Christianity and Disaster Prevention
December 14th, 2019. Kwansei Gakuin University
Kobe International Christ Church
Pastor Yoshio Iwamura

Theme Scripture: Isaiah 58:12“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called
Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” (New International Version)<Introduction>
As a result of 9.11 terrorist attacks1, a value as a Christian has changed. The view that I had been thoughtthat I could change Japanese people through evangelism was completely destroyed. Until that time, every
morning of rainy day, windy day and snowy day, I had been making a big voice to deliver evangelism on
the street in front of JR Asagiri station. Since 1995 when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occurred, I
wanted commuters to come to our church, receive a baptism and become Christians. I think that I devoted
my passion busily to do evangelism more than any other pastors of Christian churches in Japan2. However,the 9.11 attacks made me realize a necessity to change myself. “’The time has come,’ he said. ‘The
kingdom of God has come near’”3. It was my personal conversion of Kairos4 that was shouting of “Repent(Greek word Metanoia <It means change the view point>) and believe the good news!”(Mark 1:15) At the
moment when the religious attitude that I had been devoted myself was broken, a true conversion raised.
Until then, I had been silent about social breaks and rather reproduced many of them. Therefore, myjourney to the road toward complete die has begun.
(1) Broken Japana. “Ring of Fire”
In Japan, Vanuatu, and Indonesia, the repeated natural disasters took many human lives. Japan, thePhilippines and Indonesia are called “Ring of Fire”5. Looking at the data, in the first 18 years of the 21st
century (from January 2001 to March 2018), the number of death from the Tohoku earthquake andtsunami, the Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu and Pal in Indonesia have been already exceed the total number ofdeath in the 20th century6.
b. Japan’s tear
3 days after the March 11, 2011, the students of Kobe International Sustaining Organization started
preparation. We entered Watanoha Ishinomaki City Miyagi Prefecture on March 21, and heard the cry of
the broken areas. The word of a woman who lost her relatives, “I want to see them even they are ghosts”,
made us to stop our thinking as a religious person. We encountered a reality that could not be healed by thesimple comfort equipment from the decoration of the synagogue, the structure and the choir inside of thechurch of the cross.

1

The September 11 attacks that destroyed World Trade Center and other facilities in US. Nealy 3,000 people dead.
The New York Times. September 12. 2001.
2
1998. Christian Newspaper. February 1.
3
Greek word “h;ggiken Eggiken (Completion form of evggi,zw Eggizw)” is “became close”. It means that comesalready so close. It is not “approaching closer”.
4
Greek word “Kairos (καιρός)” originally from the verb “cut”. It is used for critical experiences such as birth anddeath, decisive encounter and social cataclysms. On the other hand, “Kronos (Χρόνος)” is a homogeneous andlasting concept of time. 2001. Takao, T. Yorozunokotoni tokiariki. The last lecture at Hosei University.
5
2019. Iwamura, Y. Kikinojidaikara satsushinnojidaihe – Sono 3 Kaosukara kaifukuhe -. April 14.
6
ibid. 2018. Nikkei Asian Review. Anthony Reid Australian National University website. April 4. “The 21st century
has in its first decade already far exceeded the number of casualties from the whole 20th century”

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It is written in the “Ishinomaki Kahoku” newspaper as follows. “90% of 21,000 people from tsunami withsaying “Tsunami tendenko (the original motto from that area to be aware about tsunami)”. I heard thatpeople escaped even they dipped their body in the cold sea water up to their waist under the snowing sky.
The fangs of tsunami attacked and the houses that their first floor became empty are everywhere.7”
The response of the Christian Church was introspective way. As it is written, “They dress the wound of
my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14),
to praise the “peace of the Lord” at services, reconstruction of churches, clergy houses and disaster
affected believer’s houses. We put “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious(Hebrew word
qalal <easily, slightly>)” as our priority to heal. For this, donations from not only
from domestic but also all over the world were used. There were also visits to church members and seekers
who could not come to church services. As this result, clerics started to visit the disaster affected sites8. Inother words, the church has been working together to prayer meeting, give courage and support to maintainthe peace of the church members. However, there is a view that altruistic efforts have begun a little bylittle following the event of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

ll'q;c. Deviation with victims
In Ishinomaki City Miyagi Prefecture, as of the end of 2018, still 2,352 houses have problems of damage
with kamoi (wood piece parts that passes the sliding doors of each room of Japanese houses) of theirhouses, therefore their shoji (sliding paper doors or partitions) and fusuma (paper-covered sliding doors
and partitions) don’t function properly9. Most churches did not stand along with individual victims. It was
rather than not moving, but it was because of influence of breathing air of a “normal temperature society”.
It’s like a status of taking a relaxing bath. The values of “I more than the public”, “now more than future”,“reality more than expectation” (now, here, I) are spreading through the church10.
At that time, at the Christian Church in Ishinomaki City Miyagi Prefecture, it was said that the number ofparticipants in Sunday service became more than double that before the earthquake11. However, 8 years
after now, I heard that the number became as same as before. Could the church hear the “cry out” of thevictims? “Unexpected sudden bereavement due to natural disasters” and “bereavement that can bepredicted to some extent due to illness” are fundamentally different12. Sudden absurd death due to tsunami,
does not allow time of farewell. Without receiving the time of “good bye” at the very last moment withbeloved one, family time will be putted an end forcibly. Therefore, the family left behind was simply
stunned by the sudden fact that was hardly accepted. You will flood your bed with tears every night
because of pang of repentance that “I should have done it”, and unfocused anger, suffering and regret.
Even now, people have traumatic feeling for the sound of the ocean waves. They cannot sleep13. They step
inside the Christian Church and confess repeatedly about the gospel of the declaration as “the one who
believed in Jesus was saved”, and have been confused. For the victims with just vain melody echoes insideof their empty heart, the sermons will not reach the core of the soul. People gradually tend to keep awayfrom the gathering that they were used to attend by courtesy. This is because that “cry out to God” could
not be healed by spending Sunday for the gospel that should be “healing”, repentance of sins, attendanceof worship services and donation.
Why is “Rachel refusing ”, that is written in “This is what the Lord says: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they
are no more.’”? (Jeremiah 31:15)
Is it because many disaster affected people think that “I am not a real victim because there are many other7

2017. Ishinomaki Kahoku. October 9.
2018. The Christian Newspaper. July 16.
92018. NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). December 12.
10
2019. Seikatsushyano heisei 30nenshi. Detadeyomu kachikanno henka. Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living. 6667.
11
2011. Sankei Shimbun. May 2.
122012. Fujimori, T. Yamori, K. Fukkoutoshienno saigaishinrigaku; Daisaigaikara naniwo manabuka. Fukumura
Shuppan. 46.
132018. Yoshikawa,J. Quarterly journal "Shien". No.2. February 3. 2.
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people who are more suffering than me”14? There are people who are trying to overcome their sorrow bythemselves with pushing aside their emotional feeling, “No matter how hard it is, I will overcome thissuffering by myself without making troubles to others”15. It this because the tendency of Japanese people
who lack of “Jyuen-Ryoku = attitude to accept help / relationship”16?
As what I was before, the Christian Church has thought that evangelism can convert people. However,before changing Japanese people, Christians ourselves must be changed. Christians must realize the reason
why the victims do not want to be “comforted” in the church.
(2) Conversion from escape theology to liberation theology
a. Christian Church that reproduces wounds of the affected areas
The Christian Church is satisfied with the gospel, support and the blessings of the spiritual heritage left
by Christians. However, they are insensitive to the anger, sufferings and chagrin of the disaster affected
people. They are too indifferent to the reality of the marginal village. Nowadays, the flow that encourage
to increase the number of fellowship to the church, such as “I want useful information”, “I don’t want tohear hard stories” and “It is better to delete the scars of disasters when we proceed our reconstruction”, is
occupying more of the part. Even if we father for worship, the place is filled with ethea that fade thedisaster event as to be “the history on the paper”. On the other hand, there are “chaplain17”and the principle
and activities of Kamazaki Chiristkyo Kyouyukai that “supports without evangelism purpose”18. Somechurches are also working on Children’s cafeteria.
In the disaster affected area, although it is possible to recover, restore and reconstruct the materialistic
situation, a dialogue to be with disaster affected victim’s PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder),unattended death and listening volunteer is tend to be discontinuous. People do not hear the bitterness,frustration and spiritless of the victims, and they make light of taking time to hear the grief of crying toGod. The relationship to establish trust each other by increasing the number of visits and talks to hear thecry of victims is needed. In other words, you will be asked to be close friends. It is necessary to examine
carefully.
b. Choosing a poor person
The morning prayers in the Bible were written by people who knew that they didn’t have any power to do
anything19. God is the existence that approach closely to the “poor”, “smallest” and weakest people.
(Psalm 113:6) That is not because the sin of the poor are less, but “smallest people” have been excluded
from the sinful world. In the economic dog-eat-dog world, there is a mechanism like an ant-lion hall, once
you drop off from the system, you will never be able to drag yourself up.
What the first church chose was that the people who were crowded out from the sliding society, as“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to
14

2011. Mikami, N. Higashinihondaishinsainiokeru kokoronokeachimu. Katsudounokeikenkara. Keanohituyouseito
henkennitsuite. Muroran General Hospital Magazine. Vo.36. 46.
15
2011. Takagi,K. Kanashindeii daisaigaito gurifukea. NHK Publishing. 58-59.
16
2018. The Christian Newspaper. July 21.
17
It is a Japanese-style chaplain that is a model after European and American chaplain, and they are a religious
person who provides mental care in public spaces in Japan without aiming for missionary work or evangelism.
Japanese Association for Religious Studies.
2013.Taniyama,Y. Possibilities and Tasks for Chaplain Activities in Japan, as Seen from the DisasterArea(Religious Care in the Public Sphere:Possibilities of Chaplain Activities in Japan,Panels,Research
Reports,THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION). 829-830.
18
Mr. Honda Tesuro says, “Belonging to any religion, whether Christian or Jewish, does not guarantee salvation.
(snip) To live the gospel is not the important thing. (snip) There is no need to do any kind of solicitation orevangelism like a prostration such as ‘You will never be saved unless you join in our religion’. For those who wantto push through with no religious faith, that’s perfectly fine. What the most important is keeping an evangelicalpoint of view and a realistic work that unites the pain and hope of those who are the smallest.”
2015. Shirahase, T. The Homeless and the Social Role of Religion. Kansei Gakuin Daigaku Kenkyu Sousho.
Nakanishiya. 153-154.
19
2019. Katongole, E. Rice, C. Reconciling All Things. The Board of Publications The United Church of Christ inJapan. 118.

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be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5) Typhoon No.15
attacked Chiba Prefecture and other places just a moment after the event of a record-breaking deluge(August 27, 2019) that occurred in Saga Prefecture. From Kobe, we needed to stay near the “scar” of MeraMinamibousou Chiba Prefecture. Two of the five people who participated in the 7th Chiba Disaster
Volunteer were crowded out from the system and became “people living on the street”. We become
familiar with people through every week food distribution at Kobe East Park (next to the Kobe City Hall)
since April 2014. Food distribution has been started by participants of Tohoku volunteers20. They havebeen excluded from a society because they do not hold a house, does not work for a company, does nothave a resident card and they are not eligible to be a payment target for welfare.
Those who have been doing management of our organization have been ridiculed and they were saidfrom other people that “The street dwellers are lazy. They are useless like once you become a beggar for 3days, you cannot help doing it”. Those street people who become familiar with us did volunteer activities
such as moving rubbles, muds and changing tatami mats at Koyaura and Ichihara Kure City Hiroshima
Prefecture and Mabi Town Kurashiki City Okayama Prefecture through our Western Japan Heavy Rain
Relief Volunteer. They were the first to take the initiative in serving to do severe and heavy work to thevery last moment with sweating, and to see their act, I was made to “repent (Greek word metanoe,w
metanoo)” my prejudice, just like some presidents of company also experience21. They say that general
Christian churches are gorgeous and have a high threshold, have many rules and are uncomfortable. Thereis a reality of decorated architecture, art and music that excite the elite consciousness of wealthy people.
c. A church that doesn’t stay close to a tear
It is a “peace” for people who lost their family, work and friends in the disaster affected area if they can
successfully respond to “disaster prevention”? There are five districts in Mera area with about 200 houses.
Area chief of Kandamachi Shimada Masao (76 years old) was sighing about the residents of his district onlast week, December 9. It was because even after just three months since the occurrence of Typhoon
No.15, there is suspicion on the government’s disaster victim certificate. They are angry about the unclear
criteria between “half collapse” and “partially destroyed”. There was no response about the revision of thecriteria from the government office and also how much support fund will be provided by the Disaster
Relief Act is unclear. There are three “complete collapse” houses in the area. According to a law that was
acknowledged 28 years ago, if the case is assessed as “complete collapse”, relief fund is determined 3
million yen. However, the two-storied house of Ms. Kotani Toshie (77 years old), who is providing thespace for us, become a single story house because its 2nd floor was blown off, and her house is certified as“complete collapse” case. But, since she is single living, relief fund become 1.5 million yen.
The plan says that 595,000 yen will be paid for “half collapse” and “partially destroyed”. That money
will not be paid to the disaster affected victims, but it will be paid to the contractor who repaired the roof
and house. Therefore, in the end, the victims themselves will not receive a yen. Husband and wife, Kanda
Hiroshi & Yoshie, who live in Ryushima Kyonan Ttown, get indignant at this reality. Their neighborhood
also just don’t know what to deal with their anger about that their houses were not properly assessed and it
was certified as “partially destroyed”, even their houses were obviously large scale “complete collapse”.
Regarding the “disaster relief money”, 10,000 yen to the “complete collapse” and 5,000 yen to the “halfcollapse” will be paid to the victims. Through the media, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and Chief Cabinet
Secretary Suga Yoshihide announced with confidence that they designated the disaster as an “extremely
severe disaster”22. Although the roof, ceiling and wall are damaged, a repairman is not possible with 5,000
yen. They are just compelled to accept it. Even in the Mera Kanda area alone, 5 people went out
somewhere in 3 months. They must have been moved somewhere. The cold wind of separation with achildhood friend leaving without a good-bye greeting, who has been fellowshipping for many years, are20

cf. http://kisokobe.sub.jp/article/%E7%82%8A%E3%81%8D%E5%87%BA%E3%81%97/6737/“Metanoia (22 times in the New Testament)”, means 180 degree shift from the stereotypes of custom, tradition andcommon sense, rather than “repenting of sin”. In Hebrew, it is “bwv shuwb” and it appears 1,075 times in the
Old Testament.
http://kicc.sub.jp/2013/10/29/%E6%AD%BB%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E8%80%83%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B/
222019. The Nihon Keizai Shinbun. October 10
21

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blowing. The typical strong sense of villager's friendship that is uncommon in the city, are likely to be
separated by natural disasters. Therefore, Kobe International Sustaining Organization holds a meeting withlawyers that follow with the wishes of the residents. When considering disaster prevention, the active workof private volunteers started in Saga and Chiba Prefecture are desired from now on. Although we cannot
ignore fire fighters, fire brigades and the Japan Self-Defense Forces, but in fact, “Shien (Sustainable
Relationship)” from the local residents is the base of the work to rescue lives from disasters.
(3) Disaster prevention
a. Volcano
The word by a Japanese physicist Terada Torahiko [1878-1935], “Tensaiha wasuretakoroni yattekuru(=Great natural disaster comes to us when we forget the last one)” is very famous. However, earthquakes,
tsunamis and volcanic activities since entering the 21st century have characterized as “Dead Capital
Japan”. Especially in Kobe, it has been attacked by natural disasters without having time to forget the lastone. Japanese people seem to live next to disasters. Kobe’s disaster history can be said as a microcosm ofnatural disasters in the Japanese archipelago. Kobe, which is often hit by disasters, seems to be affected by
the Rokko Mountains.
On December 22, 2018, at around 9:27 pm (December 22, 11;27 pm Japan time), Krakatoa, which islocated between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the middle province of Indonesian, was exploded and asector collapse had occurred. A tsunami occurred in the Sunda Strait and more than 200 people were deador missing. During the 2nd Indonesia volunteer (January 7-13, 2019), I had opportunities to discuss about
natural disasters with Indonesian Secretary General Jenderal Cipta Karya and also Dr. Maryoko Hadi who
has an experience to give a lecture at Tokyo University, for 2 hours23. At that time, they were also
worrying about the volcanic explosion in Japan.
Kobe University Professor Tatsumi Yoshiyuki [1954-] is giving a warning that a volcanic explosion
would ruin entire Japan and it will be “Lost Japan”24. Volcanic explosions are more serious disasters than
Nankai Megathrust Earthquakes, Earthquake centered directly under the capital and typhoons. Looking at
the natural disasters that occurred frequently in 2019, it seems that God has been rested after completing
his work of creation. It would be like the clock entered to take a rest and quiet, after winding a spring of
the clock and ticking a time.
“Restore” from “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me”

ar;B; bara” (Psalm 51:12) It is the same Hebrew word “bara” as “created” incomes from Hebrew word ““In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”25. Therefore, the God’s work of creation is stillon the way to completion. It is not “Creatio ex nihilo (Latin word, creation from nothingness)” that create
the “thing” from “nothing”, but it is “Creatio secunda”, the work of creation that is still on the way to the
new heaven and earth.
b. Orderly design
The nature world is realized by the hands of Almighty God. In Japan, we love “花鳥風月(Ka-cho-fugetsu. Flower-Bird-Wind-Moon. The beauties of nature)” and enjoy the seasonal flora and fauna, themountains and natural productions. To enjoy seeing rare varieties of alpine plants and butterflies flying in
the mountains, and experiencing hot spring baths that promote physical health, we use highways, mountaintunnels and huge rest areas. We have been making the nature world to obey to us for human comfort,
23

Iwamura,Y. The 2nd Indonesia Volunteer Report.
1993. Arai, F. Kazanbai Koukogaku. Kokon Shoin. 1.
25
Creation (Latin, Creatio ex nihilo) is the act of producing “thing” from “nothing”. According to a book of Plato[427 – 347 BC] “Theaetetus”, it is different from the creation (Latin, Creatio secunda) of the world by Demiurge,
but it was the material which was eternally existing. (cf. 1998. Wolters, M,A. Creation regained. Seibu
chyukaibunshyo iinkai. Translated by Miyazaki Tetsuya. 35)
24

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convenience and efficiency. Once God caused the Great Flood by seeing a land was filled with violence. In
the oracle given immediately after the flood, God has commanded to eat after exsanguinate blood. In otherwords, since “blood is life”, he limited unnecessary killing animals26. Because we pursued too muchcorporate profits over natural resources, Ashio copper mine pollution incident occurred. House ofRepresentatives Tanaka Shōzō [1841-1913] also proclaimed. “Kusakihajinjijinzouniarazu.
Zenzenjinrikinohatarakino koreichibuniarawaru ketsukanari. Torikemonomushisakanakaiyamakawakusaki
bontenchikanno doubutsuha nanihitotutoshitewarenioshiezarunareba koreminawagaryoshinari. Amen.
(Plants are not made by humans for humans. It is a partly result of the work of the Almighty God. Birds,
animals, insects, fishes, shells, mountains, rivers, grasses, trees, and every flora and fauna between heavenand earth teach us. They are the great teacher. Amen)”27. He considered nature such as plants and trees as ateacher rather than the thing that human domain it.
On September 6, 2018, I heard that an earthquake occurred in Atsuma Town Hokkaido when I was in
Beirut Lebanon. It was unimaginable that the Ainu mosir (the quiet earth of human beings), that lives ingreen way will be damaged by earthquakes. I was attacked by a tragic thought, “This is the end of Japan”.
Immediately after returning from Beirut, I was worried about the damages of the Ainu villages, so I headed
to New Chitose Airport from Itami Airport on September 9 (Sunday), 2018.
On September 11, 2018, we drove in the blackout from Atsumi Town through The Hidaka Expressway
about 45minutes to reach Biratori-chō. At there, there is Nibutani. The showcases at the Kayano Shigeru
Nibutani Ainu Museum were broken, and the first floor of the museum was scattered and collapsed glasspieces were covered all over the floor28.
In the document of 1965, it is recorded that there were 466 families with 2,313 Ainu people were livingin Biratori-chō. Probably the area was where the most Ainu people live in Hokkaido. It is transmitted byword of mouth through Kamuy Yukar (Ainu Spirits Singing) that the place is the sacred place where thegod of wisdom Ae-oyna-kamuy has descended. Recent museum director is the second son of Kayano
Shigeru, Kayano Shiro. He inherits Yukar (Ainu sagas that form a long rich tradition of oral literature) andUepeker (Ainu folktales, and form part of the Ainu's oral literature).
“Ainu” means “human” in the Ainu language. In the Ainu society, the word “Ainu” is used only for thepeople who are really good in many ways.
The Ainu people were forced to stop their lives as a hunting people in their living world of forests andrivers, and they were made to live by “farming”. After the war, the government took a lead and planted
cedar and cypress for the purpose of making money. Imported timbers became cheaper, so the mountain
was left untreated. Pruning and maintenance of the forest were stopped; therefore satoyama (undeveloped
woodland near populated areas) had been disappeared. Deciduous forests are necessary to prevent
landslides and disaster prevention29. We have developed the large scale of forest for farming and have been
26

“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.” (Genesis 9:4) The fact that humans have been given
nature as its living food means that humans have been entrusted with the concept of Stewardship to protect animal
from extinction at the same time. In order not to kill indiscriminately, the norm of “blood = life”, that is, “blood”
as the thing God eat, he permitted a slaughter act in the manner of the way that animals die without suffering.
27
2013. Iwamura, Y. Resurrection of Rice Field, Mountain, and Bay. Summer Workshop of Japan Association of
Religion and Ethics. Asuka Institute of Kansai University Ueda Memorial Hall; 1979. Tanaka Shōzō Zenshyu Dai
11kan. Tanaka Shōzō Zenshyu hensankai. Iwanami Shoten. 330. 341.
28
Iwamura, Y. Technology supremacy brings about natural disasters- the 1st Hokkaido Earthquake Volunteer-.
The meaning of Ainu word “Niputay” originally come from “the place where trees grow”. There are many Ainu
names at places at northern region from Tohoku area. Particularly, according to the Office of Ainu Measures
Promotion of Hokkaido Government, about 80% of the names of municipalities in Hokkaido originally come fromthe Ainu language. Researching the reasons why kanji (Japanese Chinese character) of places in Hokkaido isdifficult to read, it seems that there were places where already named by an indigenous Ainu, so later Japanese
Government applied kanji to match the sound and meaning of Ainu language.
Kayano Shigeru [1926 – 2006], the father of Kayano Shiro who I met, collected Ainu folk equipment for about 50
years since the 1950’s, and also he actively devoted on recording Ainu language. His son, Shiro is the director /curator of “the Kayano Shigeru Nibutani Ainu Museum”.
29
2013. Iwamura, Y. Resurrection of Rice Field, Mountain, and Bay. Japan Association of Religion and Ethics.
Asuka Institute of Kansai University Ueda Memorial Hall.
http://kicc.sub.jp/2013/08/23/%E3%80%8C%E7%94%B0%E3%83%BB%E5%B1%B1%E3%83%BB%E6%B9%
BE%E3%81%AE%E5%BE%A9%E6%B4%BB%E3%80%8D/

6cutting it for pasturage. Today, we must know that human desire was actually the greatest destruction ofnature30.
c. Discharge from dam
For disaster prevention, it is necessary to shift to an antidam policy. From September 9 to 14, 2018, among
160 families, 4 people were dead by the earthquake in Horonai area. Ms Tatsunami Toshiko (80 years old)
who had been opening a tofu shop before the earthquake occurred, told me about the fear of theearthquake. Last time visit, there was no road to the Atuma Dam from Tomisato area, where is about 2 km
ahead Horonai area. There are five dams in Atuma Town31. Those are under the control of the Ministry ofLand, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), not by the town. It is the same situation as
Hakimasue Asakura City Fukuoka Prefecture32. Even researchers have not been able to analyze the causeof the huge landslide collapse that had occurred in several places in Atsuma area. If there is a scholar who
denies that the large-scale construction at underground of 30 km to build dams has triggered an epicenter, I
do like to ask about the safety myth of such a fake. Horonai area was the most severely affected area after
the Yoshino area. They became an isolated island on land.
MLIT must immediately have provided the budget for reconstruction to the disaster affected people inAtsuma Twon, instead of constructing a new dam. On July 5, 2017, the tragedy of Hakimasue Asakura
City Fukuoka Prefecture occurred due to the dam‐break of sand control dam. Due to the discharge from
Shin-Nariwagawa Dam, which supplies industrial water to Mizushima Coastal Industrial Zone in Krashiki
City, a 6-meter water flood hit Mabi Town on July 6, 2018. Water flood hit Atsumagawa area [Atsuma
Town, Abira-chō, Mukawa-chō ] on September 6, 2018, due to the discharge from Atsuma Dam, which
supplies industrial water to the Japan’s biggest, Tomakomai Industrial district. Kobe International
Sustaining Organization has often pointed out that sand control dam breaks, discharges from dams andpoor riverbank protections are the causes of natural disasters. I am deeply impressed now by the fact thatthe word of dam discharge finally become to be taken up by newspaper editorials this year. About the great
casualties that were brought by the typhoon No.19 in Iwaki City Fukushima Prefecture, the media quickly
raised a problem with dam discharges33.
At Togagawa River in Kobe City, renovation construction has been carried out every year from
1939[Showa 14] to 1959[Showa 34], except 1952 and 195334.

Since the Flood
Disaster in the
Hanshin area (July
3 -5, 1938 [Showa13]), sedimentcontrol dams had
been constructed
constantly at theupper area of
Togagawa River.

Constructed in Augst 1956

Constructed in December 196030

2013. Hirabayashi, T. Shizennomondaito seiten.Research Center for Christianity and Culture, Kwansei Gakuin
University. 160.
31
Iwamura, Y. Technology supremacy brings about natural disasters- the 1st Hokkaido Earthquake Volunteer-.
http://kisokobe.sub.jp/article/12559/
2018. The Christian Newspaper. October 1.
32
Iwamura, Y. Kyushu Masue Volunteer Report. http://kisokobe.sub.jp/article/10343/
33
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2414801938627900&set=pcb.2414802411961186&type=3&th eater
34
1966. Hyogono sabo. Hyogo Prefecture Public Works Section Sabo Division.18.

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A concrete sediment control dam is the set with cutting forests and river conservancy works. Both sides
and bottom of the river are covered by concrete. In a composition that a three-sided revetment accelerates
the speed of water flow, so that “flash flood” occurs. On the other hand, “land dike” made of stone
masonry, not concrete, it has an ability to reduce the flow speed, even after the inside of the embankment
is filled with sand and stones. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the straight attack by debris flow to thedownstream area35.
According to the Flood Disaster in the Hanshin area in 1938, it is recorded that 933 deaths, and 696,000
people, which was 72% of population of Kobe City, were affected. In 2008, a total of 26 people were
washed away and 5 people were dead by flash flood at Togagawa River, which originally from Mount
Rokkō. Until that time, Togagawa River had been giving local residents a safety myth as a “disasterprevention communication river”.
Humans must be more humble in front of the marvels of nature.
<Conclusion>
Talking through local people while we are doing our volunteer activities, we got a feeling of the fact thatnatural calamities are not actually a natural disasters but it can be determined as a man-made disasters.
Hiroshima Prefecture had planned to prevent the flow by sediment control dam before the event of debris
flow occurred in Koyaura area Saka-chō. They assumed in advance a landslide scale of about 55,000 cubic
meters, and it was more than six times the amount of sediment volume of about 9,000 cubic meters. The
amount of sediment runoff due to heavy rain is unknown, but the sediment control dam broke down, andcaused 15 deaths and one missing in the same area36.
When we consider about “disaster prevention, there are three issues. First is taking care of the forests, thatis restore satoyama and prevent debris flow. Second is a breakaway from dam dependence. And third issecure of food safety37. As it is written in theme scripture, “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins andwill raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with
Dwellings”, the mission of “Repairer of Broken Walls” is making harmony with nature, it means, to bewith in reconciliation. Volunteer members do not need to become a subsidiary organization to the Social
Welfare Council (Volunteer Center). If you be at under the supervision of them, you cannot think about thereality, cause or repair of broken Japan. Rather, it is important to set up private volunteers, search fordisaster affected victims, and spend a long time to listen cry of the people.
If you don’t stay in a broken marginal villages, have the same breathing and have no talk to become morethan friend with them, you won’t be able to connect to recover, restore and reconstruct the miserable
reality that has been driven by depopulation, aging and declining birthrate.
Let’s head to the tear for our brothers and sisters.
Mr. Murata Michiya, a board of member of Kobe International Sustaining Organization, revised mysermon manuscript. Thank you for your support.
Also, thank you for our office translator Ms.Tokudome Yumi, Ms.Sasaki Miwa and Ms.Dote Yukiko tocorrect unclear points of my document.

35

1969. Rokkousan o kiru. Takao, K. The Mainichi Newspapers Kobe Brunch. 185.
2018. Mainichi Shimbun. August 10.
37
2019. Quarterly journal "Shien". No.29. Kobe International Sustaining Organization. November 10. 4.
368