ's Assistance in Miyagi Prefecture

25th October 2020 14:00

As a JPF program, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) is currently supporting people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complex in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture.

OBJ is working to promote community building among the residents of the temporary housing complex. Since the spread of the new coronavirus made it difficult to hold salon activities in assembly halls, OBJ has been holding outdoor radio calisthenics exercises and other activities that can be safely conducted while preventing the risk of infection among the residents. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper reported on OBJ's activities that help build interpersonal relationships while not feeling defeated by the pandemic.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun, "Interaction among disaster survivors even in pandemic times, residents performing radio calisthenics exercises at temporary housing." https://s.nikkei.com/3kgMhTr

AAR Providing Vehicle and Other Items to Welfare Facilities in Fukushima

25th September 2020 22:00

• Restored confectionery workshop ©AAR
• Donated vehicle and its users ©AAR

As a JPF program, JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR), provided a transportation vehicle and an oven for baking confectioneries and bread to Popolo, a designated care facility operated by the Iwaki Gospel Association, a social welfare organization in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Popolo had experienced serious damages from Typhoon Hagibis in 2019.

Twenty-five users with disabilities were engaged in the confectionery and bread baking operations at Popolo, but when this facility was flooded by Typhoon Hagibis, three of their four vehicles were submerged in water, and all of their kitchen equipment including ovens became unusable. Unable to continue the confectionery and bread baking activities, the main source of income for the facility and its users was lost, and the lack of functioning vehicles affected the transportation of wheelchair users. Popolo staff spoke positively about AAR’s assistance for them, making the following remarks:

"We have been trying to cope desperately, with even our staff using their own cars to transport our users to and from the facility, but we are grateful that the situation will greatly improve now. With our confectionery and bread baking, we are now able to resume making products we used to make before the flood."

"AAR was the first to come to our aid immediately after the flood, and we have been grateful for their help, both materially and emotionally. We had given up hope of restoring our operations to the pre-disaster condition, so we were very pleasantly surprised that we were able to return to normal operations. We are indeed truly grateful for the support."

PBV Repairing Community Center

27th August 2020 23:00

• ©PBV
• ©PBV

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has been implementing a community center repair project in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, to facilitate community revitalization.

Although COVID-19 has made it difficult for staff to go to Iwaki and to provide direct support, PBV has provided equipment for the assembly hall that had been damaged by Typhoon Hagibis, supported the outdoor repairs on fences and lights, and sent hygiene items to prevent COVID-19 infection. On PBV’s assistance, heads of various residential districts in Iwaki commented, "All the people in the community were very happy," and "Please come back to Iwaki to see how the assembly hall looks now,” and the feedback was received with much joy.

Visit here for the PBV article: https://pbv.or.jp/blog/project/?p=25391

Online health counseling

27th July 27 2020 22:11

• ©JISP

General Incorporated Association Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is helping people affected by Typhoon Hagibis rebuild their lives in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures, with funding from JPF.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people have had fewer opportunities for social interaction, and many are in poorer health or have become depressed as a result. To respond to this situation, JISP has started providing online health counseling to people living in a temporary housing community in the town of Osato in Miyagi Prefecture, to make it easy for them to discuss concerns about their health.

Online health counseling is provided to those who are interested by connecting them with a health professional via Zoom.
One resident was unsure as it was her first time to receive counseling over the internet, but after her session ended, she said that she was glad to have been able to address her concerns.

We hope to adapt to the ever-changing situation and continue to deliver aid that is possible.

JISP plants flowers to cheer up an affected community

8th June 2020 20:00

• ©JISP
• ©JISP

General Incorporated Association Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is helping people affected by Typhoon Hagibis rebuild their lives in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures, with funding from JPF.

In the town of Osato in Miyagi Prefecture, JISP planted flowers in planters to cheer up people living in temporary housing.

The flowers were planted near the levee that broke during Typhoon Hagibis last year, where scars of the typhoon still remain.

JISP is taking measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19 so that they can support those affected by the typhoon safely.

See here for details:
https://bit.ly/3cEHyWZ

JISP’s Hello Garden Project

26th May 2020 23:00

• ©JISP
• ©JISP

General Incorporated Association Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is helping people affected by Typhoon Hagibis rebuild their lives in Miyagi Prefecture, with funding from JPF.

In the town of Osato, Miyagi Prefecture, JISP started Hello Garden--a garden that allows people living in temporary housing to enjoy gardening and mingle with others.

The state of emergency has been lifted in Miyagi Prefecture, but JISP is taking measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19 while carrying out this project.

At Hello Garden, the younger generation is learning how to plant vegetables and water them from older people who are more knowledgeable. People are seen enjoying themselves, cooperating and working together across generations.

A senior participant says, “Sitting all day in temporary housing is not good for your body and makes you feel depressed. But working in this garden is really fun.” The children who come to Hello Garden look up to him and call him Shisho (master).

See here for details:
https://bit.ly/2A3lCah

Thank you Rugby Shirtee! Donation to JPF Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis

17th May 2020 22:00

JPF has received donation for its typhoon emergency assistance activities from Rugby Shirtee, a rugby-themed apparel and accessories’ brand, thank you very much!

Rugby Shirtee raises money for causes close to the rugby community and for the recovery from Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis they are supporting Kanto and Tohoku (Fukushima, Miyagi, Nagano, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa) area of Japan by donating part of the sales.

Rugby Shirtee Website
www.rugbyshirtee.com

PBV’s Support Provision in Chiba

9th May 2020 23:00

• ©PBV

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has provided roof tarping support for homes that were damaged by Typhoon Faxai. The next typhoon season is gradually approaching. On their website, PBV has shared their story of how the repairs have been done in Chiba Prefecture, including photographs from the site. There are many cases where the homeowners cannot have their roofs fully repaired right away, so PBV has been ingenious in using methods that would allow for these temporary tarps to last as long as possible. They also worked carefully to make sure they are preventing coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

For more details, please visit here: https://bit.ly/35NJwm7

We Will Not Be Defeated by the Coronavirus! JISP’s support activities in Osato

3rd May 2020 23:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood recovery support for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading nationwide in Japan, JISP had not been able to offer their salon activities in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Osato and at other community sites affected by the typhoon.

JISP had been considering what they could do instead to support people affected by the typhoon despite these new restrictions, and in coordination with local municipal governments and social welfare councils, JISP was able to start a Hello Garden Project near a temporary housing complex! As the name suggests, Hello Garden Project aims to be a garden where temporary housing residents can enjoy gardening and farming as well as interact with each other.

*Appropriate infection prevention measures are taken for this activity, including having participants wear masks, wash their hands, and keep an appropriate social distance with each other. Activities will be cancelled and closed if conditions in the future warrant their cancellation or closure.

Please visit this page for more details on this activity: https://bit.ly/2VW3WGp

PBV Receiving Letter of Appreciation for Their Support Provision

25th April 2020 4:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) is providing support for repairs on community centers in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, to facilitate community revitalization there. PBV was given a letter of appreciation from the City of Iwaki and the Iwaki Social Welfare Council for their support provided in response to the damages sustained by Typhoon Hagibis and the heavy rainfall from 25th October 2019.

PBV was able to continue its long-term assistance to the community thanks to all of you who have always extended your support to them. It also goes without saying that their work was made possible because the City of Iwaki, the Iwaki Social Welfare Council, and the residents of Iwaki had warmly welcomed PBV into their community.

Iwaki’s recovery and reconstruction has yet to be completed, and PBV will continue to provide support for this community.

JPF Member NGO JISP Providing Livelihood Recovery Support

13th April 2020 4:00

• With Merkmal staff ©JISP

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood recovery support for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture.

JISP has been providing equipment necessary for Merkmal, an afterschool care facility in the town of Osato that sustained damages from the typhoon, so that they can resume their services. We visited them at the end of last month and saw how the delivered equipment was being used. Equipment provision to this facility has now been completed, but since they now have a heavier load to bear with schools closing during March (due to the spread of the coronavirus/COVID-19), we are continuing our assistance for their operation.

The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has greatly affected relief activities in communities affected by previous disasters, but JISP continues to do their very best in their assistance provision despite the many restrictions as they also try to avert risks.

For more details on their activities, please visit here: https://shorturl.at/dmqOW

JPF Member NGO PBV Providing Support in Fukushima

7th April 2020 23:30

• 1st April ©PBV
• 1st April ©PBV

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) is providing support for repairs on community centers in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, to facilitate community revitalization there. They are also supporting the operations of disaster volunteer centers and hosting housing maintenance and protection workshops.

PBV has provided equipment to and helped repair six community facilities, including community centers and assembly rooms, so that the residents can resume community events there as soon as possible. They have also hosted housing maintenance and protection workshops at which they share information on how the residents can treat mold from flooding damages. They have hosted these workshops eleven times so far, with over 160 people participating. We were touched to hear somebody who had been a part of PBV’s activities tell us, “Through PBV, I found out for the first time what it means to work closely with someone and to provide hands-on support.”

We will continue to provide support to the people affected by the typhoon so that their lives can return to normal as soon as possible.

Please visit the links below for more on PBV’s activities:
“Typhoon Hagibis and Assistance to Iwaki, Fukushima: Local Residents as Protagonists, the Future of Our Assistance, Part 1” https://bit.ly/2V00msW
“Typhoon Hagibis and Assistance to Iwaki, Fukushima: Local Residents as Protagonists, the Future of Our Assistance, Part 2” https://bit.ly/2wZYlF5

JPF member NGO JISP providing livelihood recovery support in Miyagi

2nd April 2020 7:00

• 30th March ©JISP
• 30th March ©JISP
• 30th March ©JISP

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood recovery support for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures.

Since Typhoon Hagibis made landfall last year, JISP has been providing livelihood recovery support at the Yanagawa Kotobuki Health Center in the city of Date, Fukushima Prefecture, which had been converted into an evacuation shelter. This shelter was closed as of the end of last month and became the last of all shelters in the prefecture to do so.

Over the course of two days, JISP had given assistance for the closing of this shelter and for residents moving out. They helped clean up the shelter space and also helped people who were returning home, with clean up and getting the home ready. For many residents returning home from the shelter, they have a long way to go in getting their damaged homes fully repaired; they are experiencing difficulties in securing equipment due to the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19). These residents will have to wait quite some time to return to life as usual.

For more details, please visit here: https://bit.ly/3dA58Fq

JPF member NGO OBJ continuing its assistance in Miyagi

27th March 2020 23:00

• 19th March ©OBJ
• 19th March ©OBJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) is assisting people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture.

As can be read in their “Highlights of 2019 Domestic Emergency Assistance Activities,” OBJ has compiled stories from Marumori that include the current conditions and their relief activities. You will find stories about people who are moving forward on their own in recovering from the typhoon because they did not know how to request volunteer assistance, or about OBJ’s salon activities in the meeting rooms in temporary housing complexes. We would love for you to read more details here: https://bit.ly/33WZ864

JPF Member NGO PBV Providing Support in Chiba

20th March 2020 6:00

• 9th March ©PBV
• 9th March ©PBV

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) is providing roof tarping support for homes in Kyonan, Chiba, that were damaged by the typhoon.

Chiba prefecture experienced severe damages from Typhoon Faxai. It will be exactly six months this month since the typhoon made landfall there. In the town of Kyonan, 68.4% of all households in town, or 2,510 families, have experienced damages to their homes, but due to the high volume of damages, there are simply not enough roof repair companies to fix everything right away. Many homes have received emergency treatment on their roofs but are waitlisted for up to a few years to get full repairs done.

Since the blue tarps for emergency treatment can deteriorate with time passing and result in leaks and molds, residents must live in anxiety with uncertainties about when their roofs will be fixed. We often heard them saying, “I feel worried whenever I hear tarps billowing in the wind,” and “I feel depressed seeing my home covered by blue tarps.”

Read more here: https://bit.ly/2TZWvNm

JCSA Lending Out Vehicles in Miyagi and Other Communities

14th March 2020 20:00

• ©JCSA

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan Car Sharing Association (JCSA) is lending out vehicles for free to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis and relief organizations active in Miyagi Prefecture and in other areas. On 11th March, on the ninth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, many people came to JCSA's Ishinomaki Center from early in the morning to use the cars. Around the time for a moment of silence, JCSA staff stepped aside from work and also observed the silence in prayer. We will continue to support those recovering from Typhoon Hagibis so that they, too, can continue to take a step forward each day.

Visit this page for more information on this project.

JISP's Salon Activities

6th March 2020 16:32

• 2nd March ©JISP

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood assistance for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture.

Some of the salon activities in the future will most likely be impacted by the effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but as of this past week, JISP was able to host salon activities in the Osato temporary housing complex and the community center branch in the Nakakasukawa district. Residents took part in healthy exercises and sipped amazake (sweet drink made from fermented rice), and it turned out to be a quite lively event.

Since the flood last year, the community center branch in the Nakasukawa district had had a tarp spread out over their large hall, and it was impossible to hold meetings there. At this time, we provided the branch with carpeting and floor cushions.

We will continue to engage in activities that build community in the areas affected by the typhoon. Visit this page for more information on this project.

JCSA Lending Out Vehicles for Free

28th February 2020 17:47

• 22nd February ©JCSA

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan Car Sharing Association (JCSA) is lending out vehicles for free to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis and relief organizations active in Miyagi Prefecture and in other areas.

JCSA staff who visited the centers in Tochigi and Iwaki, Fukushima, got to speak with a few users of JCSA's service about their future. In Marumori, Miyagi, some came to return the car they had been using, saying, "We just had our new car delivered," looking much more cheerful than when they came in for the first time. On the other hand, those whose lives were already difficult before the disaster were experiencing additional hardships as a result of being affected by this typhoon. We find it necessary to consider supporting these people, too. Visit this page for more information on this project.

OBJ Beginning Support at Temporary Housing Complexes

23rd February 2020 11:00

• 18th February ©OBJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) is assisting people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture.

With four months having passed since the typhoon hit, some people who were affected by this disaster have not asked for volunteers or for any other support, and are living in their own homes trying to restore their livelihoods on their own. Among such people are those who have various reasons for not seeking assistance, such as not having mobile phones and being unable to access necessary information, not being able to seek volunteer assistance directly due to mobility issues preventing them from doing so, and not understanding how exactly the assistance process works in the first place.

OBJ will continue to conduct needs assessment in this community. Visit this page for more information on this project.

JISP's Livelihood Assistance

21st February 2020 16:38

• 15th February ©JISP

JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood assistance for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture. On 15th February, the JISP team visited an afterschool care facility for children with disabilities called Merkmal Kasukawa Mirai in the Kasukawa neighborhood of the town of Osato.

On this day, Dr. Taiyo Okada, a clinical psychologist and a school counselor who has a lot of experience working with various communities that have been affected by disasters, led the children in a Brain Gym exercise. Playing with large balloons and engaging in exercises that facilitate their physical and psychological growth, the children were energetic as they actively moved around. After these exercises, a workshop was held for supporters, parents, and guardians, where the participants learned about psychological care for the children and the effects disasters have on them. Visit this page for more information on this project.

OBJ Assisting People Affected by the Typhoon in Miyagi

14th February 2020 17:23

• 12th February ©OBJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) has begun to assist people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture. This past week has been especially cold nationwide, and Marumori was not an exception with continued severe cold temperatures. Despite the weather outside, OBJ has been offering salon activities at a meeting room in the temporary housing complex in Marumori. Over hot tea, OBJ staff listened to the residents and heard from them about anxieties they were feeling, which would be helpful in considering what support would be necessary. OBJ will continue to value the voices of people on the ground as they deliver their assistance.

PWJ Supporting People Affected by the Typhoon in Miyagi

12th February 2020 22:56

• 8th February ©PWJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is supporting people affected by the typhoon in Miyagi Prefecture with home appliances, especially those whose homes have been completely destroyed or damaged significantly. PWJ has been distributing vouchers for home electronic appliances to 961 households in 15 cities and towns in Miyagi Prefecture who have experienced complete destruction or significant damage to their homes. While this helps reach families in need with appliances so that they can rebuild their livelihoods, it also aims to cause ripple effects on the local economy. PWJ will continue its assistance for the people affected by Typhoon Hagibis.

Read more on PWJ's work here: https://peace-winds.org/activity/reiwa_typhoon19/17280

JISP's Salon Activity

9th February 2020 11:00

• 

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood assistance for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture. Salon activities are gradually becoming a fixture in the assembly room of the temporary housing complex in the town of Osato in Miyagi as a space for the residents to rest and to relax. This time, JISP wanted to introduce activities that would be enjoyable for male participants, and with cooperation from the Osato Social Welfare Council, they had games such as go, shogi (Japanese chess), and ring toss. The coordinator and expert from JISP had shogi and go matches with the resident men, but there was no way they were going to be able to beat such seasoned players!

We will continue to provide livelihood support as we focus on strengthening the community among the residents. Visit this page for more information on this project.

PBV Providing Support for Houses Damaged by the Typhons

7th February 2020 11:00

• Helping a damaged home with a thatched roof, 5th February ©PBV

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) is providing support for houses damaged by the typhoons. At this time, PBV visited a home with a thatched roof located outside the city center. As this is in the mountainous area of the town of Kyonan, there were delays in the restoration of essential infrastructural services compared to other areas. In order not to further damage the traditional thatched roof, PBV had gone to inspect the house beforehand and carefully prepared for the work. Tarping the roof and placing a rain receptor at the edge of the eaves where rain would fall, the roof has now been transformed into something that can protect the house from the rain and wind.

We will continue to provide support so that the residents can live in their own homes safely. More on PBV's activities in Chiba can be read here.

JISP's Salon Activity

1st February 2020 11:00

• Participants playing Big Fukuwarai game, 24th January ©JISP

JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood assistance for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture. As part of this project, JISP is hosting salon activities at a temporary housing complex in the town of Osato in Miyagi, and this time, children from Osato's children's center came for a visit. The children performed the Sparrow Dance, in which the residents of the temporary housing complex also joined. They also played the Big Fukuwarai game (which resembles the pin the tail on the donkey game) and enjoyed themselves.

JISP will continue to support activities that can strengthen ties in the community. Visit here to read more on this project.

JPF Member NGO AAR Resuming Assistance for Welfare Facilities for Persons with Disabilities in Chiba Prefecture

30th January 2020 12:10

• Rebuilt rest space, 22nd January ©AAR

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR) has resumed their assistance for welfare facilities for persons with disabilities in the cities of Kisarazu and Minamiboso in Chiba Prefecture.

The Tomiura Workshop is a welfare-based work facility for persons with disabilities run by a nonprofit organization called Seikatsu Jiritsu Kenkyukai (Independent Living Association) in Minamiboso. At Tomiura Workshop, agricultural greenhouse had collapsed due to the typhoon, and 200 shiitake mushroom bed logs were damaged. For the people who come to the facility, growing shiitake mushrooms is both an important activity and a source of income. This is why AAR decided to rebuild the agricultural greenhouse and to provide the shiitake mushroom bed logs. Come this autumn they can expect to harvest new shiitake mushrooms.

At another welfare-based work facility for persons with disabilities called Ichiryusha (One Grain House) in Kisarazu, they operate a blueberry farm. At this farm, a hut serving as resting space for the people who come to the facility had been damaged by the typhoon and they had no choice but to tear it down. For this facility, AAR decided to support the rebuilding of the resting space, and to also set up a consultation room at the back of the space. This room is now being used to secure privacy when the users of the facility consult with the facility staff, and also as resting space for those who do not feel well during farm work. "For Ichiryusha and our users, this gift of a resting space was a dream come true," said the representative of Ichiryusha in their heartfelt letter to AAR.

Thanks to the donations and support from you, we are able to deliver assistance like these that were truly appreciated. Visit this page for more information on their project.

MsM Providing Health Consultations in Iwaki, Fkushima

26th January 2020 11:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Medecins du Monde Japon (MdM) is providing health consultation at an evacuation shelter and other sites in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, where serious damages were sustained form Typhoon Hagibis. MdM staff visiting Iwaki reported on the damages sustained on people's homes and the conditions in the evacuation shelter. It is now the season with really cold temperatures outside, but families whose homes were damaged by the flood must keep their homes open and ventilated to dry out the home, which means that they must endure living in the painful cold. On the other hand, those who are still at evacuation shelters are experiencing stress living in an environment where you cannot secure your own privacy.

MdM will continue to provide physical and mental health care for these residents through health consultations. Visit this page for more information on their project.

OBJ Providing Assistance at Temporary Housing Complexes

21st January 2020 15:07

• Delivering furniture to an assembly room in temporary housing complex, 21st January ©OBJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) has begun to assist people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture.

At this time, OBJ was able to deliver home appliances, chairs, and tables to six temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori. Residents who use the assembly rooms in these complexes have said, "I used to have a hard time sitting on the floor at the low table because my feet would hurt, but I am glad to be able to sit on chairs now." We will continue to make the housing environment better to make sure the residents can live more comfortably. Visit this page for more information on their project.

JCSA's Assistance for Regions Affected by the Typhoon

17th January 2020 19:00

• Family utilizing the car sharing service, 30th December ©JCSA

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Japan Car Sharing Association (JCSA) is lending out vehicles for free to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis and relief organizations active in Miyagi Prefecture and in other areas. This assistance program began in the city of Ishinomaki but since added one place at a time to now include people who have been affected by the typhoon in Ishinomaki, Marumori, and Kakuda in Miyagi as well as Tochigi prefecture and Iwaki, Fukushima; they have lent out over 130 vehicles by the end of 2019. In 2020, they have begun their service on 6th January. We will continue to support the people who have been affected by this disaster so that their lives can be made easier. Visit this page for more information on their project.

JISP Beginning Livelihood Assistance in Miyagi Prefecture

15th January 2020 15:47

• Interviewing residents ©JISP

JPF member NGO Japan International Support Program (JISP) is providing livelihood assistance for people affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture. On 10th January, JISP conducted a Survey on Life and Health for people living in temporary housing and post-disaster publicly funded rental accommodations in the town of Osato, Miyagi. On this day, teams of experts that included nursing professionals visited each household and interviewed residents. The results of this survey will be utilized to improve the health and livelihoods of the residents. Visit this page for more information on their project.

OBJ Beginning Assistance at Temporary Housing Complexes

10th January 2020 11:39

• ©OBJ

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Operation Blessing Japan (OBJ) has begun to assist people affected by the typhoon who are living in the temporary housing complexes in the town of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture.

Due to Typhoon Hagibis which hit the region in October of last year, Marumori experience enormous damages due to the flooding of rivers and landslides. OBJ is placing home appliances and furniture in the assembly rooms of six temporary housing complexes in Marumori, making sure that the residents can live there comfortably and securely. Additionally, they will be hosting cookouts and events at each of the assembly rooms, hoping to assist in building community and understanding issues that may arise for the residents.

As the colder weather gets more intense at this time of the year, OBJ is determined to support the residents so that they can live as comfortably as possible. Visit this page for more information on their project.

JCSA Lending Out Vehicles

7th January 2020 15:38

• JCSA vehicle parked by temporary housing ©JCSA

Japan Car Sharing Association (JCSA), a JPF member NGO, is lending out vehicles for free to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis and relief organizations active in Miyagi Prefecture as a JPF grant project. The beneficiaries are those whose own vehicles have broken down in the flood caused by Typhoon Hagibis and/or need access to vehicles as evacuees. The vehicles have been donated and lent to them temporarily free of charge.

Somebody who came to use a light truck said that they had no access to an appropriate truck to move their belongings and were previously going out of prefecture to rent one. They were glad to know that they could use a truck for free locally. With access to cars and trucks, those affected by the typhoon can surely move their lives forward!

More details on this project can be found here.

MdM Offering Health Consultations in Iwaki

3rd January 2020 11:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Médecins du Monde Japon (MdM) is providing health consultations mainly at evacuation shelters in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, where severe damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis.

Several months have passed since the typhoon. We are in the new year and the temperatures continue to drop as the winter season progresses. Many are going without heaters or have taken out floorboards to dry their flooded homes. Others are living in their homes that have grown a lot of mold. All of these factors have adverse effects on the residents' health, especially for the elderly. MdM offers health consultation opportunities for elderly and other residents living in these difficult conditions, and this includes making home visits.

Details on MdM's activities can be found here.

JISP Brought Children in Miyagi a Merry Christmas

21st December 2019 10:00

• Gifts were prepared for the children ©JISP

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is offering livelihood recovery support to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi prefecture as a JPF grant project. After the July 2018 Western Japan floods, JISP partnered with Sun Support Okayama, a local parenting support group, in providing relief for affected communities in Okayama. This time, Sun Support Okayama has generously offered to give back to the children who suffered from the flood just as their children did by giving them something fun. This was how JISP brought Christmas cheer to Miyagi!

On this day, JISP staff dressed up as Santa Claus and went around welfare facilities and children's centers in Osato Town handing out presents. Gifts from this cheerful Santa made all the participants and the children very merry indeed!

Read more about JISP's activities here.

MdM Offering Health Consultations in Iwaki

18th December 2019 10:37

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Médecins du Monde Japon (MdM) is providing health consultations mainly at evacuation shelters in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, where severe damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis.

"More and more evacuees have fallen ill due to prolonged evacuation," says an MdM nurse. Over two months have passed since the typhoon but some are still staying in evacuation shelters. Prolonged evacuation has had a toll on an increasing number of evacuees' health, and MdM says, "We will continue doing what we can." The affected communities are still in need of our support.

More details on MdM's activities can be found here.

JISP Providing Livelihood Recovery Support in Miyagi

14th December 2019 11:00

• Supporting those who recently moved into post-disaster temporary housing ©JISP

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is offering livelihood recovery support to those affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi prefecture as a JPF grant project. In partnership with the Osato Town Department of Health and Welfare, JISP hosted a salon in the common room of the post-disaster temporary housing complex. This was a newly constructed complex in Osato Town, and the salon was an opportunity for JISP to greet the new residents who had just moved in as well as to conduct health checks for them. For everyone who came, disaster nursing expert conducted a mental and physical health check-up.

JISP will continue to support these residents, who had just begun their lives in temporary housing, in coordination with the residents' association that is about to be established and the local municipal government.

More details on JISP's activities can be found here.

PBV Providing Support for Houses Damaged by the Typhoons

10th December 2019 15:35

• Using a pump, draining water from below floor level ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is assessing typhoon damages on houses. [*As a JPF grant project, PBV has supported operations of disaster volunteer centers and hosted housing maintenance and protection workshops.]

PBV is supporting homeowners with damaged houses in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Depending on the ways in which the foundation was laid for the house, some houses have had water flow into the underfloor space from vents and they have ended up with something like a swimming pool below floor level. This is hard to believe but at one house they took out the floorboards only to find small fish swimming there.

With houses like these, there is no way for water to drain naturally, so the draining has to be done using pumps. Even if water is drained with a pump until the last drop, you still need to manually wipe up everything using rags and sponges. This is strenuous work because you need to crawl into the underfloor space.

Furthermore, it takes over a month for the underfloor space to completely dry, which means that you need to have the floorboards taken out and opened up despite the lowering temperatures and impending winter in Fukushima. While this is a necessary step in preventing mold from growing, it is not hard to imagine the huge impact this process has on the residents and their everyday lives.

Find more details on PBV's activities here.

JISP providing assistance in Fukushima to help rebuild people's lives

9th December 2019 4:24 p.m.

• A staff member listens to an evacuee at an evacuation center ©JISP

With funding from JPF, Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is providing assistance to rebuild the lives of Typhoon Hagibis victims in Fukushima Prefecture.

On Dec. 7, JISP coordinated a soup kitchen at an evacuation center in the city of Date, Fukushima Prefecture, and listened to people's concerns. People there are facing various challenges, and one is maintaining a balanced diet. With that in mind, the soup kitchen served ozoni (Japanese mochi soup), mochi (rice cake) with sweet red bean paste, spinach ohitashi (Japanese spinach salad) and pickled napa cabbages, which were all very much appreciated.

JISP also listened to people's concerns and conducted health checks.

While there are still many hurdles to get life back to normal, JISP heard that there have been positive developments for some as well. Some have had progress on cleaning up their house that was damaged by the typhoon, and others had purchased new homes and expected to leave the evacuation center.
See here for details

MdM creates handout, "How to take care of your physical and emotional health after a disaster"

8th December 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Handout "How to take care of your physical and emotional health after a disaster" ©MdM

Médecins du Monde Japan (MdM), a JPF member NGO, created a handout that introduces ways to take care of your physical and emotional health after a disaster strikes. (*With funding from JPF, MdM is providing health consultations in communities affected by Typhoon Hagibis in Iwaki, Fukushima)

In the city of Iwaki, many people are still living in evacuation centers. A large number of people have moved there after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and quite a few are unaware of how tired they have become as a result of multiple changes in their environment.

Physical fatigue can often lead to emotional disorders, which is why MdM put together the handout, "How to take care of your physical and emotional health."
See here for details

PBV assesses houses that suffered damage

7th December 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Discussions on the current status of damages ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is conducting assessment on houses that have been damaged by the typhoon. (*With JPF funding, PBV is assisting operations at a disaster relief volunteer center and holding workshops on home maintenance)

In the city of Iwaki alone, approximately 9,000 households have been partially destroyed (flooded above floor level) or worse. Nearly 14,000 applications have been made for disaster-victim certificates, but so far, only about 70% have been issued. Mold is starting to grow in some houses that were damaged.

It is becoming increasingly important to return these houses to a livable state.
See here for details

MdM providing health consultations in Fukushima

6th December 2019 3:33 p.m.

With funding from JPF, Médecins du Monde Japan (MdM), a JPF member NGO, is providing health consultations at evacuation centers in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, and other locations that have been severely hit by Typhoon Hagibis.

A clinical psychotherapist who works for MdM says that psychotherapy will become more and more important in the days ahead. More than a month has passed since Typhoon Hagibis hit, and while some communities were hardly affected and everything has gone back to normal for them, other communities not too far are still struggling to recover. This has led to varying feelings among those affected by the typhoon.

The MdM psychotherapist emphasized that under such circumstances, it is important to provide opportunities for victims to discuss how they are feeling and build relationships that allow them to talk openly about it.
See here for more on MdM's activities

MdM providing health consultations in Iwaki, Fukushima

5th December 2019 11:00 a.m.

With funding from JPF, Médecins du Monde Japan (MdM), a JPF member NGO, is providing health consultations at evacuation centers in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, and other locations that have been severely hit by Typhoon Hagibis.

A nurse working for MdM said they found that a large number of people were not connected to medical care or welfare services.

At evacuation centers, many people require special attention, including seniors, people with chronic illnesses, and pregnant women. However, various issues were discovered among these people, including those requiring special attention not being connected to medical care and welfare, those with chronic illnesses not being able to maintain a diet that is appropriate for their condition, and seniors and pregnant women not having warm beds that they could lie down in.
See here for details

Tablet computers donated by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation are in use

4th December 2019 11:54 a.m.

• Tablet computers in use at a disaster relief volunteer center satellite office ©JPF

Last month, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation donated 10 tablet computers to the 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis.

Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation had been intending to contribute by donating items that are in high need at disaster-affected regions, and they decided to donate these tablet computers immediately upon hearing from a JPF staff member who was coordinating aid on the ground, that aid workers needed tablet computers to visit and assess all affected households in Nagano Prefecture that have remained in their homes and connect them to assistance. The satellite offices of the Nagano City Disaster Relief Volunteer Center are currently using these tablet computers in assessing the needs of victims and summarizing assessment results.

To take full advantage of the donated tablet computers, JPF is planning to store them after they are used in Nagano and utilize them during future disaster relief operations.

We express our sincere gratitude to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, and we are committed to continue using the equipment they donated effectively to deliver assistance to those in need.

A list of companies that have contributed to the 2019 Emergency Response for Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis
(The donation of tablet computers from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation is listed under "Contributions Through Services and Goods" for Nov. 1)
https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/09/171535.html

JISP providing aid in Miyagi Prefecture

3rd December 2019 2:31 p.m.

• People choosing which floor mat cover they would like ©JISP

With funding from JPF, Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, delivered material aid to victims of Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture.

JISP is continuing to provide assistance in the town of Osato in Miyagi Prefecture. In Osato, the construction of 45 temporary housing units (Osato General Playground Temporary Housing Complex) was completed and the keys were handed to residents on Nov. 29. (Following this, the evacuation center that was set up within Flap Osato 21 was closed as of Dec. 1)

With the days getting colder and colder, heated floor mats and floor mat covers were provided to residents moving into temporary housing so that they could stay warm. They said they were grateful, as they were worried about the upcoming winter.

In addition, Earth Corporation had donated Mondamin mouthwash through JPF, which they provided to victims on request.
See here for details on JISP's activities

JISP providing aid in Miyagi Prefecture to help rebuild people's lives

2nd December 2019 11:34 a.m.

• JISP listens to victims of Typhoon Hagibis ©JISP

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is delivering assistance to rebuild the lives of victims of Typhoon Hagibis in Miyagi Prefecture.

In the town of Osato, Miyagi Prefecture, 45 temporary housing units are under construction and victims of the typhoon are waiting to move in. JISP held a meeting with the town council and the local social welfare council on how to assist residents moving into temporary housing units and government-subsidized rental accommodations as well as residents who have remained in their homes. JISP also listened to people at the evacuation center in Osato to understand the needs of victims.

Various concerns were heard from people, including those who wanted to move into a temporary housing unit but couldn't because their pet would not be allowed, and those who were worried about staying in their damaged homes with the cold winter coming. We must cooperate with government and social welfare councils to provide disaster relief that is well tailored to the needs of the victims.
See here for details on JISP's activities

PBV conducting disaster relief operations in Chiba Prefecture

1st December 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Volunteers use their experience and skills to install tarp on to rooftops ©PBV

With funding from JPF, Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is installing tarp on houses that were damaged by Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis in the town of Kyonan in Chiba Prefecture.

Those who have experience volunteering during past disaster relief operations have also volunteered for this operation. Leveraging the experience and skills that they acquired during past disaster relief operations, they are working together with other volunteers to efficiently install tarp and repair rooftops.

Residents thanked them, saying that they were constantly worried about the tarp being blown away, but now they no longer have to worry.
See here for details on PBV's activities

MdM Offering Health Consultations in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture

29th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Evacuees may become ill due to prolonged evacuation ©MdM

As a JPF-funded project, Médecins du Monde Japon (MdM), a JPF member NGO, is providing health consultations for the evacuees mainly at an evacuation shelter in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, where severe damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis.

As evacuees tend to accumulate fatigue the longer they stay at the shelter, it is quite possible that they fall ill even without realizing it themselves. MdM staff meets with each evacuee and provides individualized care for their bodies and minds. Should any of them need extra care, especially if they are elderly or pregnant, MdM treats each case attentively and connects them with appropriate public and private medical services.

For more on MdM's activities, please visit here: https://www.mdm.or.jp/em_fukushima_2019/

PBV Continuing to Tarp Roofs in Chiba Prefecture

29th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• As rain continues, water is leaking inside this house ©PBV

As a JPF-funded project, Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is continuing to assist in the tarping of roofs in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, which has sustained sever damages from Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis. With a lot of rain this week, some residents were anxious that their roofs were now leaking. While still raining, PBV assisted with maintenance and indoor work, and when the rain stopped, tarping resumed, which seemed to have made the residents relieved.

Visit here for more on PBV's activities

SEEDS Conducting Assessment in Nagano

28th November 2019 12:45 p.m.

• Assessing damages with experts ©SEEDS Asia

As a JPF-funded project, SEEDS Asia, a JPF member NGO, conducted damage assessment in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. Between November 20 and 23, SEEDS' assessment team looked into problems faced by schools and communities in Naganuma and Toyono districts in Nagano City that have sustained severe damages from the typhoon.

SEEDS' assessment revealed that schools needed to catch up with their lessons as they had fallen behind in the aftermath of the typhoon, and they also needed to manage their hygiene conditions, ensure their students' safety, and provide psychological care for them as well. Assistance is necessary for the local schools and the children facing these problems to allow them to lead physically and psychologically healthy lives in their communities.

For more information, please visit: https://www.seedsasia.org/whats-new/8689

PBV Providing Assistance in Fukushima

27th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Access to cars is a must to provide daily assistance ©PBV

Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is active in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, providing assistance to communities affected by Typhoon Hagibis. Covering a wide area in Iwaki, PBV is providing various types of assistance including relief item distribution for evacuees living in the safer parts of their own homes, clean-up of flooded homes, workshops for residents on protecting and maintaining the housing structures, and operational support for evacuation shelters. (*PBV has provided Disaster Volunteer Center operational assistance and workshops on housing structure maintenance as JPG-funded projects thus far.)

These activities require access to vehicles such as light pickup trucks, vans that can carry a lot of items, cars that are easy to navigate on narrow streets, and minivans that can transport a number of people. The vehicles have been made available thanks to donations and grants. These assistance vehicles are traveling around Iwaki, helping the victims get back on their feet.

Please visit here for more on PBV's activities.

The One NAGANO Project Activities

26th November 2019 5:00 p.m.

• One NAGANO strategic meeting with government, Self Defense Forces, and NPO participants ©JPF

In partnership with Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD), one JPF staff was posted within the Nagano prefectural government's Disaster Response Headquarters for a month starting on October 13 and was in charge of disaster volunteers.

Among the projects JPF staff worked on was the One NAGANO Project. This was a project where local government, Self Defense Forces, NPOs, and volunteers came together and coordinated efforts to collect and transport disaster debris and waste. In communities that sustained serious damages, there are a lot of debris and waste that the local government cannot manage to collect and dispose on their own. A coordinated system was set up where NPOs and volunteers helped collect the waste during the day, while in the evenings Self Defense Forces took them to waste collection sites. The city used to be full of disaster waste, but hanks to this effort, the city is already looking better as more and more rubbish are taken away gradually.

As a result, by November 12, there were only 12 waste collection sites in the city whereas on October 25 there were 71. It is important to note that the project holds nightly strategic meetings to determine transportation routes using aerial photographs and make the temporary dump sites more visible.

One NAGANO Project: http://www.bousai.go.jp/pdf/r1typhoon19_project.pdf

SVA Managing a Study Space at an Evacuation Shelter

25th November 2019 3:02 p.m.

• Children studying at the Study Space ©SVA

Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a JPF member NGO, is providing relief in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, where damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis. (*SVA has conducted initial assessment as a JPF-funded project to assess the needs after this typhoon.)

A month has passed since Typhoon Hagibis struck Nagano. Even though temperatures are dropping further as winter nears, many people are still staying at evacuation shelters. With schools resuming, children at shelters are also resuming their school homework and preparations for entrance exams. Since there was no space for them to study at the shelter, SVA began to create this space and manage it.

Until this was done, children were studying on the floor or on their cardboard beds, but since this space was set aside specifically for studying, we've heard children say, "We can now use desks and chairs and study where it's warm with the heat working." A student in their third and final year of high school, who brings the past exam questions to the study space every day, has joyfully remarked, "I'm happy to be able focus on my studies now, even if for a few hours at a time."

Please visit here for more information on their activities: https://sva.or.jp/wp/?p=36112

HuMA Continuing Health Consultations in Nagano Prefecture

24th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• HuMA offering medical assistance for typhoon victims ©HuMA

As a JPF-funded project, Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.

Volunteers and residents can get hurt as they clean up flooded homes. At the Tsuno satellite medial aid station, HuMA treated someone who was injured from stepping on a nail. Fortunately, it was not a serious injury, so after cleaning and disinfecting the wound, HuMA recommended that they go see a doctor just in case.

For those working at post-disaster sites, please be careful about the environment in which you work and always be mindful of your own attire and health conditions.

For more on HuMA's activities, visit here: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1120.html

JPF Staff Posted in Nagano

23rd November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Disaster Response HQ on the fourth day since the typhoon. The fan is sitting on top of the desk and things are still unsettled. ©JPF
• Headed to the Nagano City Disaster Response HQ to discuss evacuation shelter conditions and the forthcoming needs there. ©JPF
• Meeting with government agency liaisons ©JPF

Starting on October 13 and for a period of one month, in partnership with Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD), one JPF staff was posted at the Nagano prefectural government's disaster response headquarters in charge of disaster volunteers.

JPF staff has coordinated relief efforts among NPOs and volunteers, gathered information on the prefectural government's relief plans and shared past cases, supported local intermediary organizations, and worked with many people from both within and outside of Nagano to get things moving forward one by one.

We have witnessed the rate at which response teams shift from emergency to reconstruction phase accelerate with every new disaster. As we face the harsh winter to come, we will work closely with those who were victimized by the floods and provide relief and support that NPOs and volunteers can.

PBV Tarping Roofs in Chiba Prefecture

22nd November 2019 11:37 a.m.

• Tarp has blown off from the roof due to strong winds ©PBV

As a JPF-funded project, Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is tarping roofs in Chiba Prefecture at the homes that were damaged by the typhoons. When winter comes, southern Chiba will have many days of strong winds blowing from the west. This is why we see quite a few homes with the tarp already blown off. At this particular home that PBV had done emergency treatment at this time, the resident had said, "We were so worried every time the wind blew because we could hear the roof tiles clattering."

It is our hope that we can alleviate the victims' anxiety as we tarp their roofs.

PBV website: https://pbv.or.jp/

HuMA Assisting Medical Aid Centers in Nagano City

21st November 2019 5:19 p.m.

• Typhoon victim discussing their health concerns ©HuMA

As a JPF-funded project, Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance in Nagano prefecture in areas hurt by the floods.

When HuMA held medical consultations in Tsuno district near the Chikuma River, local residents who were victimized by the flood shared their concerns about injuries, fever, and raised blood pressure. Symptoms of the common cold could worsen when you inhale dust, so please be careful and always replace the masks you wear with newer ones. Also, if you are not feeling well, it is important that you see a doctor sooner rather than later.

Those who have been thrown into an unfamiliar environment, working non-stop to clean up their flooded homes or staying at evacuation shelters, need to take appropriate breaks, rest, and take care of their wellbeing before their bodies give up on them. HuMA will continue to support their health through medical consultations.

For more information on HuMA's activities in Nagano prefecture, visit here: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1119.html

PBV Providing Relief in Chiba

20th November 2019 5:25 p.m.

• Tarping roofs ©PBV

Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is tarping roofs in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, at the homes that were damaged by the typhoons.

This particular home needed to retarp as the previous tarps had come off. It turned out to be a large-scale emergency treatment and housing structure protection endeavor spanning four days.

When you look inside the home, there was a room without flooring on the first floor as well as a room without a ceiling on the second floor. In a room whose windows were tarped shut, mold was found growing there, too.

For the roof that had lost its initial tarping, PBV used silver sheets to retarp so that it would last longer this time. Additionally, PBV removed and changed shattered roof tiles and repaired wall sheets that had holes. For the interior of the house, PBV had the help of a pro bono carpenter who helped them redo the flooring to improve the family's living space. During the weekend, volunteers who were recruited by the local Kyonan Town Rotary Club members came and helped with the clean-up of the inside of the house and with mold removal.

While the resident of this house initially seemed apologetic and bowed many times to show his appreciation to those helping, he seemed a lot more at ease as the house became more cleaned up. By the fourth day, he felt comfortable enough to joyfully share to the PBV staff and others about karaoke being his hobby.

There were various difficulties in responding to this particular need that this family had. However, PBV was able to respond well in close coordination and partnership with an NPO specializing in technical/engineering works, pro bono workers, and volunteers who were both local and from out of town, and both participating as individuals and through organizations. We will continue to work in cooperation with different supporters to tackle the challenges faced by flooding victims.

Visit here for more information on PBV's activities.

Expanded Budget Set Towards Long-Term Assistance

19th November 2019 6:33 p.m.

Due to the lengthened duration of assistance for the victims of the 2019 typhoons in Japan, JPF's "Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis" now has an expanded budget as provided below:

[Program Budget]
Expanded from 100,000,000 yen to 300,000,000 yen
(Funding Source: Private donations)

We are deeply grateful for our corporate, organizational, and individual donors who have already contributed to our efforts. At this time, we would like to express our determination that we will be responsible in appropriately and effectively using the donations and services that our contributors have given through us to help those in need.

Please visit the following page for the list of corporate and organizational donors who have already given generously to this program: https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/09/171535.html

In order to respond to the widespread damages from the typhoons, we still need more funding to meet the needs among the victims. We thank you in advance for your kind support and donations.

PBV Offering Salon Activities in Fukushima

19th November 2019 3:44 p.m.

• Delicious sweets and light snacks are served at the salon ©PBV

Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is offering salon activities at community centers and other community spaces. (*As a JPF-funded project, PBV has been providing operational assistance for Disaster Volunteer Centers and workshops on protection and maintenance of disaster-damaged housing structures.)

During the salon activities at Shimo-Hirakubo Community Center (in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture), they are serving delicious sweets made by the members of Mama Café Chamomile, a mothers' group in Iwaki City. The group contributes these deliciously cooked and baked items for those in need, with hopes that the food would make people feel more energized. Whether it is baked sweet potatoes, apple pound cake, or sizzling hot oden (Japanese hot pot dish), all the sweets and light snack foods are filled with mothers' love and are well received and greatly appreciated among those who have savored them. Time spent together munching delicious food is sure to bring out the smiles and lively chatter among the salon participants.

Please read more about PBV's relief activities here.

HuMA Continuing Relief Activities in Nagano Prefecture

18th November 2019 2:47 p.m.

• Aiming for revitalization and rebuilding of farming in the Shinshu Region ©HuMA

In Nagano Prefecture, Shinshu Agricultural Revitalization Volunteer Project's executive committee has begun a "Noh Bora Project" (a shortened name meaning Agri Volunteer Project) in which Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, serves on the medical relief and infection prevention team. (*As a JPF-funded project, HuMA has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.)

The cities, towns, and villages in Nagano Prefecture affected by Typhoon Hagibis were nationally known for the apples and peaches they produce yearly. However, the typhoon has left massive amounts of excess dirt and debris piled up on farmlands, and famers have not caught up yet with revitalizing their farms, even though a month has passed already. Some worry that they would end up having to give up on farming altogether if things remain the way they are now.

This is where Noh Bora Project came in. With the revitalization of farming and the rebuilding of agriculture in the Shinshu region as ultimate goals, the project brings private and government sectors together as partners and recruits many people to come clean up disaster debris and to get rid of excess dirt from around the roots of fruit trees.

In this project, HuMA serves on the medical relief and infection prevention team. They conducted an orientation where the HuMA nurse explained the importance of wearing dustproof masks and goggles to reduce the risks of infection through dust, and the nurse urged people to stop by the medical aid station if injured, however small the injury may be.

Please visit the following for more on HuMA's relief activities:
http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1114.html

PBV Providing Assistance in Iwaki, Fukushima

17th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Inside a flooded home ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is providing disaster relief assistance in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. (*As a JPF-funded project, PBV has been providing operational assistance for Disaster Volunteer Centers and workshops on protection and maintenance of disaster-damaged housing structures.)

Among the "Post-Disaster Needs and Requests" forms collected at the Iwaki City Disaster Volunteer Center, PBV found the following sentence: "I currently sleep on a shelf inside my closet." When they visited this person's home, an elderly woman was cleaning up her home by herself. She lives in a one-story public housing unit owned by the city, and on the day of the flood, she says she was at home by herself. Water gradually poured inside her home, and electricity and the phone line both went dead. She had failed to evacuate in time but could not call for help, either, so she sat on her bedding that was laid out on the tatami mat floor. The tatami mat itself had eventually floated due to buoyancy, lifting the woman closer and closer to the ceiling.

When it stopped, the water level was about one meter high from the ground. Since this was a one-story home that had been completely flooded, the only place in the home that had not become wet where she could lie down was on the shelf inside the closet. Since then, she had to sleep inside the closet in a room full of dirt, sand, dust, and mold.

PBV will continue to support those who have been victimized by the typhoons.

Please read more about PBV's activities here.

HuMA Continuing Relief Activities in Nagano Prefecture

16th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• HuMA conducting relief activities in Nagano Prefecture ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been continuing to provide medical assistance in Nagano Prefecture offering medical consultations, medical aid for disaster volunteers, relief item sorting, and environmental improvement work. (*As a JPF-funded project, HuMA has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.)

Additionally, HuMA makes rounds in the community for families that have requested that visitations be made for health consultations in the homes.

Since the disaster struck, some elderly people have experienced difficulties walking due to weakened muscles. This is a result of decreased amount of exercise and walking. Regardless of their age, people who have experienced this disaster may see their health suffer due to fatigue, and HuMA will continue to assist the people in these communities with opportunities for medical consultations.

Please visit the following for more on HuMA's relief activities: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1113.html

HuMA Continuing Relief Activities in Nagano Prefecture

15th November 2019 12:00 p.m.

• HuMA conducting relief activities in Nagano Prefecture ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been continuing to provide medical assistance in Nagano Prefecture offering medical consultations, medical aid for disaster volunteers, relief item sorting, and environmental improvement work. (*As a JPF-funded project, HuMA has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.)

As it becomes colder in the weeks to come, HuMA is working to make sure the communities continue to have enough volunteers. Also, with time having passed since the typhoon hit Nagano, this is a transitional period in terms of the types of volunteers who are needed, so HuMA is making considerations as to how to best respond to the various needs among the residents. Finally, to maintain as much bond within the community, HuMA has put on events where hot meals are served and health consultations, massages, and legal counseling are also available for the community.

Please visit the following for more on HuMA's relief activities: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1113.html

PBV Providing Assistance for Houses Damaged by the Typhoons in Chiba

13th November 2019 3:46 p.m.

• Helping to fix damaged houses ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is providing assistance for houses damaged by the typhoons in Chiba Prefecture. Both Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis brought great damages to Chiba Prefecture. For the tens of thousands of building structures damaged by these typhoons that are in need of repairs, there are only eleven roof tile companies within the prefecture that can repair roof tiles. This means that residents will have to wait for a significant amount of time until they can return to living safely and securely at home.

Utilizing donations from donors like you and a grant from Japan Platform, PBV has been covering roofs with durable tarps through hiring roof tilers and carpenters and working with skilled volunteer (pro bono) workers.

Please visit here for more on PBV's relief activities in Chiba Prefecture.

Observation Visit to Communities Affected by Typhoon Hagibis with a Humanitarian Aid Professional

13th November 2019 6:00 p.m.

• At Iwaki Disaster Volunteer Center where Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, assists in its operation ©JPF

On November 11, along with Ms. Jessica Alexander (Faculty at Columbia University, Fulbright scholar, Sophia University Visiting Scholar, and United Nations Humanitarian Policy Advisor), Japan Platform (JPF) staff visited the communities in northeast Japan that have sustained great damages from Typhoon Hagibis. This April, we have made visits to the communities affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami with Ms. Alexander, too.

You can read about Ms. Alexander's visits in April in the following blog post (in English and Japanese): http://blog.japanplatform.org/entry/2019/07/11/130125

During this observational visit in November, we heard from NGOs and NPOs that are conducting disaster relief in Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. We plan to share Ms. Alexander's report at a later date through the JPF Domestic Programs Blog or other means.

JPF Domestic Programs Blog can be found here: http://blog.japanplatform.org/

SVA's Emergency Relief Reporting Session "Necessary Disaster Relief that Meets Victims Where They Are At"

13th November 2019 2:50 p.m.

• Emergency Relief Reporting Session "Necessary Disaster Relief that Meets Victims Where They Are At" ©SVA

Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a JPF member NGO, will be holding an emergency reporting session in December.

Emergency Reporting Session "Necessary Disaster Relief that Meets Victims Where They Are At"

• Date & Time: Thursday, December 12, 2019; 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Place: BE*hive Theater Space, 1st floor of the Sacred Heart Global Plaza (Building No. 4), University of the Sacred Heart Japan [Address: University of the Sacred Heart Japan Building Number 4, 4-2-4 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo]

Typhoon Hagibis, which made landfall in Japan on October 12 and 13, brought about widespread and severe damages throughout the nation. Along with Child Fund Japan, SVA has been providing assistance to the evacuees in shelters around the Chikuma River in Nagano City, meeting them where they are at.

As they are staying in evacuation shelters in unfamiliar settings, problems arise where evacuees experience psychological stress and the elderly among them feeling isolated. With concerns for prolonged evacuation, SVA has provided support to the evacuees by creating child-friendly spaces and study spaces for children and youths, and engaging in active listening with elderly evacuees to promote better psychological care.

At the reporting session, SVA will introduce the kinds of relief that are needed for the disaster victims now.

(*SVA has conducted initial assessment as a JPF-funded project to assess the damages and needs after Typhoon Hagibis. Active listening engagement was offered in partnership with Child Fund Japan and the Soto Buddhists in Nagano Prefecture.)

Please visit the following for more on SVA's disaster relief reporting session: https://sva.or.jp/wp/?p=36022

HuMA Continuing Medical Assistance in Nagano Prefecture

12th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• A HuMA medical doctor offering health consultation ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been continuing to provide medical assistance in Nagano Prefecture, primarily at the Tsuno Satellite Medical Aid Station offering medical assistance for disaster volunteers and sorting relief items. (*As a JPF-funded project, HuMA has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.)

At the medical aid station, HuMA's volunteer doctor offered opportunities for health consultations, and in fact many turned up for this service. Additionally, since community members have accumulated much fatigue, HuMA was also consulted on appropriate medical responses from the community.

Please visit the following for more on HuMA's relief activities: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1109.html

PBV Offering Salon Activities in Fukushima

11th November 2019 3:03 p.m.

• Hot cooked meals are also served at the salon ©PBV

Peace Boar Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is offering salon activities at community centers and other community spaces that are used primarily as distribution centers for relief items. (*As a JPF-funded project, PBV has been providing operational assistance for Disaster Volunteer Centers and workshops on protection and maintenance of disaster-damaged housing structures.)

For those affected by the disaster, everyday life since the typhoon tends to be difficult and full of uncertainty. Their lives have been very hectic as they have to check on the well-being of all of their family and loved ones, spend time anxiously as evacuees at shelters or in inhabitable parts of their own homes, file paperwork after paperwork at city hall to claim or to apply for this or that, and clean up their flooded homes.

Under these circumstances, it is very important that community members can gather together in a "salon" setting, engage in casual small talk, exchange information, or just take a deep breath and relax. PBV will continue to support these salon activities. 

Please visit the following for more on PBV's salons: https://pbv.or.jp/blog/project/台風15号・19号/?p=24302

PBV's Info Session on Treatment of Damaged Housing in Iwaki, Fukushima

10th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Information session on the treatment of housing damaged by typhoons ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, held an information session on how to treat housing damaged by the typhoon at Shimo-Hirakubo Community Center in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Around 30 residents participated and listened to the instructor address the changing conditions of flooded houses and what you can do about them based on past cases in other disaster-stricken areas. According to the instructor, the worst thing for a flooded house is extra moisture or humidity, so you need to keep the house as dry as possible in the aftermath.

There are still many more residents who are worried about what they can do to protect and to maintain their houses, so in the future, there are hopes for more sessions like this outside of the Hirakubo District, too.

Please visit here for more on PBV's relief activities.

PWJ Distributing Relief Items in Iwaki, Fukushima

9th November 2019 3:03 p.m.

• Distributing clothes in Fukushima Prefecture ©PWJ

On Sunday, November 3, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, distributed sweaters, scarves, shoes, and other clothes in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, where great damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis. (*As a JPF-funded project, PWJ has been conducting initial assessment, rescue, medical assistance, and relief item distributions in communities affected by Typhoon Hagibis.)

All articles of clothing distributed on this day were donated by United Arrows Ltd. They kindly provided 703 items for distribution including sweaters, scarves, snoods, and children's clothing. In Fukushima Prefecture where it would get even colder in the days to come, we heard many glad voices from evacuees saying, "Winter items are really helpful" or "I was feeling down but getting these lifted my spirits a little." 

Please visit PWJ's website here: https://peace-winds.org/

HuMA Assisting Medical Aid Centers and Others in Nagano City

9th November 2019 11:00 a.m.

• Calling out to volunteers to use dustproof masks ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance for evacuees at evacuation shelters and for disaster volunteers in Nagano City where the typhoon hit. (*As a JPF-funded project, HuMA has been providing medical assistance for the victims of the floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis.)

Through their relief activities at the Disaster Volunteer Center headquarters, HuMA determined that the needs are in fact low at the medical aid center there. They will continue to provide assistance at the Tsuno Satellite Medial Aid Station where there would be higher needs for injury response. Additionally, they will provide hands-on care for community members by making rounds in the community.

HuMA has responded flexibly to different cases on the ground for the volunteers as well as community members. These include distributing protective gear, giving instructions on how to properly put on dustproof masks, urging people to wash their hands and to gurgle, and making sure the toilets and bathrooms remain hygienic by creating dustbins for bathroom stalls. They are also considering placing non-alcoholic hand sanitizers so that Muslim volunteers can use them. During the three-day weekend between November 2 and 4, around 8,000 volunteers worked tirelessly, dispatched throughout the city from five volunteer center satellite sites.

Please visit the following for more on HuMA's relief activities in Nagano Prefecture: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1104.html

We Were at Dentsu's Used Book Market Today!

8th November 2019 11:10 p.m.

• Visitors enjoying the Used Book Market ©JPF

On November 7 and 8, Dentsu, Inc. hosted their annual Selected Used Book Market (or "Yorinuki Furuhon Ichi" in Japanese). This event originates in the promotion of book recycling within the Dentsu Company and has now evolved to an event with the motto, "Books You Can Recommend to Your Friends." Visitors were all enjoying themselves at the market as they found new books, reunited with old ones they had read before, and picked up books they had always been curious about.

Every year, proceeds go to various NGOs and NPOs that match the theme of "Children, Education, and Disaster." JPF was fortunately chosen as one of the recipients this year as we were last year as well. We are truly grateful!

Currently, people are still suffering from the aftermath of Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis in Japan and there are various different needs for assistance overseas as well. The donation we receive from this market will be used to provide assistance so that the victims can get back on their feet as soon as possible.

Visit the Selected Used Book Market ("Yorinuki Furuhon Ichi") website here: http://www.furuhonichi.com/

SVA Engaging in Active Listening at Evacuation Shelters

8th November 2019 11:05 a.m.

• Actively listening to evacuees at a shelter in Nagano City ©SVA

Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a JPF member NGO, is providing relief in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, where damages were sustained from Typhoon Hagibis. With the prolonged evacuation, evacuees are experiencing greater psychological burden from living in an unfamiliar environment at the shelter and not knowing when or how they can build their lives back up again. To lift their anxieties and emotional toll, SVA has offered to engage in active listening so that the evacuees could talk about their anxieties and worries in a safe environment over freshly brewed coffee. (*SVA has conducted initial assessment as a JPF-funded project to assess the damages and needs after Typhoon Hagibis. Active listening engagement was offered in partnership with Child Fund Japan and the Soto Buddhists in Nagano Prefecture.)

Some evacuees spoke about the crops, into which they had put hard work, being destroyed and how they had no idea when or how they can go back to farming. Others spoke on the anxieties about not knowing where their lives are headed, or the worries they have about living in the evacuation shelter with all the health problems. With all these worries on their minds, we were relieved to hear evacuees say, "I'm glad I got to get things off my chest today thanks to the talk I had with them (=SVA staff)."

Please visit the following for more on SVA's active listening engagements: https://sva.or.jp/wp/?p=35947

AAR Provides Hot Meals in Nagano, Fukushima & Miyagi

7th November 2019 5:00 p.m.

Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR), a JPF member NGO, worked with another NPO called Peace Project to provide cooked hot meals in communities affected by Typhoon Hagibis in the Mizuho District of Nagano City (Nagano Prefecture), Soma City of Fukushima Prefecture, and Marumori Town of Miyagi Prefecture. (*JPF-funded needs assessment and emergency item distribution had just begun on November 1.)

For the hot meal provision, many people from all over Japan have come to help Peace Project and AAR staff. Community members who were affected by the typhoon themselves were also helping out. Those who have eaten their meals have joyfully remarked, "We're grateful for the soup with a lot of vegetables in it" and "I'll come back for seconds!" We also had people who felt relieved by eating the hot food and became comfortable enough to share how difficult their days have been.

JPF will continue to provide assistance to the disaster victims who are experiencing difficulties and are worried about the uncertainties of when they can return to their ordinary everyday lives.

Please visit the following for more on AAR's hot meal provision: https://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/activity/report/2019/1101_2860.html

PBV Providing Roof Tarping Assistance in Kyonan, Chiba

6th November 2019 7:21 p.m.

• Disaster debris piled up high in Kyonan, Chiba ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is continuing to assist families hit by typhoons in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, by tarping roofs. In late October, Mr. Katsushige Fukushima came and helped with the tarping as a disaster relief volunteer. He has been very active as a director, playwright, and comedian.

Mr. Fukushima has written on how he felt about the disaster victims' hardships and concerns as well as the importance for the rest of us to imagine the feelings of those who were affected by the disaster. Reflecting his unique perspectives, Mr. Fukushima's accounts indeed offer a great read. Please check them out here below, divided into two parts. [*In Japanese only].
Part 1: https://pbv.or.jp/blog/activity/?p=24236
Part 2: https://pbv.or.jp/blog/activity/?p=24252

2-Day Selected Used Book Market Starting November 7th: JPF chosen as one of Dentsu's beneficiaries

6th November 2019 12:54 p.m.

Starting on Thursday, November 7, Dentsu, Inc. will host its Selected Used Book Market (or "Yorinuki Furuhon Ichi" in Japanese) at the Dentsu Headquarters Building in Shiodome, Tokyo, for two days. The market event started over twenty years ago as a means to promote recycling of books within the company. The motto for the market now is: Books You Can Recommend to Your Friends. You may unexpectedly encounter a special book yourself!

As a post-market event on November 7, a "Book Recommendation Battle" is being planned. This exciting event will feature Dentsu employee bookworms recommending their favorite books. The market committee has held up "Children, Education, and Disaster" as the market's theme, and every year, proceeds are donated to various NGOs and NPOs that match this theme. JPF was fortunate to have been chosen as one of the recipients this year as we were last year. We are truly grateful!

Currently, people are still suffering from the aftermath of Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis in Japan and there are various different needs for assistance overseas as well. The donation we receive from this market will be used to provide assistance so that the victims can get back on their feet as soon as possible. The market is held during the time of day that would be most likely be convenient for those of you who may be thinking about stopping by after work. I hope you do make it and enjoy the market! Please see more details at the website (URL provided below).

<Selected Used Book Market ("Yorinuki Furuhon Ichi")>

• Date & Time: Thursday, November 7 & Friday, November 8, 2019; 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Site: Dentsu, Inc., Headquarters Building 2nd Floor, in front of Ad Café
• Access: 10-minute walk from JR Shimbashi Station, 5-minute walk from Oedo Line Shiodome Station
• Map: https://goo.gl/maps/wrpGiqStAvQ2
• Website: http://www.furuhonichi.com/
• Video: https://youtu.be/Zcnl8NUlp0s

AAR, PARCIC, and PBV Responding to Communities Affected by the Typhoons

5th November 2019 18:28

JPF member organizations Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR), The Pacific Asia Resource Center Interpeoples' Cooperation (PARCIC), and Pease Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) have been conducting typhoon response activities including initial assessments and relief item distributions.

• AAR: Needs assessment and emergency item distribution in Miyagi, Fukushima, and Nagano Prefectures
• PARCIC: Initial assessment in Tochigi Prefecture
• PBV: Disaster Volunteer Center operational assistance and workshop on protecting and maintaining housing structures in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture

JPF member NGOs' relief activities will be updated regularly on our Facebook page and website.

HuMA Providing Medical Assistance at Disaster Volunteer Center in Nagano City

5th November 2019 15:04

• Preparing equipment at the Volunteer Center, Nagano City ©HuMA
• Sorting items at Ringo-no-Sato Satellite Nursing Home, Nagano City ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance at evacuation shelters and the Disaster Volunteer Center in Nagano City. On November 2, during the three-day holiday weekend, around 2,000 volunteers were expected to arrive, so in addition to the medical aid station set up at the main Disaster Volunteer Center in Nagano City, another medical aid station was set up at the Ringo-no-Sato Satellite Nursing Home site.

Some volunteers forget to bring and wear masks that volunteer workers should wear when engaging in relief work. To avoid getting sick from working without a mask or injured due to insufficient protection, please make sure you bring and wear necessary gear when volunteering.

For more on HuMA's activities, please see their activity report: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1102.html

JISP Session on "Disaster-Induced Psychological Changes and Stress"

4th November 2019 11:00

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is hosting a session to learn about disaster-induced psychological changes and stress.

Come and learn about "Disaster-Induced Psychological Changes and Stress" as part of the efforts to provide disaster relief to the victims of Typhoon Hagibis.
[Date & Time] Friday, November 8, 2019; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
[Place] 3rd Floor of THE6, 9-15 Kasugamachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture (*Please come up to the third floor by the stairs or take the elevator to the fourth floor and take the stairs down to the third floor.)
[Fee] 1,000 yen
[Sign-up] Please sign up from the following Kokucheese event site https://kokucheese.com/event/index/584253/ or contact JISP at contact@jisp.org for any questions.

The session is for those who want to learn about psychological care in disaster volunteering, those whose loved ones have been affected by natural disasters, and those who are interested in psychosocial assistance. Come and learn from Mr. Taiyo Okada (clinical psychologist, school counselor, and JISP board member), who is richly experienced in providing care in communities affected by natural disasters all around Japan.

Post-Typhoon Community Update from Iwate Prefecture: Miyako City Disaster Volunteer Center

3rd November 2019 11:00

• Volunteers and Social Welfare Council staff doing warm-up exercises, Miyako City ©JPF

With external experts, JPF staff travelled around Iwate Prefecture to conduct evaluations for the Living Together Fund projects. In Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, we stopped by the Disaster Volunteer Center (DVC) that was set up in the Miyako City Social Welfare Council (SFC). We saw volunteers and staff from SFCs from outside of Miyako who had come to assist the DVC listening to general instructions and engaging in warm-up exercises.

Miyako Labo, a grantee of the Living Together Fund, had sent its staff to help out with the DVC, and they played the accompaniment on the piano for the people to do the warm-up exercises.

We hope that those helping with removing mud, cleaning up, and taking furniture and other household items from homes will take good care of themselves and proceed without injuries.

For more on the Miyako City Social Welfare Council's volunteer information, please visit: https://www.miyako-shakyo.or.jp/

Post-Typhoon Community Update from Iwate Prefecture: Sanriku Railwa, Rikuchu-Yamada Station

2nd November 2019 11:49

• Sanriku Railway tracks hanging in mid-air after landslide ©JPF

Typhoon Hagibis cause grave damages around Iwate Prefecture. On November 1, JPF staff travelled around Iwate Prefecture to conduct evaluations for the Living Together Fund projects with external experts. While travelling, JPF staff noticed railroad tracks hanging in mid-air around Rikuchu-Yamada Station on the Sanriku Railway Rias Line due to the land underneath the tracks falling. This was a sure reminder of the severity of the damages experienced by local residents after the typhoon.

The Sanriku Railway Company will be working on repairing the tracks as they closely assess the damages and priorities. We wish for a speedy and safe recovery of their railway services. For more information on Sanriku Railway, please visit their website here: https://www.sanrikutetsudou.com/?p=13530

HuMA Providing Medical Assistance for Disaster Volunteers in Nagano City

1st November 2019 17:15

• Medical Aid Station at the Disaster Volunteer Center, Nagano City ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance at evacuation shelters and the Disaster Volunteer Center in Nagano City.

October 31 was the last day to provide medical assistance through making rounds at evacuation shelters, and HuMA bid farewell to all at the shelters on their last round. On the other hand, they will restart assistance at a medical aid station in the Nagano City Northern Disaster Volunteer Center. With an increase in out-of-town volunteers, it will become even more important to make sure they can work without getting injured and to support their healthy involvement.

For more on HuMA's activities, please see their activity report: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1031.html

JISP Starting Assistance at Evacuation Shelter in Date City, Fukushima

31st October 2019 18:00

• JISP staff interviewing an evacuee at a shelter, Date City ©JISP

On October 30, a team of relief workers from Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, conducted relief activities at an evacuation shelter in Date City, Fukushima Prefecture, which had sustained severe damages from Typhoon Hagibis.

At the evacuation center, JISP team members provided information about the need to disinfect flooded homes and also interviewed evacuees about their worries and needs. Hearing that they were worried about household finances, health, children's play spaces, and access to relief items being distributed, the team shared their findings with the city officials and the Social Welfare Council.

JISP had previously held trainings for psychosocial support, and those who were trained then had conducted relief work at this time. They aim to train more disaster relief workers in the Tohoku Region.

Read JISP's activity report here.

HuMA: Making It Easier to Ask about Health at Evacuation Centers in Nagano Prefecture

31st October 2019 14:42

• Making health check-up rounds at evacuation center, Nagano Prefecture ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been working on making improvements on health care access, including the provision of medical assistance, at evacuation shelters in Nagano Prefecture.

Living in an evacuation shelter means putting up with a lot more than you usually do in your everyday life. For those living with chronic illnesses, there is a possibility that their health can deteriorate, or they can suddenly start to experience symptoms. One of the most important roles the HuMA doctors and nurses play is to create an environment at the evacuation centers where evacuees can easily ask whether they should go to a hospital or not

HuMA Continuing Evacuation Center Assistance in Nagano Prefecture

30th October 2019 18:45

• Creating library space for the children ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been working on making improvements on health care access, including the provision of medical assistance, at evacuation shelters in Nagano Prefecture.

When HuMA doctors and nurses visit evacuation shelters during the day, there are not a lot of people there. This is because evacuees have gone back to their homes to clean up or to government offices to file paperwork. It is during the evening that they are back in the evacuation shelters.

For those whose houses have been flooded, recovery may take time and they may end up living in post-disaster public rental accommodations or in temporary housing facilities. We hope that HuMA's evacuation shelter assistance will help ease the anxieties of the evacuees.

For more on HuMA's activites, visit their Facebook post here.

JISP Conducting Needs Assessment in Kawamata Town (Date County, Fukushima)

30th October 2019 15:00

• Interview with the Kawamata Town Social Welfare Council ©JISP

On October 28, an assessment team from Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, conducted interviews in Kawamata Town in Date County, Fukushima Prefecture. The town had sustained damages from the flooding of the Hirose River and landslides.

According to the stories shared with JISP at the Kawamata Town Social Welfare Council (SWC), there were assistance needs for flooded homes with tasks such as mud removal, disinfection, carrying out furniture and household items, and general clean up. While these needs exist, bad weather has stalled the tasks and lack of volunteers and other workers have not helped, either. The SWC staff were feeling regretful of this slow recovery process as they face the victims and their requests.

There is need to implement activities that can ease the victims' anxieties and help lift the burdens of local people who are engaged in the relief work.

For more on volunteer information at the Kawamata Town SWC, please see their website and Facebook post:
Kawamata Town Social Welfare Council website: http://kawamata-shakyo.or.jp/
JISP's Activity Report on Facebook

PBV Assisting with Roof Tarping in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture

30th October 2019　11:00

• Roof Tarping Assistance in Kyonan, Chiba #1 ©PBV
• Roof Tarping Assistance in Kyonan, Chiba #2 ©PBV
• Roof Tarping Assistance in Kyonan, Chiba #3 ©PBV
• Roof Tarping Assistance in Kyonan, Chiba #4 ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, has been assisting victims with roof tarping in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, which sustained severe damages from Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis.

Between October 20 and 26, PBV helped tarp the roofs of eight homes. Chiba Prefecture was hit by heavy rain on the 25th and typhoon relief activities have been delayed as a result. With many homes suffering from leaks and mold, there is continued need to temporarily tarp the roofs.

Read PBV's activity report here

HuMA Continuing Evacuation Center Assistance in Nagano Prefecture

29th October 2019 15:00

• Evacuee receiving health consultation from nurse #1 ©HuMA
• Evacuee receiving health consultation from nurse #2 ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA) , a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance at evacuation shelters in Nagano Prefecture.

On October 27 and 28, HuMA doctors and nurses made rounds at the evacuation center. Since evacuees are at the risk of thrombosis due to lack of exercise and water intake, the doctors and nurses treated swollen feet and other medical needs. HuMA aims to lift the psychological burdens faced by local people who have been working continuously.

For more on HuMA's activities, please visit: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_activity.html

PWJ Tarping Roofs in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture

29th October 2019 10:51

• Roof Tarping ©PWJ

Peace Winds Japan（PWJ）, a JPF member NGO, has been assisting victims with roof tarping and operating the Disaster Volunteer Center in Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, which sustained severe damages from Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis.

Coordinating efforts to tarp the roofs damaged by Typhoon Faxai, PWJ has helped with tarping the roofs of a few hundred homes. However, due to the following Typhoon Hagibis, many homes are now in need of re-tarping. With roof repairs only slowly proceeding in the town, there will be continued need to temporarily cover the roofs with tarps.

For homes with damaged roofs, the heavy rain on October 25 has increased the risks of molding and consequent hazards to the health of residents. In coordination with local authorities, the needs to assist in roof tarping will remain high,

Read PWJ's activity report here.

HuMA Continuing Medical Assistance in Nagano Prefecture

28th October 2019 18:16

• Setting up a medical aid station to support volunteers' health #1 ©HuMA
• Setting up a medical aid station to support volunteers' health #2 ©HuMA
• Setting up a medical aid station to support volunteers' health #3 ©HuMA
• A doctor making rounds for evacuees ©HuMA

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, has been providing medical assistance in Nagano Prefecture.

On October 26, HuMA nurses provided health and clothing checks for volunteers leaving for disaster relief volunteering from the Nagano City Northern Disaster Volunteer Center's medical aid station.

Additionally, HuMA doctors have attended a meeting at the city's public health center, provided medical consultation at the evacuation shelter, and treated patients. In the meeting at the public health center, it was shared among the attendees that some evacuees are exhibiting cold symptoms. We would need to keep a close eye on the flu and other illnesses, too.

For more on HuMA's activities, please visit: http://www.huma.or.jp/activity/2019_typhoon19_1026.html

JISP Providing Emergency Relief Items and Conducting Needs Assessment: Osato Town, Miyagi Prefecture

28th October 2019 14:03

• JISP staff investigating the site of the levee breach in the Yoshida Rive ©JISP
• JISP staff providing cleaning supplies at Social Welfare Council in Osato ©JISP

On October 26 and 27, a disaster response team from Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, provided emergency relief items and conducted needs assessment in and around Osato Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which had sustained severe damages from the Yoshida River's levee breach.

JISP provided undergarments for the elderly and cleaning supplies to the evacuation shelter and Social Welfare Council in Osato. JISP is also conducting needs assessment at welfare facilities serving persons with disabilities. It will continue to be necessary to carefully understand the extent of the damages and the needs of the victims to assist in the victims' rebuilding of their lives the best way possible.

Read JISP's activity report here.

Yuko Shibata, JPF Emergency Response General Manager, appearing on NHK's Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate) Today [Also Available on Video-on-Demand]

27th October 2019 15:00

• Yuko Shibata, JPF Emergency Response General Manager, commenting on NHK's Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate) "Repeated Torrential Rain: What is necessary now" (October 27, 2019) ©JPF

Yuko Shibata, JPF Emergency Response General Manager, appeared on a television show called "Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate)" this morning that focused on the repeated torrential rain that struck Japan and what is necessary now. The video will be streamed until November 3 on NHK On-Demand.

Two weeks have passed since Typhoon Hagibis. On the show, representatives from the Japanese government and municipal governments affected by the typhoon as well as disaster response experts debated the challenges in the affected communities, how victims are to be assisted, what can be done to protect lives, and what is necessary for the victims to rebuild their livelihoods.

There was special attention paid to the demands made by the heads of municipal governments regarding the national response to this disaster. JPF's Yuko Shibata commented on the challenges and needs in the communities, based on JPF's experience in disaster response within and outside of Japan. The comments were made as an advocate for the victims and as an organization that supports their recovery and reconstruction.

The following officials and experts appeared on the show:

• Ryota Takeda, Minister of State for Disaster Management
• Gigyo Takamatsu, Mayor of Motomiya City (Fukushima Prefecture)
• Seiji Yanagida, Mayor of Saku City (Nagano Prefecture)
• Toshitaka Katada, Project Professor of the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo
• Yuko Shibata, General Manager, Emergency Response Division, Japan Platform
• Masaya Yanai, Professor, Tohoku Gakuin University

For more on NHK On-Demand Streaming Videos, visit: https://www4.nhk.or.jp/touron/5/

HuMA Hosting Typhoon Relief Reporting Session

27th October 2019 11:00

Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a JPF member NGO, is hosting a reporting session in December on the disaster relief activities they have been conducting in communities affected by the typhoons.

"HuMA Disaster Relief Reporting Session: Typhoon Faxai and Hagibis Relief"
- Date & Time: Sunday, December 1, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Place: Tokyo Medical and Dental University Yushima Campus

HuMA will be reporting on the activities they conducted as part of JPF's 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance Program, including their work assisting hospitals in Chiba Prefecture, and providing evacuation assistance for an elder care facilities and operational assistance for evacuation shelters in Nagano Prefecture. This will be a valuable opportunity to share the learnings and experiences from their work in the affected communities with the participants of this session. Please come join us.

For more on HuMA's Typhoon Relief Reporting Session, please visit: http://www.huma.or.jp/topics/191201_2019typhoon_houkoku.html

At JPF, we will strive forth as we work in coordination and cooperation with our member NGOs to deliver hands-on assistance to disaster victims and to use our learnings in the service of disaster prevention and reduction.

Yuko Shibata, JPF Emergency Response General Manager, on NHK's Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate) at 9 AM on Oct 27

26th October 2019 15:00

• ©JPF

Tomorrow morning, on October 27 from 9 to 10 a.m., Yuko Shibata, JPF Emergency Response General Manager, will appear on NHK's Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate) episode called "Repeated Torrential Rain: What is necessary now."

With ongoing damages from the typhoons affecting communities, the panelists will address measures necessary to protect lives and to help the victims rebuilt their lives.

JPF's Yuko Shibata will share as a hands-on supporter for the disaster victims about the challenges, needs, and relief efforts in the affected communities based on JPF's experiences and lessons learned from our assistance programs after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Kumamoto Earthquake, 2018 Western Japan Floods, and other past disasters.

Typhoon Hagibis: Causes of the severe damages and what we can do for the victims

26th October 2019 11:00

Nobuyuki Kurita is the Representative Director of Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD), an organization with which JPF partners and works. He has recently appeared on NHK's Nichiyo Toron (Sunday Debate) episode called "Typhoon Hagibis: Severe damages and what is necessary now."

In this episode, experts debated the types of assistance victims need, what we can do for them, and why these severe damages were caused by this typhoon. You can catch the episode streamed on NHK On-Demand until October 27.

For more on NHK On-Demand Streaming Videos, visit: https://www4.nhk.or.jp/touron/

Typhoon Hagibis: JPF emergency response team coordinating NPOs' relief efforts in Nagano with JVOAD

25th October 2019 19:24

• JPF staff assessing damages in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture ©JPF ©JPF

Starting on October 22, JPF staff has arrived in Nagano and working with Nagano Prefecture on relief. In partnership with Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD), we will be attending meetings, assessing how things are at disaster volunteer centers and evacuation shelters, and coordinating the nonprofit community's relief efforts.

JPF will coordinate and cooperate with local governments, social welfare councils, and relief organizations as we bring assistance to those affected by this typhoon.

Typhoon Hagibis: Urgent need to clean up homes to prepare for the winter in Nagano

25th October 2019 17:14

Ryota Yorimasa, the representative of a Kobe-based NGO Collaboration Center for Hanshin Earthquake Rehabilitation, is featured in an article in the Hanshin (Western Japan) edition of the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. The NGO Collaboration Center has been providing assistance in the typhoon-stricken Nagano prefecture, and we were delighted to have Mr. Yorimasa attend a networking event JPF co-hosted with the Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) in Kumamoto City this past April.

In this article, Mr. Yorimasa addresses the dire need for more volunteer workers to help clean up flooded homes as winter nears by. The article also talks about how the evacuees are doing and the fact that not too many volunteers from outside of the community have come to help. Please check out the article here for more [*only in Japanese]: Mainichi Shimbun Article on Ryota Yorimasa

・・・・・・・・
JPF will coordinate and cooperate with local governments, social welfare councils, and relief organizations as we bring assistance to those affected by this typhoon.

Thank You, Facebook and GlobalGiving! Typhoon Hagibis relief matching donations

24th October 2019 17:43

Facebook will match up to $1,000,000 in donations for victims of Typhoon Hagibis and we are truly grateful. Donations can be made on the Crisis Response page or Donate Button on top of the Newsfeed.

Your donations will go to GlobalGiving, a Facebook partner, and funds will be provided to reliable nonprofits working in the areas hit by the typhoon including JPF. We extend our sincere appreciation for Facebook and GlobalGiving and to all the donors for their generous support. We will work hard to provide assistance that meets the needs of disaster victims.

For more on Facebook's matching donation, please visit; Facebook Matching Gift for the Victims of Typhoon Hagibis

"Flood Response: Manual and Preparations for Disaster-Prone Japan" on Asahi WEBRONZA

24th October 2019 10：53

An interview with Mr. Fumiaki Matsuyama, Program Manager at the National Network for Earthquake Disasters (Shinsai ga Tsunagu Zenkoku Network) is in WEBRONZA. JPF works with the Network in disaster response. The article reflects on the need to change our ways of thinking and the everyday preparations and countermeasures you can take to protect precious lives in Japan, where we are inundated with different types of disasters such as typhoons, torrential rain, and earthquakes.

Please visit the WEBRONZA site for the article [*only in Japanese]: https://webronza.asahi.com/national/articles/2019102300001.html

Expanding the Budget and Calling for Donations Due to Severity of Damages and Needs: 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance

23rd October 2019 19:00

At Japan Platform (JPF), we have expanded our budget for our 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance Program based on the severity of the damages in the affected regions and to meet the needs of the victims.

Change in the Budget: From 65,000,000 yen to 100,000,000 yen (*Privately raised funds)

We are truly grateful for all the generous support we have received so far from our corporate, organizational, and individual donors. Please find the list of our corporate and organizational donors here: https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/09/171535.html

JPF will utilize the donated money and services responsibly to promptly and effectively provide those in need. We still need more funds to respond to widespread damages from the typhoons and ask for your continued assistance and donations.

Typhoon Hagibis: SVA distributes relief items in Nagano Prefecture

23rd October 2019 16:26

• Interviewing evacuees at the evacuation shelter ©SVA

Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a JPF member NGO, is assessing damages and distributing relief items at evacuation shelters in Nagano Prefecture. In the evacuation shelters, SVA staff noticed the evacuees' fatigue caused by the emotional stress of having to evacuate and to spend days and nights in an unfamiliar place. There were also concerns raised for the elderly being isolated and the exhaustion experienced among the municipal government employees operating the evacuation shelters.

In response to these issues at the evacuation shelters, we anticipate the need to provide child-friendly spaces and psychosocial care for the elderly. For more on SVA's relief actions, please find their activity report here: https://sva.or.jp/wp/?p=35805

JPF will coordinate and cooperate with local governments, social welfare councils, and relief organizations as we bring assistance to those affected by this typhoon.

Typhoon Hagibis: JISP conducting needs assessment and relief item distribution in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures

23rd October 2019 14:24

As part of JPF's 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance Program, Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is beginning its needs assessment and emergency relief item distribution on October 25 in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures.

JPF will coordinate and cooperate with local governments, social welfare councils, and relief organizations as we bring assistance to those affected by this typhoon.

Typhoon Hagibis: IRMC/MRLF distributing free drinking water (while supplies last)

22nd October 2019 15：51

Iwaki Radiation Measuring Center Mothers' Radiation Lab Fukushima (IRMC/MRLF), an organization JPF has worked with, is distributing free bottled mineral water to those in Iwaki City and the vicinity with support from the With Us Project in Tokyo. (This is not funded by JPF.)

***
We are distributing free bottled mineral water to families without running water in Iwaki City and the vicinity and for those families having difficulties purchasing drinking water for their children. Distribution is limited to those of you who can come to IRMC/MRLF to pick up the water yourself.

*Amount: 3 boxes per household (*One box contains six 2-liter bottles of water)
*Time: Weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (while supplies last)
*Place: Iwaki Radiation Measuring Center Mothers' Radiation Lab Fukushima (IRMC/MRLF) Office, 3rd floor, Kaneman Building, 11-3, Onahama Hanabatakecho, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, 971-8162
Phone: 0246-92-2526 [*The building has an elevator and we have a cart you can use.]
*Parking: Please park in the spaces marked with yellow lines by the Kaneman Building. [*Please do not park in the monthly parking spaces marked by white lines.]

For more information, please see the IRMC/MRLF website here: https://tarachineiwaki.org/topics/2638

Calling for Donations to Respond to the Needs in Widespread Regions Affected by the Typhoons: 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance (Typhoons Faxai & Hagibis)

22nd October 2019 11：00

We extend our sincere gratitude to our donors, including our corporate partners, who have given generously to the 2019 Typhoon Victim Assistance Program (Typhos Faxai & Hagibis), and express Japan Platform's (JPF) determination to responsibly use your contributions to assist those in need.

Currently, each JPF member NGO is conducting assessment and relief efforts. We will deliver effective and prompt assistance that reflect these findings. The typhoons have damaged widespread regions and we are still in need of funds. Please help us deliver effective aid that meet the needs of the victims as we coordinate our relief efforts.

Please find the list of our corporate donors here: https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/09/171535.html

JPF Secretary General confirms the damage in the town of Marumori, Miyagi Prefecture

21st October 2019 18:33

• A sports field in the town of Marumori is overflowing with disaster waste ©JPF
• A road collapse in Marumori after Typhoon Hagibis ©JPF

On 21st October, JPF Secretary General Takahashi visited the town of Marumori, Miyagi Prefecture, which sustained severe damage from Typhoon Hagibis.

When JPF conducted its assessment on 15th October, the roads near the Marumori Town Hall were muddy and slippery, but now only a thin layer of dirt remains on the roads. The sports field that was empty is now filled with disaster waste. There are roads that have collapsed and are still shut down as a result of the typhoon, and this continues to hinder the movement of residents. Meanwhile, the driftwood and rice straws that had piled up in the Kaneyama District have been cleaned up to some extent.

In Marumori, a center for disaster relief volunteers has been set up, and they have started to accept volunteers.

▼See here for information on the Marumori Disaster Relief Volunteer Center
※Japanese Only
http://www.town.marumori.miyagi.jp/syakyo/hp/

JPF will continue to seek to understand the extent of the damage and connect that information to swift assistance that meets the needs of those affected.

Corporate partnerships for disaster relief: 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis

21st October 2019 16:51

• Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma donated pressure washers (Example of a partnership for the 2018 Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods)
• Canon Marketing Japan collected donations from employees using cloud funding (Example of a partnership for the 2018 Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods)
  

Activities of JPF are supported by many people in various ways.

We would like to introduce examples of partnerships with corporations and other organizations for past disasters including the Emergency Response to Earthquake in Kumamoto and the Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods. We express our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported us in making sure that we can deliver aid to those in need.
Many companies also have asked us what they can do and provided us support for the 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis. Please support us so that we can connect corporate partnerships that meet the needs of the devastated areas to our member NGOs' activities.
https://www.japanplatform.org/support/supports.html

JPF 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis
https://www.japanplatform.org/programs/reiwa-typhoon2019/

NICCO starts assessment on the ground in Miyagi, Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures

21st October 2019 10:32

Today, as part of the JPF 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis,　Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development (NICCO), a member NGO, has started assessment on the ground in locations including Miyagi Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture.
JPF will cooperate and work together with its member NGOs to deliver assistance that provides close support and meets the needs of those affected.

SVA conducting damage assessment and delivering aid in Nagano Prefecture (in the cities of Nagano, Suzaka and Saku as well as the town of Obuse)

20th October 2019 14:40

• Damage near the Chikuma River in Nagano Prefecture ©︎SVA
• Damage near the Chikuma River in Nagano Prefecture ©︎SVA
• An elementary school gymnasium in the city of Nagano that is serving as an evacuation center ©SVA
• Staff from SVA, a JPF member NGO, delivers material aid to an evacuation center in the city of Nagano ©SVA
• Staff from SVA, a JPF member NGO, listening about the extent of the damage from people at Saku Shiritsu Aonuma Elementary School which is serving as an evacuation center ©SVA

As part of the JPF 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a member NGO, has dispatched a director and staff to Nagano Prefecture, and is currently assessing the damage in the devastated areas.
A Buddhist monk from a local Soto Zen temple is accompanying them as they go around evacuation centers in the cities of Nagano, Nakano, Suzaka and Saku as well as the town of Obuse. They are delivering goods needed for everyday life and listening to those affected.

▼See here for SVA's activity reports
https://sva.or.jp/wp/?p=35726

JPF will cooperate and work together with its member NGOs to deliver assistance that provides close support and meets the needs of those affected.

Damage assessment in the North Kanto region (Tochigi, Ibaraki and Saitama Prefectures) (2)

20th October 2019 11:55

• The area near the Mito-Kita Interchange is still submerged in water ©JPF
• Evidence of flooding is seen on a fence in the city of Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture ©JPF

On 15th October, the joint JPF and JVOAD (Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) team that is assessing the damage in the North Kanto region, met with local actors in Ibaraki Prefecture, and then visited the area near the Mito-Kita Smart Interchange, which could not be accessed the day before due to roads being closed off. The area was still submerged in water, and the flooding seemed to have reached a large area including the residential neighborhoods near the interchange such as the town of Iitomi.
During the afternoon of 15th October, the team assessed the area near the Toki River (Shimogarako, Kuzubukuro, Ishibashi) in the city of Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture. The number of houses that sustained damage seemed to be in the dozens, and evidence that waters had reached chest-height was found on some fences surrounding houses.
On 16th October, the team visited Tochigi Prefecture again and assessed the damage in the cities of Sano and Tochigi. In the town of Izumigawa, Tochigi City, the team observed damages to crops in greenhouses and fields. In the town of Ohira, the team saw a park that was filled with disaster waste.
On the same day, the first Gambaro Tochigi! Information-Sharing Meeting was held in Utsunomiya City by actors including the government, social welfare councils and NPOs, and JPF staff participated as well. Information was shared and thoughts were exchanged on the extent of the damage within Tochigi Prefecture and assistance being delivered by participating organizations.
There will be a continued need for effective information sharing and connecting needs with assistance in Tochigi, Ibaraki and Saitama Prefectures. JPF will cooperate and work together with its member NGOs, the government, social welfare councils and local organizations to deliver assistance that meets the needs of those affected by the typhoon.

JPF visits an orphanage and an evacuation center in the city of Iwaki for Typhoon Hagibis damage assessment

19th October 2019 16:00

• JPF staff and staff from SCJ, a member NGO, talk with evacuees at an evacuation center *The initial assessment conducted by SCJ is not funded by JPF ©SCJ

On 17th October, JPF staff and staff from Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO conducting initial assessment in the city of Iwaki (*an activity not funded by JPF), heard from staff at an orphanage that sustained damage and people who had evacuated to an evacuation center.
Some voices heard from evacuees included, "my car became submerged in water and I have no means of transportation," "it gets cold right before dawn," "there is no place for my children to play" and "there are no desks or places that I can use to study." We could see that people are struggling to cope with life at the evacuation center. Children are especially vulnerable and may require not only material assistance but also attentive psychological care.
JPF will cooperate and work together with its member NGOs to conduct assessment and interviews on the extent of the damage, and deliver swift assistance that meets the needs.

Damage assessment for Typhoon Hagibis in the North Kanto region (Tochigi, Ibaraki and Saitama Prefectures) (1)

19th October 2019 13:15

• Flooding in the town of Fujii, Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture ©JPF

From 13th October through 16th October, the joint JPF and JVOAD (Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) team conducted assessment on the damage caused by the typhoon in the North Kanto region (Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Saitama Prefecture).
The team headed to the city of Tochigi on the day after the typhoon, coordinated with Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), which had also sent out an initial assessment team to the same location, and confirmed the situation in the towns of Ohira and Sonobe. In Sonobe, people were seen cleaning up in restaurants that were closed due to the flooding.
On 14th October, the team visited the city of Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture. In towns such as Iwane and Fujii that are near the Naka River, some streets were still submerged in water and it was difficult to go any further inward. In the city of Hitachi-Omiya, the team visited Ogura and Uruno, both flooded by levee bursts along the Kuji River. In Ogura, power and water outages were also observed.
Due to Typhoon Hagibis, train lines in Tochigi Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture including the Ryomo Line and Suigun Line have been suspended, impacting the movement of residents.

▼See here for information on train status for JR East Japan (as of 12:29 PM, 19th October)
※Japanese Only
https://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/kanto.aspx

JPF will connect the findings in its assessments and interviews to assistance that meets the needs of those affected.

SVA conducting initial assessment in Nagano Prefecture

18th October 2019 19:08

• Photos from the city of Iiyama, Nagano Prefecture ©SVA
• 

Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), a JPF member NGO, has started initial assessment in Nagano Prefecture, which sustained severe damage from Typhoon Hagibis. A director and staff from SVA are visiting the devastated areas near the Chikuma River to gather information and deliver emergency relief.

See here for SVA's activity reports

JPF will cooperate and work together with its member NGOs to deliver assistance that provides close support to those affected.

Damage assessment in Nagano Prefecture (3)

18th October 2019 18:12

• The Second Meeting for Information Sharing--Nagano City ©JPF
• A JPF staff member presents a report at the Second Meeting for Information Sharing ©JPF

On 15th October through 16th October, JPF and JVOAD (Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) dispatched a joint initial assessment team. At the Nagano Prefectural Office, JPF staff supported work related to volunteer activities for disaster relief and also conducted damage assessment in the cities of Iiyama, Suzaka and Nagano.
On 16th October, the Second Meeting for Sharing Information was held, and about 70 people from organizations from both inside and outside the prefecture participated. A JPF staff member reported on the Evacuation Center Meeting, which they had participated in earlier. There were many people from inside the prefecture participating compared to the first meeting. We will continue to gather accurate information and connect it to swift and effective assistance in Nagano Prefecture.
In the areas devastated by Typhoon Hagibis including Nagano Prefecture, JPF member NGOs have started assistance-related activities including initial assessment, medical aid and distribution of goods. JPF will work with its member NGOs to deliver swift assistance.

Typhoon Hagibis: Damage Assessment in Nagano Prefecture(2)

18th October 2019; 13:02

• JPF staff assessing damages in Saku city ©JPF
• Disaster Volunteer Center in Saku city ©JPF
• Apple trees that are flooded in Hoyasu, Nagano city ©JPF

On 14th October, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) joint team conducted damage assessment in the severely damaged areas of Nagano City's Shinonoi and Hoyasu districts and Saku City.

In Shinonoi, there was still mud on the ground. Several dozen homes were flooded in the district, and residents were scooping mud and taking their furniture and other household items out of their homes. They were worried about the disposal of trash and debris that they have temporarily placed in their own yards or in their garages. Also, damages from the flood were found in greenhouses where tomatoes were grown.

In Saku City, where we visited after Shinonoi, we stopped by at the Disaster Volunteer Center that had been set up there. We asked the center about volunteers and the needs for volunteer work in the city. At that point, we were told that they needed volunteers to take furniture and other household items outside of people's homes, clean out mud from their homes, and to pack mud into sandbags.

More information from Saku Disaster Volunteer Center can be found here [*Information in Japanese only]: http://www.sakusi-shakyo.or.jp/publics/index/373/0/

Flood in Hoyasu district was caused by the Chikuma River levee breach, and the district was estimated to have been flooded with one meter of water. Parts of this district were still inaccessible as water had not drained. With many apple orchards right on the riverbeds, there are concerns about damages to the region's agriculture.

On this day, the first information sharing meeting was held at the Nagano City Social Welfare Council. Since many participating organizations at this meeting were from outside of the prefecture, we hope to have more local organizations participate in the future so that information can be shared more effectively and without leaving out anyone.

Typhoon Hagibis: Damage Assessment in Nagano Prefecture(1)

17th October 2019; 18:09

• JPF- JVOAD joint team in Nagano Prefecture ©JPF

From 13th to 16th October, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD)  joint team conducted damage and needs assessment in Nagano Prefecture.

The joint team left Tokyo on the afternoon of 13th October and had a meeting in Saitama Prefecture with stakeholders where we explained our initial mobilization assessment. After we left Saitama, we went to Nagano City where we visited the Nagano Prefectural Office and had a meeting with prefectural staff in charge of NPOs and volunteers.

In this meeting, we shared information on the areas that sustained the greatest damages, relief organizations coming in from outside of the affected areas, and plans for setting up disaster volunteer centers. On the following 14th, we held an information sharing meeting.

JPF Emergency Report Session: "State of Assistance for the Affected People of Typhoon Faxai, Damages from Typhoon Hagibis, and JPF's Mobilization Criteria"

17th October 2019; 14:18

• JPF emergency report session ©JPF
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JPF held an emergency report-back session, "State of Assistance for the Affected People of Typhoon Faxai and Damages from Typhoon Hagibis."

Members of the JPF assessment team, who returned to Tokyo on this day and the previous day, reported at the session along with our member NGOS Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) and Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan).

Reporting was on the damages sustained in each region and the needs in the areas affected by the typhoons in Nagano Prefecture, Tohoku Region (Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures), Northern Kanto Region (Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Saitama Prefectures), and Chiba Prefecture.

This report-back session was mainly intended for businesses that have already contributed or are considering contributing to the relief efforts. At JPF, we will continue to work in coordination with our partners in the business community to deliver assistance that meet the needs on the ground.

Japan Platform to launch 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis -Calling for donations-

17 October 2019; 10:05

• ©PWJ

Nagano city ©PWJ

Japan Platform (JPF) has decided to launch a program to assist victims of Typhoon Hagibis, for which an emergency warning was issued in 13 prefectures from Oct. 12 through Oct. 13, and which caused serious damage in many regions of Japan.
Along with this decision, JPF has started its call for donations and asks for your cooperation.
JPF will work with local governments and JPF member NGOs to understand the extent of the damage and gather information on what is needed, and will swiftly implement assistance based on those findings.
Thank you for your support!

Participating in the Typhoon Damage Response Meeting in Fukushima City

16th October 2019; 18:03

• Photo Caption: Typhoon Damage Response Meeting at Fukushima Cooperative Reconstruction Center ©JPF
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On 16th October, JPF staff, who were in Fukushima for damage assessment, participated in Fukushima Cooperative Reconstruction Center's Typhoon Damage Response Meeting in Fukushima City. About 40 people representing businesses, NPOs, and social welfare councils within and outside of Fukushima Prefecture participated in this meeting to discuss the appropriate structures for providing relief to the affected people of Typhoon Hagibis and to share information among the participants.

In terms of the relief structure, a suggestion was made on establishing a tentatively named Fukushima Disaster Relief Activities Platform, where the organizations would join as members and there would be a more effective provision of assistance in Fukushima. Through this platform, gathering and dissemination of information, external coordination, and fundraising would be done collectively as unified efforts among the member organizations. Steps are being taken to proceed with this plan and to establish the platform.

With regard to sharing what the participants of the meeting know at this point, JPF staff contributed by explaining the damages assessed in the areas affected by the typhoon. We spoke about the need to provide care for people such as  those who were affected by this typhoon while still in the midst of getting back on their feet from the 2011 earthquake or those who are now having to live as evacuees on the second floors of their own homes.

JPF member NGO Peace Boat Disaster Relief also participated in this meeting and spoke on the damages and possible relief provision measures.

Damage Assessment in Fukushima Prefecture: Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City

16th October 2019; 14:32

• JPF staff assessing damages in Adachigahara in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture ©JPF

On 16th October, JPF staff conducting damage assessment in Fukushima Prefecture arrived in the Adachigahara district of Nihonmatsu City to assess the damages there. Several houses on the basin of Abukuma River's right bank had been flooded, and residents were seen taking outside their furniture and other household items that had been immersed in the flood water.

Also, JR East has stopped operating their Tohoku Line train services between Matsukawa and Shin-Shirakawa Stations due to Typhoon Hagibis, and this has greatly affected the lives of Nihonmatsu residents as well.

Damage Assessment in Fukushima Prefecture: Gounome, Fukushima City

16th October 2019; 12:29

• Home in Gounome with watermarks from the flood ©JPF
• Entry prohibited from a pedestrian underpass in Gounome ©JPF

On 16th October, JPF staff conducted damage assessment in the Gounome district of Fukushima City, an area sandwiched between Omori and Nigori Rivers, both of which are tributaries of the Abukuma River.

We spotted watermarks that were left from the flood on the exterior windows and walls of homes, signs that the flood water had risen to as tall as where an adult's head would be. Pedestrian underpass has been prohibited from entry, and water is still being pumped out from there.

Damage Assessment in Miyagi Prefecture: Kaneyama, Marumori Town

15th October 2019; 18:40

• JPF staff hearing from a Marumori resident ©JPF
• Driftwood and debris piling up ©JPF
• Flooded Kijio River ©JPF

On the afternoon of 15th October, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD)  joint team conducted damage assessment in the Kaneyama district of Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture.

In the residential areas of Kaneyama, large amounts of driftwood and weeds have flowed in and piled up due to the flooding of the Kijio River, a tributary of the Abukuma River. Local residents, especially those who are elderly, are having difficulties removing the debris. According to the residents, water trucks have come around supplying drinking water, but there isn't enough water for cleaning their homes and washing out dirt, so the cleaning of the flooded first floors of homes have yet to begin.

In order to alleviate some burden from the residents, removal of disaster debris, cleaning and disinfection of indoor spaces, and other assistance that meet their needs will be needed. Roads in many areas of Marumori are blocked due to the typhoon and are still inaccessible, and we will continue to gather information on the damages sustained here.

Assessing the damage in Fukushima Prefecture--Soma City

15th October 2019; 15:59

• Residents line up for water ©JPF

This afternoon, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD)  joint team in Fukushima arrived at the city of Soma and confirmed the disruption in the water supply.
The Uda River had overflowed and flooded the downtown area, and many people were cleaning up the mud that was left behind. Some roads were still underwater.
In Soma, even the districts that were not flooded are also without water because pipes carrying water from the source and other components of the water supply network were damaged. To compensate, a water truck goes around ten locations within the city, and residents get in line to receive water.
The water outage has a large impact on the daily lives of the residents, and we need to carefully watch the progress in its recovery.
JPF will connect the needs of the devastated areas to swift assistance.

Assessing the damage in Fukushima Prefecture -- Namie Town

15th October 2019; 12:34

• A JPF staff member hears about the damage in the town of Namie from a local NPO ©JPF
• The joint JPF - JVOAD team visits the canal that overspilled ©JPF
• Greenhouses that were flooded ©JPF
• Evidence of raised water levels can be observed in the Takase River ©JPF

This morning, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD)  joint team talked with Namitomo, a local NPO based in the town of Namie, Fukushima Prefecture.
According to Namitomo, the canals built to draw water from the Takase River, which flows through the town, overspilled and caused flooding in some of the residential neighborhoods, but cleanup is finished to some extent.
Meanwhile, there is concern that the flooding may have severely damaged the agricultural equipment used for growing flowers in greenhouses built after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
In Namie, there is no disruption in the water supply, but residents of neighboring towns that are without water have been coming to the large supermarkets in Namie to purchase bottled water, causing a shortage.
We will continue to work with local organizations in the devastated areas to conduct thorough assessment and deliver swift assistance that meets the needs of those affected.

Discussing damage assessment in Fukushima Prefecture

14th October 2019; 18:20

• Sharing information on the damage in Fukushima Prefecture and discussing the assessment to be carried out tomorrow and onward with the assessment team from PBV, a JPF member NGO ©JPF
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The JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) joint team that is assessing the damage in Fukushima Prefecture is meeting with the assessment team from Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), a JPF member NGO, in the city of Iwaki. We are sharing information on the damage in Fukushima Prefecture and discussing the assessment to be carried out tomorrow and onward.
We also share our research on the extent of the damage by location as well as local organizations that can cooperate with us in delivering assistance going forward. We will work with our member NGOs to connect the needs of the devastated areas to swift assistance.

Calling for Donations to JPF's Typhoon Response through Yahoo! Japan Donations

14th October 2019 14：36

• Muddied Tama River around Futako-Tamgawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo (October 13) ©JPF

Japan Platform (JPF) has set up four teams in Nagano Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Tohoku Region (Miyagi, Fukushima, etc.), and Northern Kanto Region (Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, etc.) to assess the damages and relief needs in the vast areas affected by the typhoons. We will provide prompt relief to those in need based on the findings from our continued assessment. We appreciate your donations, which are also being accepted through our Yahoo! Japan Donations page.

Please find JPF's Yahoo! Japan Donations page: https://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/987026/

*Typhoon Hagibis brought additional damages to some of the same areas of Chiba Prefecture that were damaged by the preceding Typhoon Faxai, making it difficult to separate the two disasters and the damages they caused. For efficiency in relief provision, the existing Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai Program will merge with the combined and enlarged response program that includes our response to Typhoon Hagibis.

Typhoon Hagibis: Damage assessment at the Abukuma River Basin in Fukushima Prefecture begins

14th October 2019; 13:25

• Joint damage assessment by JPF and JVOAD at the Abukuma River Basin in Fukushima city and Date city ©JPF
• Joint damage assessment by JPF and JVOAD in the Yanagawa District of Date, Fukushima Prefecture ©JPF
• Joint damage assessment by JPF andJVOAD in the Yanagawa District of Date, Fukushima Prefecture. Confirming the damage in houses that were flooded and the need for heavy machinery ©JPF

Today, the JPF - Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) joint team that headed to the Tohoku region began damage assessment in Fukushima Prefecture.
In the morning, the team assessed the damage wreaked in the Abukuma River Basin in the cities of Fukushima and Date. We confirmed the damage in houses that were flooded and the need for heavy machinery.
The findings will be used to deliver swift assistance going forward.
We ask for your support and donations.

Japan Platform to launch 2019 Emergency Response to Typhoon Faxai and Typhoon Hagibis -Calling for donations-

13th October 2019; 22:06

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Japan Platform (JPF) has decided to launch a program to assist victims of Typhoon Hagibis, for which an emergency warning was issued in 13 prefectures from Oct. 12 through Oct. 13, and which caused serious damage in many regions of Japan.
Along with this decision, JPF has started its call for donations and asks for your cooperation.
JPF will work with local governments and JPF member NGOs to understand the extent of the damage and gather information on what is needed, and will swiftly implement assistance based on those findings.
Thank you for your support!

Typhoon Hagibis: JPF teams head out to devestated areas for damage and need assessments

13th October 2019; 17:34

JPF staff are headed to Nagano Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, the Tohoku region (such as Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture), and the North Kanto region (such as Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Saitama Prefecture) to gather information on the damage and needs together with Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) .
We will swiftly deliver assistance based on the results of the damage and need assessments.

Typhoon Hagibis: Discussions prior to beginning damage assessment on the ground

13th October 2019; 14:24

• JPF and Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) discuss before heading out to the devastated areas for damage assessment ©JPF

JPF prays for those who have lost their lives during Typhoon Hagibis and expresses its deepest sympathy to all who were affected.
JPF will work with Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD) to swiftly assess the damage wreaked in the many areas that have been affected by this typhoon.
Currently, we are holding discussions at the JVOAD office to dispatch teams later today (13th October) for assessment on the ground.

Gathering information on the impact and damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis

12th October 2019; 9:00

The large and violent Typhoon Hagibis is expected to make landfall in the Tokai region or Kanto region between late afternoon and night on 12th October without losing its intensity, and then travel northeast from east Japan to the Tohoku region*.
Japan Platform (JPF) is gathering information so that it can begin damage assessment and respond swiftly if the affected area and people need.
*Japan Meteorological Agency: Regarding Typhoon Hagibis (11th October)