26

NEWS LETTER

vol.

2022.03©3.11Future Support Association
Ishinomaki Minamihama Tsunami Memorial Park, a place of prayer for passing down the memories of and lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake
to future generations. Storytelling and other activities are carried out in this area, which was hit the hardest by a combination of earthquake, tsunami, ﬁre andland subsidence.

Eleven Years Since the Great East Japan Earthquake

Passing Down the Memories
and Lessons Learned
to Future Generations
There is a word tendenko in the Tohoku dialect meaning to escape individually.

The word teaches the lesson that people must scatter and run for safety
individually when they feel a quake in the coastal area, prioritizing their own lives
over others.

This lesson saved the lives of approximately 3,000 elementary and junior highstudents in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, as they evacuated to a place that was
higher than the evacuation centers. This story is known as the Miracle of Kamaishi.
Thanks to numerous trainings, the students were able to save their own lives.

Some people have not returned to their hometowns since they escaped. More thanOur Sincere Thanks anda Report on Your Donations
2021 Summer Heavy Rain

As of February 22, 2022, we have received a total of

28,576,962 JPY in donations for the assistanceactivities for the heavy rain disasters that occurred inJuly and August 2021. The donation pages for these

activities have closed, but the recovery and reconstructionof the affected areas are still only halfway completed.

Civic Force will continue to support the local

community-based recovery through our NPO Partner
Projects.

Japan Professional Baseball Players
Association Fund (Players Fund)The ﬁrst crowdfunding campaign (from December 6,2021 to January 31, 2022) raised a total of 11,121,000
JPY for the Players Fund, which was launched jointly

by Civic Force and the Japan Professional Baseball27,000 people from Fukushima Prefecture are still living outside the prefecture. In

Players Association. The money will be used forreconstruction bases* in Okuma Town, Futaba Town and Katsurao Village, whileproviding rapid assistance in the event of disasters, as

the difﬁcult-to-return zones, evacuation orders are to be lifted this year in the

Namie Town, Tomioka Town and Iitate Village are aiming to have the orders lifted in
the spring of 2023. Differences in opinion between those who have returned andthose who have not are creating divisions that are hindering the reconstruction of

the towns. However, some people have begun to move forward saying, We canstart by sharing our experiences through these years.

Eleven years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.

One of the themes Civic Force focuses on is Passing Down Memories to Future

Generations. In this newsletter, we will introduce various activities that aim to
restore the ecosystems and local vibrancy which were lost after the earthquake,

including activities that pass down the memories across disaster-affected areas in
Tohoku.

* The ofﬁcial name isSpeciﬁed Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas. They arelocated in the difﬁcult-to-return zones where entry is restricted due to high levels of radiation,
and are targeted to reopen for residence and agriculture ahead of other areas.

improving initial response which is essential towell as for recovery, reconstruction, and raisingawareness of disaster preparedness in normal times.

Hometown Tax Payment Project

We received a total of 207,000 JPY in donations fortheHometown

Tax

Payment

Project

bySaga

Prefecture, Protect People s Lives and Health Aftera Disaster! Private Sector Disaster Prevention
Project Let s Stockpile Together(from November

4, 2021 to February 1,2022). The money will be used
to properly maintain and manage supplies such as daily

necessities that will be used immediately after adisaster in addition to stockpiles that can improve theenvironment of evacuation centers.

Thank you for your support.

01Supporting
Disaster-Affected
Areas

East Japan Earthquake
1 GreatEleven Years from That Day−Things We Can Do Now

The Great East Japan Earthquake brought enormous damage over a large area.
Reconstruction is steadily moving forward as time passes. On the other hand, new issues such as depopulation,
isolation, and fading memories of the disaster are surfacing.
Civic Force is now conducting NPO Partner Projects that support NPOs in the disaster-affected areas focusing on threethemes: “Community Revitalization,” “Fukushima Welfare Support” and “Passing Down Memories to Future Generations.”

N ew Projects

Her e ar e the NPO Pa rtne r Proje cts tha t ne wly st a rt e d in

Passing Down Memories to Future Generations

Passing Down Memories to Future Generations

Tomiokachou 3.11 wo Kataru Kai

Fukushima (Talk about March 11 Sessions ofTomioka Town)

Miyagi

Passing Down Memories to Future Generations

March 11 Future Support

Miyagi

Mémoire de Yuriage

t h re e pre fe c t u re s o f T o h o k u be t w e e n Ja n u a ry a n d Ma rc h 2 0 2 2 .
Passing Down Memories to Future Generations

Miyagi

Date no Kurofune Taiko(Drum)
Preservation Society

To Know Fukushima
Is to Know Japan
population of Tomioka Town, were suddenly
forced to evacuate because of the Fukushima
nuclear incident. Eleven years have passed,

and yet, there are only 1,800 people back in
town. Tomiokachou 3.11 wo Kataru Kai is

the kataribe(storyteller) activity that takes
place in town. Motivated by their storytelling
mission, they have been sharing with visitors

about the events that transpired in Tomioka

Town and Civic Force has been supporting

this activity from January 2022. The NPO
kataribeclasses for children andyoung people, creating spaces to meet andcommunicate with each other to pass down
memories.

Tsunami Reconstruction Memorial Museum
Mémoire de Yuriage

Demonstrating the Impact
of Passing Down Memories

More than 16,000 people, the entire

holds

Online Kataribe continues under COVID-19
restrictions

To the Generations Born
after the Earthquake

Ishinomaki City s March 11 Future Support

Prior to the disaster, about 5,000 people

started as a function of the NPO/NGO liaison

were living in the Yuriage neighborhood of

meeting management ofﬁce after the Great East

Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture. The tsunami

Japan Earthquake. Along with improvements

destroyed the land and Yuriage Middle

made in the disaster-affected area, the activities

School lost 14 students. One year after thegradually shifted from support to passing down

To Revitalize a Marine Coast
Full of “Hamanasu”

Riku Café is aiming to revitalize communities that

Due to the disaster, the number of marine

A preservation society continues to perform

were split or lost in areas around Rikuzentakata

a local tradition

City, Iwate Prefecture. The café is running acommunity space led by residents and puts effort

Kamaishibased in Ogatsu Town, Miyagi Prefecture. In

addition to concerts, they are collecting andinto food education for children and healthcare

preserving landscape pictures offor the elderly. Since January, the NPO Partner(festival)

matsuriand local life taken before theProject is working to solve health issues that weredisaster. Unfortunately, after the tsunami, theexacerbated by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

population of Ogatsu decreased to one-fourth of

Civic Force will support lunch box distributions to

its number before the disaster. An NPO Partner

households needing food (listed by the municipal

Project is providing printing and digitalizing thecouncil of social welfare) in addition to Kodomo

photos collected to help the local people

Shokudo (children s cafeteria),

preserve their culture, traditional arts, and local

free or reduced-price meals and a safe place tolife. Photos and videos are shown in the special

stay. New menu development contests for highexhibition,schoolSuzuri Dento Sangyo Kaikan.

consulting, and healthcare projects for the elderly

Ogatsu no Matsuri,

at Ogatsu

students,

cooking

will also be implemented.

local

Prefecture,

ecosystem.

greatly
Local

volunteers started an initiative to regain thevaluable sightseeing attraction of the local
area. The coastal landscape and ecosystem will
be revitalized by expanding

hamanasu,asymbolic ﬂower of Kamaishi City that grow wildin the area. In cooperation with local children
and specialists, they have conducted seeding,plant cutting, and soil improvement and areaiming to create a Nebama-style sustainablecommunity that coexists with nature. At thetree planting festival to be held this April,seedlings that were raised and seeds that werecollected will be planted.

management support.

value of these activities, we aim to create a more

Special exhibition, Ogatsu no Matsuri, is heldtill March 21

disaster-resilient society.

Cooking class for children held at Riku Café

Miyagi

Fukushima Welfare Support

Nationwide

Ishinomaki Revival Support Network

Providing shelters to families in needand those facing domestic violence.

311 Japan Nuclear Disaster Aid Association/
311 Ukeire Zenkoku Kyogikai
operated by volunteers across Japan

Natsuko Nakahara
In charge of LʼOCCITANE FundLʼOCCITANE JAPON

Iwate

Kosodate-ship

Community Revitalization

L OCCITANE applies the philosophy,

Providing continuous childcare support from pregnancy

Respect for nature and people

Supporting disaster preparedness project for infants- from a tiny seed in soil to its

products distributed all over the

Fukushima

Soma Aid and Rescue Team

Creating communities and nurturing the next generation throughthe horse culture of Minami-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture.
Fukushima Welfare Support

ShinseiCreating a sustainable mountain farmfor evacuees who have the nuclear disaster.

A Sustainable Initiative Linked
to Company Philosophy

Supporting the continuation and progress of the retreat programs

Kokoro Smile Project

Providing support and mental care for children andtheir families who have suffered after losing their families.

Making hamanasu seedlings
with local children

We Offer Our Support!

as o f M ar c h 2 0 2 2

02

Iwate

began supporting storytelling activities andng Projects
Ongoi

Soma Aid and Rescue Teamthebut starting this March, the project also

disaster preparedness. By showing the social

Community Revitalization

nutrition

City,

Force supported memorial services management

impact of these activities on the progress ofKokoro Smile Projectclasses,

inﬂuencing

The past NPO Partner Project with Civic

February 2022, we have been verifying theCommunity Revitalization

which offers

plants decreased along the Nebama Coast ofand pass down the memories of the tragedy.

anearthquake disaster cooperation group. From

Community Revitalization

Nebama “Hamanasu (Japanese Rose)”
Project Planning Committee

important place for people to gather together

memories of each local area as the management
3.11 Memorial Network,

Iwate

school used to stand. The memorial is an

supporting activities that pass down theofﬁce of the

R i ku C a f é

Iwate

Securing Meals for Childrenand Health for the Elderly

disaster, a memorial was built where thememories. From 2017, they have been

Community Revitalization

Collecting Landscape Pictures Taken
Before the Earthquake and Making
Them Treasures of the Town
Date no Kurofune Taiko,

Lectures are given at the request of schools
and companies.

Community Revitalization

Ohanashi Kororin

world. As a sustainable initiative

Community Revitalizationthat links to our company philosophy, we deeply empathize

Lending books to elementary schools and local groups
Lending books and holding story telling at the salon

Ohakozaki Civic Meeting

Red ﬂower of hamanasu
that blooms in the summer.

with the the people of Kamaishi City who tirelessly work to
O ha n a s hi K o r o r i nCommunity Revitalization

Supporting a ﬁshing industry experience tour and Umi no Gakko(School of the Sea) at Hakozaki Peninsula in Kamaishi City

restore the local nature starting from improving the soil, toraising seedlings, and planting.

*This project is conducted by support from L OCCITANE
and the L OCCITANE Group.

03

Supporting
Disaster-Affected
Areas

Summer Heavy Rain
2 2021
Civic Force Supports Six Local Organizations

Supporting
Disaster-Affected
Areas

in Atami and Saga

Partner Projects
3 NPOfrom Tohoku to Kyushu

NPO Partner
Projects

In July 2021, the Izusan neighborhood of Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture was struck by a massive mudslide, followed byRegrettably, COVID-19 has not been contained, and people who are still in the process of recovery andtorrential rains in Kyushu in August where many houses and buildings were damaged.

reconstruction from disasters are facing yet another difﬁcult situation.

Through NPO Partner Projects, Civic Force has supported local volunteer organizations in the affected areas that aim to

Civic Force has supported NPOs in the affected areas with COVID-19 response projects since June 2020.

resolve local issues.

Furthermore, we have been developing NPO Partner Projects in areas affected by disasters in 2019 and 2020. In
March 2022, we implemented the following projects:

Tenkarasen
Atami

Atami Kicollys

Opening Café for Local People
to Get Together

Atami

In October 2021, a local group delivering packed meals to elderly forced

Atami Kicollys is a weekend logging group

Center established a volunteer organization named Tenkarasen. The

members lead the restoration work of theto take refuge at home and relief supplies to Hama Disaster Control
organization looks after the elderly and holds networking events for local

residents. They are now preparing to be an incorporated organization
and are in the process of opening acafé with ocean views in Izusan thisC O V I D-19

Restoring Temple Hall
- Heart and Soul of Locals

Ca ro Fuk ushi ma
Fukushimathat operates in the forests of Atami. Its
Miyagihalf-destroyed Aizome Temple, home of a
local guardian deity in Hama District. Civic
Forceprovidesrestorationequipment,

Miyagicleaning tools, and ﬁnancially supports

coming April. Our NPO Partner

ﬁrst aid lectures for injuries or accidents

Project is assisting them with their

Nationwide

potentially occurring during the restoration

incorporation process to establish

work. The goal of the project is to help

long-lasting activities and support

Platform to support childrenʼs education.“Study at Caro”
Ishi noma k i Revi va l S up p ort N etw ork

Supporting disaster victims in temporary housing amid the pandemic.
TEDIC

Opening safe spaces for children.
World O p en H ea rt

Emergency hotline for COVID-19 discrimination victims.

restore the temple hall, a source of pride for

their projects for disaster-affected

Offering prayers at ﬂoral tribute tablepeople.

the locals, by ensuring project safety andutilizing the timber of Atami s forests.

Kicollys members restoring
and cleaning the temple

2020 Kyushu Heavy Rains2019 Typhoon No.19, Hagibis

A ma mi ra
NPO Kusunoki
Atami

Sheltering / Looking after Pets ofDisaster Victims

A private volunteer organization

Kusunoki,which has provided

refuge for cats in Atami since 2004, looks after mudslide victims pets

Atami

Restoring the Workshop at an
Employment Support Ofﬁce

Megumi Group, which runs an employment support ofﬁce for disabled

persons, made every effort to restore its damaged workshop. Ended in
December 2021, the NPO Partner Project helped them replace their

them with a peaceful environment.

required to reopen the workshop. Megumi Group appreciated the project

shelters. The organization also ﬁnds foster owners for cats to provide

damaged printer and refrigerator and provided a vehicle and items
support saying, We are now able toSince November 2021, Civic Forcehas supported the management ofcontinue projects as we did before

assistance to cover medical costs

for schools in Atami, assembling

activities and its regular operations.

concentrate on our primary activities
without worry.

Atami

Securing Places for Children

I am so stressed due to the evacuee life.

Saga

inns, restaurants, Regional Cooperation Teams, and tourism associations

have implemented a soup kitchen service and, security measures and otherefforts. Now, they are promoting town reconstruction with an eye on the

future of the community. Through the NPO Partner Project (ended January

A rest and relaxation space creatednext to the restored workshop

Reopening of Support Center
for Affected Children

community with the locals.

The

Amamira Report

B ui l d B a ck B e t t e r

To Overcome Disaster and Build a Better Society

center had been opened at a different

efﬁciency, and impact of each project and to use the results

City

organizations. Civic Force helps to

Ofﬁce

and

other

volunteerprovide child-friendly spaces andmanage their academic support tojunior high students in cooperation

on August 14. In order to continue providing for children, a temporary

correctly evaluate and analyze the validity, effectiveness,

location but preparations for the

to build a better society.

food education using local produce,the establishment of the temporary

Megumi Kuwana

supporting the opening of the newExpert (Adviser) on NPO Partner Projects
Associate Professor, Global Major,
Department of International Studies,
Faculty of International Studies,
Kinki University

center.
Offering tutoring with NPOs
and college students

high cultural property value. We are helping

can

be

utilizedforregional

them at public expense.

Holding workshops
for folk house restoration

Though disasters cause a lot of damage, many new humanrelationships and unprecedented attempts are created to overcome

the difﬁculties and to build a better society in the recovery process.
Trial and error are inevitable in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Listening to local people s voices, the NPO Partner Projects haveencouraged and fostered new movements not covered by government

subsidies and supported their activities. For over a decade, they haveprovided assistance in many different ﬁelds - medical care, education,energy, tourism, and disaster-resistant community creation. The

center and, in January 2022, beganwith university students and NPOs,

the cleaning of Atami Beach.

Through the NPO Partner Projects, we are working with

underway. Civic Force assisted with

Activities include online tutoring forand environmental education throughCity, Saga Prefecture, accepts children who have developmental

reopening of a new center are now

junior high /high school students.

region. Civic Force supported the restoration of old, damaged houses with

Columnexperts who have proven track records in various areas to

Atami

Preservation Society to preserve the historical landscape of the Naganuma

revitalization instead of simply dismantling

disorders. The center was forced to close for two days after the ﬂooding

thethe disaster. In 2021, it launched the Shinano Naganuma Folk House

houses

Net, an NPO in Shizuoka City, has been providing places for children inwithrelief supplies, and made spaces for local communities since the outset offundraising. Through this project, theAn after-school day service organization named Galapagos in Takeo

collaboration

Hope Apple (Hoyasu victim support team) has provided a soup kitchen,creating a website for public relations andI have lost the nursery for mychildren. Having listened to such words from parents, Shizuoka Kyouiku

Old Folk House Restoration Project
Connecting Local Traditions

through house restoration workshops andriver improvement plans in Amagase andother issues, aiming to revitalize the

Shinano Naganuma Folk House
Preservation Society

to strengthen the organizational foundation

local people. We held a study session on

Gal apag os

Shizuoka Kyouiku Net

rain disaster in July 2020. Since the disaster, the group members including

river improvement plans, and feelings of the

your heartfelt support, we canHolding lecture sessionsin Atami and Tokyo

launched in Amagase hot spring in Oita Prefecture in the wake of the heavy

the damage situation, evacuation methods,

reusable shopping bags. Thanks to

NaganoAmamira (formerly named Amagase hot spring creation project), wasmagazine, Amamira Report , which covers

corrugated cartons, and creating

efﬁciently manage both emergency

Publishing an informational magazine
from Amagase Town

2022), Civic Force created an informational

the disaster such as binding booklets

and provided ﬁnancial

so that the organization can

04

Oita

Me g um i Gr oup

to take some burden off of the owners during their stay in evacuation

Kusunoki© T E DIC

Children enjoying with playequipment

variety of supported ﬁelds and the long-term continuity represent thecharacteristics of the NPO Partner Projects. I believe the NPO Partner

Projects have respected local movements and changed the way ofconnection to these movements, which led to providing great power tocreating the foundation for a new society.

05Creating an Emergency
Preparedness Mechanism

Expandingto Asia

Cross-Sector Collaborationis
Key to Emergency Response

Creating an Emergency
Preparedness Mechanism

We are undertaking various efforts to develop our emergency preparedness
mechanism in the face of disasters. This page introduces media coverageof our activities and information associated with our partner organizations.

What a single organization
can do is limited when a large-scale disaster occurs.
To maximize the effect of all the support that we have received, Civic Force is investing in building an assistancemechanism that will have a signiﬁcant impact on post-disaster society.

Hands-on Event“Minna de Bosai”(Disaster Prevention Together)

Emergency Relief Activity in Tonga

Civic Force, together with Tokio Marine &The Asia Paciﬁc Alliance forDisaster Management (A-PAD)

hands-on event

Civic Force is seeking a program coordinator(s) towork on the Greart East Japan Earthquake NPO

Partner Projects based in Fukushima and Iwate

Nichido Fire Insurance Co., held aprefectures. We welcome applications from people who

Minna de Bosai 2022:

are eager to support the disaster-affected areas.

Let s Think About Disaster Prevention!

on March 12 at the Fureai Square in

A-PAD, an international emergency assistance organization, was inaugurated at theministerial-level meeting of Asian disaster preparedness held in Indonesia in the year following

Asia-Paciﬁc, a disaster-prone region, A-PAD operates an emergency relief platform throughSupport Our Activities Easilycollaboration with many companies andGeneral Donations

and children to learn about disaster

https://www.furusato-tax.jp/city/product/41001/107

goods that are useful in disaster situations were exhibited, including

http://www.charibon.jp

organizations, was intended for parents

which companies, NPOs, governments, research institutions and media in the member countries

can help each other. By the end of March 2022, six countries - Japan, Indonesia, South Korea,

Hometown Tax Payment Program

prevention while having fun. Various

Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Bangladesh have joined, and a cooperation system established.

In response to the massive eruption of a volcano off Tonga in January 2022, A-PAD

vehicles with power supply functions and emergency toilets, and aheadquarters and A-PAD Korea launched an emergency fundraising campaign. In coordination

stamp lottery rally was also held.

with the embassies and a local chamber of commerce in Tonga, A-PAD delivered relief items

such as face masks and protective equipment in line with the local needs. Another emergency
December 2021.

Top: Volcano eruption ‒ photo taken from the sky over Tonga
Bottom: A-PAD staff unloading relief items at Fua'amotu Airport

Heads: Charity Happiness Shopping Bags

https://www.e-heads.co.jp/products/detail2/3219

https://askul.disclosure.site/ja/themes/103

Hondana-Otasuke-Tai: Donation by Selling Second-Hand Books
https://hondana.biz/charity-application/

On February 4, Saga Prefecture presented appreciation awards

to 23 companies and organizations that supported the prefectureduring the 2021 August heavy rain. Prefectural Governor【A step towards a better future】

Value Books: Charibon

SUNNAP (sales limited in ASKUL)
Phase-free Certiﬁed Paper Cup with Measurement

Appreciation Award
from Saga Prefecture

support activity is underway in areas of the Philippines and Nepal devastated by typhoons in

Yoshinori Yamaguchi expressed his

EC Navi: Smile Project

https://ecnavi.jp/smile̲project/

COVID-19 Emergency Assistance

donatewith e dacpurch hase

Sharing with Tonga the lessons Japan, as a disaster-prone country,
has learned the pandemic.

gratitude to Civic Force for providing

https://courrier.jp/columns/278916/

generous support such as distributing

Yahoo! Net Donation●NPO Partner Projects http://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/3747017●Lending Trailers to Hospitals http://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/3747016

https://www.beams.co.jp/brand/901658/

supplies to the evacuation site andExecutive Director of Civic Force,
received the award.

Emergency Medical Support during Pandemic

ARROWS (Airborne Rescue & Relief
Operations With Search)“Common Beneﬁt Investment” to Createa Local Economy beyond Reconstruction

Common Beneﬁt Investment Fund JAPANIn December 2019, Civic Force helped organize ARROWS to

In November 2011, Common Beneﬁt Investment Fund JAPAN wasto combat COVID-19. ARROWS delivered facial masks and medical

East Japan Earthquake. To assist economic recovery efforts in theprovide rapid emergency relief and its ﬁrst large-scale mission was
supplies that had been stockpiled in case of disaster to medical andwelfare facilities throughout Japan.

March 2022 marked the sixth wave of COVID-19, overwhelming
hospitals and welfare facilities across the country. In response,

medical teams have been dispatched to Miyagi,

Hiroshima, Hokkaido and Okinawa prefectures to strengthen
infection control measures and to ﬁll manpower shortages.

established with the donations offered to Civic Force from the Great
affected areas, it created the concept ofCommon Beneﬁt

Investment aiming to create a new economic model beyond recovery
and reconstruction. Since launch, it has supported fourteen projects in
TohokuandPrefecture.

three

projects

inKumamoto

Some of the supported projects have begun

2021
annual report

repaying the fund. In 2018, a new fund wasestablished with The Sanaburi Foundation toﬁnancially assist local NPOs. It will continue toassist the NPOs increase their value.

BEAMS Mask

100 yen

BEAMS

free taxi vouchers. Ms Kaori Neki,

GlobalGiving

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/coronavirus-relief-aid-distribution/

Supporting Nakano Junior High School on“Survey of Social Contribution Activities”

Great East Japan Earthquake
Yahoo! Net Donation

http://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/3747011

On February 18, Civic Forcetook part in an online interview

Start Your Support
with Only 33 Yen per Day

held by second-year students
from Nakano Junior High School

in Nakano Ward, Tokyo. The

In order to be better prepared for future disasters, we need yourschool is working on a Survey ofSocial Contribution Activities as a part of the comprehensive learning

program. We talked about our activities in the 2021 Atami landslide,
Kyushu heavy rain and 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. We also

support. Become a monthly supporter and you can donate a ﬁxed

amount each month (in 1,000 yen units) and help prepare for future
large-scale disasters.

spoke about the role of Civic Force in times of disaster. They asked many

● Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation :experiences? and Is there anything junior high students can do?

● Japan Post Bank : 00140-6-361805

questions such as Is the job worthwhile? , What were the hardest

21.12.25

MAGAZINE

Aoyama Branch Account No. 6953964（Account holder s name of the above banks is Civic Force ）● Credit card : Please check the Donate Now! section of theMedia Coverage

Civic Force website below

Hiroshima Athlete Magazine
January 2022 issue

https://bokinchan3.com/civicforce/donation/bokin/page1.php

Social contribution through baseball:Players Association Fund ﬁnally realized!

21.12.09

21.11.23

Dispatching doctors and nurses across the nation upon request.

06

NPO Pa r tne r
Pr o je cts

Dondondon no Mori Park in Saga City.
This disaster awareness event, held in

the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In order to minimize catastrophic damages in the

ARROWS

Program Coordinator(s) Needed
In Fukushima And Iwate Prefectures

Nature experience activity of Active Life -YADO-, an eco-ﬁrst guest house

WEB

NEWSPAPER

twitter

https://twitter.com/civicforce

Player s Plus

To offer immediate emergency assistance:
Japan Professional Baseball Players Association founds
the Players Association FundThe Saga Shimbun

Civic Force and Tokio Marine & Nichido s Saga Branchcollaborating to prepare for natural disasters

SNS
Civic ForceYouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/civicforceorg

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/civicforce

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/civicforce/●Previous newsletters▶ https://www.civic-force.org/news/newsletter/●Subscribe to updates from the disaster areas▶ https://www.civic-force.org/mailmagazine/index.html

07

The Great East Japan Earthquake Support Program

Memorial Prayer forthe 11th Anniversary:
To Pass on to the Next Ten Years

NEWS LETTER

Eleven Years Since that Day

We Shall Not Let 3.11 Fade Away
Each year, at the exact time of the earthquake,memorial prayers are oﬀered at many locations along the Tohoku seacoast.

vol.262022.03

14:46 on March 11.

The memorial event to mourn the victims is a very precious moment that comes once a year.

at a crossroads due to ﬁnancial constraints and the eﬀects of COVID-19.
In March 2022, Civic Force s Assistance Activities for the Great East Japan
Earthquake is supporting the eﬀorts of various local volunteer groups
to sustain the memorial events in the aﬀected areas.

［The Great East Japan Earthquake Support Program］

The 11th Anniversary Memorial Prayer :To Pass on to the Next Ten Yearsand pass down the lessons learned to future generations.

Until

March
31

While the tangible eﬀorts have been steadily progressing including
the reconstruction of memorial facilities, the intangible eﬀorts
such as passing down memories to future generations are
now reaching a crucial point.

Passing Down Memories to Future Generations

A 19:00 on March 11, a group of young volunteers will launch memorial
ﬁreworks in Unosumai Town, Iwate Prefecture, an area severely damaged bytsunami. The ﬁrework is named Shiragiku, which was ﬁrst made by a ﬁrework

craftsman in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture to mourn his army comrades lostin Siberian detention. With a wish toturn all bombs around the world intoﬁreworks, the Shiragiku ﬁreworks are now launched at various places acrossJapan to commemorate different events including the Nagaoka City Air Raid
(August 1) and the anniversary of the end of the Paciﬁc War (August 15).
©2021 Nobuo Kimura

Since 2020, Unosumai Town has been launching memorial ﬁreworks on March
11, with the cooperation of Kase Enka Kogyo, the manufacturer of Shiragiku.

At Natori Municipal Yuriage Junior High School in Miyagi Prefecture, 14

students fell victim to tsunami. One year later, a Tsunami Recovery
Memorial Museum named Mémoire de Yuriage was opened. The museum

regularly provides an earthquake disaster program to visitors. The
memorial gathering, We Will Always Remember You All, is held at themuseum every March 11. In attendance is not only the bereaved families,

but also people from all over Japan who wish to share the families feelings
and spend this particular day in Yuriage. This year again, the memorial will

be held on March 11 to observe silent prayers to the victims and to ﬂy
dove balloons to the sky with messages written on them.

Passing Down Memories to Future Generationstranslated by ILV of the YWCA of Tokyo

Mémoire de Yuriage

Head ofﬁce : Tomigaya Ogawa Bldg.2F,2-41-12 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN 151-0063

Shiragiku Executive Committee

Date of issue : March 2022

Target Amount：1,000,000yen

the victims but also an eﬀort to reﬂect on the memories of 3.11

e-mail : info@civic-force.org

The 11th anniversary Memorial Prayer is not only a time for mourning

Crowdfunding Now Underway

Publisher : Civic Force

Memorial events organized by local volunteers at their own expense are

Saga ofﬁce : Marunaka Bldg. 6F, 1-3-5 Matsubara, Saga City, Saga Prefecture, JAPAN 840-0831

and municipal memorial events are similarly shrinking.

TEL : +81-3-5790-9366

However, the annual national memorial events were discontinued last year after the 10th anniversary of the earthquake,