The Ninth TOMODACHI J&J Disaster Nursing Training Program Cohorts*Japanese alphabetical order【Students】
Name：Nao ENDO
Affiliation：Fukushima Medical University, Faculty of Nursing,
Department of Nursing
Hometown：Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture

Having experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, I developed aninterest in other disasters and the crucial role of healthcare workers. This
motivated me to pursue a career as a healthcare professional with a focus on disaster medicine anddisaster nursing. Since last year, I have been actively involved in the disaster nursing circle and astudent organization. However, as I participated in these activities, I became acutely aware of mylimited knowledge and narrow perspectives, which led me to seek ways to improve myself. During thistime, my professor recommended this program, which prompted me to apply. Through this program, I
aim to gain various insights from its content, group work, and opinions of other participants. I also hopeto objectively evaluate my abilities and how effectively they can be applied during a disaster. I aspire tospend the six months understanding the differing approaches and strategies between Japan and theUnited States regarding disaster response, and to experience significant personal growth.

Name: Moe OIZUMI
Affiliation: University of Hyogo, Faculty of Nursing
Hometown: Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture

I applied to this program with the aim of learning about disaster nursing andapplying this knowledge to my future activities and nursing career. Having
been born and raised in Kobe, I have always had a keen interest indisasters, influenced by my early education and continuous reflection onearthquakes. At university, I learned about disaster nursing through a
training program that welcomed nursing students from Australia, Malaysia,and other countries. Learning about disaster nursing alongside theseinternational students deepened my interest in the field. As my motivation to engage in disaster nursing
grew, I became acutely aware of my lack of knowledge about my own country’s disaster medicine andthe need to learn more about it. I am confident that this program will provide me with a comprehensive
knowledge and approach to disaster medicine as it allows me to study the topic not only in Kobe andthe Tohoku region but also to learn about cutting-edge disaster nursing practices in the United States. I
am also looking forward to studying and sharing diverse perspectives with peers who share the samepassion.
I will actively engage in the program, gain as much knowledge as possible, and participate
enthusiastically in all activities!

Name: Mao OGAWA
Affiliation: Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing,
Department of Nursing
Hometown: Iwamizawa, Hokkaido

I am studying nursing with the desire to alleviate suffering from allperspectives for people of various nationalities, cultures, and religions.
During disasters, foreign residents are more likely to become vulnerable
due to communication gaps and other barriers compared to others. I aspire
to deepen my understanding of the medical support and informationnecessary to maintain the physical and mental wellbeing of these
individuals in their communities during disasters.
My decision to participate in this program has been prompted by my desire to learn what challenges
exist in Japan for ensuring safe evacuation of foreign nationals and assistance to providing services
necessary in the daily lives after a disaster. Furthermore, I aim to expand my perspectives and explore
the necessary measures to prepare for the needs of those in distress and those from different culturaland linguistic backgrounds.

Name: Yui TAKADA
Affiliation: Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing,
Department of Nursing
Hometown: Minamishimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture

I developed an interest in disaster nursing when I visited the areas affectedby the Great East Japan Earthquake during my middle school years.
Specifically, I am interested in nursing activities that aim to prevent
disaster-related deaths. It is unacceptable for lives saved duringevacuation to be lost due to deteriorating health or even suicide caused by poor shelter conditions or
insufficient nursing care. To prevent such avoidable deaths, I believe it is essential to intervene from theacute phase of a disaster. Through this program, I aim to learn how advanced countries provide
medical and nursing care during the acute phase of disasters and gain specialized knowledge on thesefields by visiting facilities and organizations. I am eager to learn as much as possible through thisprogram that provides unique and valuable learning opportunities.

Name: Ramu TAKEDA
Affiliation: Tohoku University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health
Sciences
Hometown: Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture

I aspire to become a midwife who provides safe and secure childbirth under
any circumstances and supports pregnant women and their families byaddressing their concerns, thereby contributing to an establishment ofsociety that protects women’s rights. When I experienced the Great East
Japan Earthquake at eight years old, I faced shortages of supplies and a lack of privacy in evacuation
centers, which made me realize that disasters often put women, especially pregnant women, invulnerable situations. Such experience taught me the importance of midwives with specialized
knowledge and training in maternal and child health in actively providing psychological care to pregnant
women and assistance in improving shelter conditions to protect women’s rights even during disasters.
Over the six months, I aim to fully engage with disaster nursing to learn practical skills such as triage

and Psychological First Aid (PFA). Additionally, I hope to develop confidence and initiative in actively
supporting women’s rights during disasters.

Name: Amana MASHIHO
Affiliation: Okinawa Prefectural College of Nursing, Department of Nursing
Hometown: Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture

Japan is a disaster-prone country, experiencing earthquakes, heavy rains,and so on in recent years with a major earthquake predicted to occur in thenear future. Therefore, I believe there is a significant need in studying
disaster nursing and would like to delve deeper into the subject through thisprogram. Additionally, I aspire to learn about the international medical care as well as cutting-edge
healthcare systems in the United States in pursuit of my interest in studying nurse practitioners andmedical support for foreign residents in Japan. The opportunity to visit disaster-affected areas and theU.S. to study disaster medicine, along with the chance to exchange opinions and learn together withstudents from various regions, greatly attracted me to apply for this program. Through this program, I
hope to gain specialized knowledge and skills in disaster nursing to provide high-quality nursing care in
the future as a professional.

Name: Yuina MATSUMOTO
Affiliation: Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Health CareSciences
Hometown: Adachi, Tokyo

I was drawn to the opportunity to learn specialized content in the field of
disaster nursing through fieldwork both domestically and internationally inthis program as there are not many classes focused solely on this field at
my university. My interest in disaster nursing developed when I participatedin the volunteer work in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake during my first year ofhigh school. Before participating, my image of disaster medicine centered around triage and on-sitetreatment. However, interacting with the victims, learning about their complex feelings, andunderstanding the impact of disaster on children’s growth sparked my interest in mid- to long-term
support. This program will be one of my first experiences studying abroad and interacting with students
from other universities. While I feel slightly nervous, I am determined to actively engage in this training
to make it a fruitful step toward a future career in disaster nursing.

Name: Rin YASUDA
Affiliation: Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Department of Health
Sciences
Hometown: Fussa City, Tokyo

I developed an interest in disaster nursing and measures in regional nursingand health professions through my experience of evacuation during
typhoons when I was a second-year high school student, and through group
work on regional disaster support at university.
I decided to apply for this program as I learned from the 8th cohort at the final reports event about thepractical training opportunities and the chance to learn about the healthcare system and disasternursing in the United States. Through this program, I aim to acquire knowledge and skills that will help
me achieve my career goal of providing effective disaster support to communities. Furthermore, I wantto actively consider my role within the group and take initiatives to complete the program alongside thenursing students with various backgrounds and perspectives.

Name: Miina YAMAZAKI
Affiliation: Okayama University, Medical School Faculty of Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Hometown: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

There are three main reasons for my participation in the program. First, I
want to gain an international perspective on disaster nursing. Second, I
aspire to become a person who can observe, think about, and act on therealities and challenges of disaster nursing in both Japan and the United States. Third, I aim to becomea leader in the field of disaster nursing. With these three pillars in mind, I desire to engage in theprogram’s “preliminary training,” “training in the U.S.,” and “post-training.” Despite the accelerating
globalization in various fields of studies, I feel that there are still few international learning opportunities
focused on the field of nursing in Japan. On the other hand, this program offers a valuable learning
opportunity in the field of disaster nursing for nursing students across the country through a publicprivate partnership. It also offers the best educational opportunity to learn about disasters both in Japanand the U.S.. Through this program, I aim to take proactive actions based on my findings throughcomparing and analyzing disasters in both countries and through identifying necessary preparation for
future disasters.

Name: Mikita YOSHIMATSU
Affiliation: Kansai Medical University, Faculty of Nursing
Hometown: Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture

What struck me the most when volunteering in the Noto disaster area wasthat people there thrived to maintain their daily lives despite the destructionof roads and homes. Such firsthand experience strengthened my desire to
support people to live their lives as they are through nursing. At the sametime, I aspire to become a nurse whose presence brings a sense of security
and safety to those around me. To become such a nurse, I must gain knowledge about various
solutions and support methods for different problems and needs. Furthermore, visiting Noto made me
realize the importance of gaining first hand experience. Over the six months, I will have the direct
learning opportunity about disaster measures not only in Japan but also worldwide, alongside members
from across the country. By participating in this program, I aim to contribute to disaster mitigation andprevention in my future community and become the ideal nurse I envision.

【Mentors】
Name: Kanako YAMAMOTO
Affiliation: Kansai Medical University, Faculty of Nursing
Hometown: Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture

Looking back, the first time I set foot in a disaster area was at the end ofApril in 2011 in Ishinomaki and Rikuzentakata after being severely
affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since then, over the past
13 years, I have visited various disaster areas annually and engaged insupport activity, essentially learning disaster relief on the job. Throughinteraction with people from various professions and different support experiences, I constantly think
about what disaster relief and disaster nursing truly entail. I feel that this is a question that has yet to beanswered. I am currently a university faculty member with a full time job, and I am making do with thetime I have to support disaster relief efforts. As long as I have time, I would like to visit the disasterareas. I would be very happy if my experience, which I have gained a little more than you, can lead tothe future development of the field of disaster nursing. I hope that I can be of some assistance to you all
as you forge your own paths ahead.

Name: Ayaka UCHIDA
Affiliation: University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Graduate
School of Medicine
Hometown: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Disasters occur unexpectedly and suddenly, and disaster responders must
respond quickly and appropriately. In order to be able to respond in such amanner, it is important to provide education about disasters and training toturn the unexpected into the expected. Disaster nursing education is one
way to provide students and nurses with the knowledge, skills, and preparedness necessary to respondto disasters. I would like to be involved in this educational program so that nurses can provide the best
possible care for disaster victims. I also believe that by sharing the latest knowledge about disasternursing, we can contribute to the development of nurses who can play a role in saving the lives ofdisaster victims and supporting their healthy lives. As I am involved in disaster response both in Japan

and abroad, I continue to explore what disaster nursing is and what the role of the nursing profession is.
Through this program, I would like to clarify the differences between the concepts of disaster nursing inJapan and the U.S. and the strengths of disaster nursing as Japan, and to work globally.