MARCH 2012 UPDATE • PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER

An NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic andSocial Council of the United Nations
Peace Boat US 501c3 registered non-profit organisation

GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIOn March 11, 2011, at 2:46pm, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck off theJapanese coast at a depth of 24km, triggering a catastrophic tsunami that laid
waste to swathes of the Tohoku region. 433 sq km of land were inundated bya wave that reached 30 meters in height, sweeping across cities, villages andfarmland. In what is considered to be Japan’s worst humanitarian disastersince WWII, approximately 23,000 people were killed or registered missing,and around 500,000 more were displaced. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
plant was severely damaged during the disaster, resulting in the worst nuclear
accident since Chernobyl, which plunged the damaged country into a stateof nuclear emergency. The survivors face the monumental task of rebuilding
their lives in the damaged area.
Great effort has been made to ensure the recovery of Tohoku. In the year
since the disasters struck, improvements are evident; evacuation shelters
have closed, businesses are reopening and farms and fisheries are restarting
their operations. However, in spite of the many successes, some areas havebarely changed since March 11. The media coverage of this issue has declined
significantly, but the needs of those affected have not similarly diminished.
This humanitarian crisis is not yet over, and the people of Tohoku will continue
to need local, national and international help if the area is to truly recover.

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This sign reads:“Gambarou! Ishinomaki”– “Let’s hold on!
Ishinomaki”
Photo: © 37 Frames
Photography

MISSION STATEMENT
Peace Boat’s mission has been to provide immediate
emergency relief and support for the long term social andeconomic recovery of the Tohoku region, focusing on the cityof Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture and its environs. Peace Boatworks in consultation and partnership with local communities,
responding to their situation and needs, enabling andempowering them as part of the recovery process. Peace Boat’s
operations focus on the training and deployment of volunteers
in the belief that volunteers can provide essential support in
the physical regeneration of Tohoku, and that the humansolidarity they provide is a vital factor in a comprehensive
recovery of the region.

Photo: © 37 Frames Photography

PEACE BOAT IN TOHOKU
Within a week of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake,
Peace Boat had established a presence in Ishinomaki, oneof the most badly affected towns in Tohoku. Peace Boatbegan emergency programs to deal with the unprecedented
disaster, deploying hundreds of volunteers to provide hot
meals, distribute relief goods and clear mud. In Ishinomaki
Peace Boat continues to work in close collaboration withthe local community, the authorities and other NPOs activein the region. Specifically, Peace Boat works in partnershipwith the local, prefectural and national governments; theSocial Welfare Council of Ishinomaki; the Ishinomaki Disaster
Recovery Assistance Council (IDRAC); the Mayor’s Office;and the Japan Self Defense Force. With its commitment tocontinued assistance in the area, Peace Boat is in the processof establishing a permanent volunteer base in Ishinomaki.

Ishinomaki - Photo: Yoshinori Ueno

Map of the epicenter of the March 11 earthquake

PEACE BOAT Founded in 1983, Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental
IN DISASTER and non-profit organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and
RELIEF sustainable development and respect for the environment. Peace Boat began its
disaster relief work following the Kobe earthquake of 1995, and since then has
provided disaster relief support in Japan and around the world. Following the Great
East Japan earthquake, Peace Boat established the Peace Boat Relief Volunteer
Center (PBV), to focus on emergency relief and long term support for the people ofTohoku.

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PEACE BOAT’S RESULTS: 20114

THE REOPENING OF THE MORIYA FRUITS SHOPThe Moriya Fruits shop

On April 13, Moriya Fruits shop, a family business founded in 1931, became the first shop in
Ishinomaki to reopen after the disaster. It took 45 volunteers weeks to remove the mud anddebris from the building and make the shop operable again. The biggest transformation,
however, was seen in the owner. After the tsunami destroyed the shop he had inheritedfrom his parents, he could see no future for himself. He described himself as ‘despondent’at the losses he had suffered and the enormity of the task in front of him. That all changed
once the Peace Boat volunteers got to work. ‘Seeing the efforts the volunteers put into
the clean-up operations acted as an impetus for us.’ the owner recalls. ‘We wanted to reopen our shop, and do it fast! With the road to recovery being so long, it seems that many
people are succumbing to despondency now… therefore we felt it was doubly important to
re-open our shop as soon as possible.’ Peace Boat hopes this story will inspire and motivate
others in the community who might otherwise give in to despair.

‘THEY GAVE ME THE COURAGE AND DRIVE NOT TO GIVE UP’
Ms Sakuma Ikuko is the 7th generation of her family to own the Shinchinrou Izakaya
in Ishinomaki, which has been open since 1855. However, Ms Sakuma’s experiences inthe tsunami made her reluctant to return to her business. She has vivid memories of
the tsunami waves and the terrible screams of people swept along by them. Ms Sakuma
rescued one person, who was miraculously able to climb into the third floor of thebuilding, where Ms Sakuma used the curtains from the restaurant as a makeshift blanket
for the survivor. Even now, Ms Sakuma has nightmares about the disaster. “A darkness
was beginning to consume me and I didn’t think I could make it through...’ she said, ‘butthen, I saw the young Peace Boat volunteers, with their boundless energy, partaking insludge and debris removal. They gave me courage and the drive not to give up. That iswhat Peace Boat gave me.’Sakuma Ikuko, Tsunami survivor

TOKUJI TAKAHASHI-SHOTEN FACTORY BACK IN OPERATIONSMr Takahashi with a volunteer

In August 2011, Peace Boat met Takahashi-san, the owner of the Tokuji TakahashiShoten Factory in Ishinomaki. He and his 20 remaining employees were in despair atthe destruction the tsunami had wrought on the factory. They had all but given up on
reopening the business, as the machines would cost 120 million yen (1.5 million dollars)
to replace. Peace Boat volunteers began to work on cleaning the expensive machines that
had made delicious canned foods before they were damaged on March 11. In total, 300
volunteer days were donated to this project over the period of a month. By September, thefactory was ready to reopen. A small Buddhist opening ceremony was held, attended by theemployees, Buddhist monks and nuns, and Peace Boat volunteers and staff. Throughout,
Takahashi-san repeated in wonderment that the reopening was a “miracle”, and simply“unbelievable”. He had tears in his eyes as he thanked the volunteers for their hard work,and for helping him and the employees to envision a real future in Ishinomaki.

SAVED BY A TREE
Mrs. Abe of Ishinomaki says it was an ancient persimmon tree she inherited by her
grandfather that saved her family and their home when the two-metre tsunami roared
through town on March 11. Nine cars were caught in its branches, avoiding collision withthe house. Tragically, only one of those cars’ passengers survived. After the disaster, Mrs
Abe found the body of a primary school student in what was left of her greenhouse – aheart-wrenching moment she will never forget. In June a group of Peace Boat volunteers
helped Mrs. Abe remove the black tsunami sludge from the house and from the soil
surrounding the tree, and within weeks, the tree had started to bloom. It continues tostand as a symbol of hope and rebirth and the strength Mrs. Abe says she needs to carryon. “This persimmon tree protects our family,” Mrs. Abe says. “It is like a guardian spirit.”

Mrs. Abe and Peace Boat
volunteers

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BEFORE AND AFTER BY KAZUSHI KATAOKA
In August 2011, photographer Kazushi Kataoka came to Ishinomaki and documented how
the work of volunteers in Ishinomaki transformed the city.

April 2011		

August 2011

These impressive changes are testimony to the hard work and dedication of our disaster relief volunteers.
This work has helped the residents of the local communities to envision a future in Ishinomaki and to staystrong in the face adversity. However, cleaning the city is only one small step towards the full recovery of
Ishinomaki, and there is still a very long way to go.

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SOLIDARITY BEYOND BORDERS: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTThe March 11 disasters resulted in an outpouring of concern, support and solidarity
from around the globe, and Peace Boat was moved and honored to help channel
this support to the Tohuku survivors. Volunteers, donations or other expressionsof support came from 52 countries, and we send our heartfelt thanks to everyone
who contributed. The solidarity from the international community has been truly
inspiring, and has made a tangible impact on the lives of people affected by thisdisaster. The presence of international volunteers and support from overseas hashelped the people of Tohoku understand that they do not face this challenge alone,
and that the world is with them in their efforts to recover.
Peace Boat’s voyages since the disaster have carried with them a photographic
exhibition of the disaster “Standing Together, Standing Stronger: Thanks to theWorld” and the interest and support from people in ports of call has proved again
and again that humanitarian concerns bring people together beyond borders.
One of the most memorable parts of the week was meeting the local people and getting to understand their situation.
Talking to them, it was easy to understand how much Ishinomaki meant to them. For most it was their entire life! They
fish there and farm there, and so for those that survived, the disaster pretty much destroyed the essence of their lives.
For that reason the support of NGOs like Peace Boat is all the more important.
			Allan, UK

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS:

More than 800 volunteers from 52 different countries
have spent time volunteering with Peace Boat in
Ishinomaki.
Ambassadors of the Arab nations made a solidarity
visit and donation

The delegation from GRULAC (Group of Latin American
and Caribbean countries) in Ishinomaki

SUPPORT FROM TOKYO’S DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY
Peace Boat would like to extend our thanks to representativesof the many embassies who visited the disaster zone, aided
volunteers or gave generous donations to support our work. With
gratitude we recognise the support of the Embassies of Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iraq,
Morocco, Nicaragua, in its capacity as representative of GRULAC,
the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, Palestine,
Panama, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, The United Kingdom,
Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYThe Chambers of Commerce in Tokyo, in particular the American
and British Chambers, have proved a invaluable rally-ing point
for support, and we appreciate their work and the generosity ofthe many international businesses who have sent volunteers or
donated aid.
Sri Lanka’s team of rescue specialists worked for over
two weeks, earning the respect and friendship of thepeople of Ishinomaki

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REGENERATION AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORTKAWABIRAKI FESTIVAL
In August 2011, Peace Boat worked with the residents of
Ishinomaki to celebrate their annual local festival, theKawabiraki (river opening) Festival. The event featured
a “Recovery Mikoshi” (portable shrine) made fromdebris from the tsunami, which was carried through thebustling carnival by residents and volunteers. Live musicalperformances were given by local children, Japanese band
KGDR and famous Enka singer Ishikawa Sayuri, and visitors
were treated to a range of stalls selling local goods followed
by a spectacular firework display. The festival attracted
visitors to the area. There were mixed emotions about
whether it was appropriate to hold this festival after thedisaster and in the midst on continued suffering. However,on the day of the event there was an overwhelming feelingof togetherness as the volunteers and residents worked,
laughed and wept together.
RESPITE AND RECOVERY: FUKUSHIMA CHILDREN’S PROJECT 2011
Junior High School students from the town of Minamisoma
in Fukushima prefecture spent a summer break visiting other
Asian countries onboard Peace Boat’s voyage“I am very happy that my dream to make friends outside ofJapan came true. There are many cheerful and kind people inVietnam. I had fun and I want to come back again.”This project was established to encourage the children of Fukushima,
who are forced to confront the harsh realities of the nuclear
accident on a daily basis, as they continue to live in a radiation
affected area. Peace Boat supported them by providing both atemporary respite from radiation exposure and hope for the future.
The town of Minamisoma is located just outside the evacuation
zone 20 kilometers from the devastated Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear
power plant. People who remain in the town, particularly children
and their parents, are under tremendous stress due to the the risksof radiation exposure, and uncertainty over their health and future.
Responding to requests by the town’s parents for children to beable to enjoy a summer vacation away from the contamination,
Peace Boat invited 49 students from 6 Junior High Schools onboard
a portion of its 74th Global Voyage. The program, which featured
both fun and educational activities, and visits to Vietnam, Singapore
and Sri Lanka, was the first time for most of the children to go
abroad. The students, who were able to unwind and play in the
fresh air in contrast to being forced to remain indoors in Fukushima,
thoroughly enjoyed their international interaction. A particular
highlight was meeting young survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean
tsunami in Sri Lanka, who assured the children that there was life
beyond the disaster.
Following the success of the 2011 voyage, this project will be held
on future Peace Boat voyages.

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ONGOING PROJECTS IN ISHINOMAKI:
PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE PROJECTS

Peace Boat are supporting residents from over 4,000 temporary homes
in Ishinomaki. The approximately 12,000 survivors, many of whom areelderly, have suffered through a traumatic experience, and are now
facing rebuilding their lives far from their old homes and communities.
Past disasters, such as the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake have shownthat people in temporary housing complexes are particuarly prone
to isolation, depression and even suicide, and thus pyschosocial careprojects are crucial. Peace Boat’s efforts include:• Kizuna (“Bonds”) newspaper: a community newsletter which
provides vital information to residents about daily life andcommunity activities. Peace Boat volunteers deliver the newsletterby hand, which provides a natural opportunity to look in on
temporary housing residents, provide companionship and help
monitor their situation and needs.
• Planting flowers and building benches in the temporary housing
complexes with a view to stimulating community interaction andeasing isolation.
• Establishing vegetable gardens for use by the local residents.
Gardening is a proven treatment for stress, depression, grief andpost-traumatic stress disorder.
• Supporting Ishinomaki residents in holding traditional local
festivals, including the Kawabiraki Festival and the IshinomakiLight and Art Festival.

FISHERIES SUPPORTThe principle economic activity of Ishinomaki prior to March 11 wasfishing. Peace Boat’s volunteers have provided volunteer manpowerand support to projects including cleaning and repairing broken andlost equipment and establishing oyster farms and seaweed farms.

TSUNAMI MUD AND DEBRIS CLEARANCE

The tsunami caused severe damage to buildings, and those thatwere left standing were mostly contaminated with a large amountof mud and debris. Streets, graveyards, parks and other publicareas were similarly damaged. Responding to requests from thecommunity, volunteers continue to clean the area so that the city
can rejuvenate.

MAKING CONNECTIONS:THE KIZUNA NEWSPAPER

Peace Boat’s photographer, Nakamura
Mitsutoshi, took part in Peace Boat’s
Kizuna newsletter distribution project inNovember 2011. Here is his story:“I was greeted and invited to share sometea and sweets with an elderly couple, who
told us the heartbreaking story of how
they had lost everything in the tsunami.
The elderly gentleman told me of his life
before March 11, and about his work as
a deep-sea fisherman. He said: ‘I passed
through the Suez Canal and the Panama
Canal several times. The first time I passed
through, it impressed me so much… but
the pictures I took were all swept away.’
His story was a poignant example of thehorrors of the tsunami, and how awful it
is to lose these precious memories. I was
reminded of my own visit to the Panama
Canal, and I thought how devastated
I would be to lose my own precious
photographs.
“The following week I paid them anothervisit, and gave them a framed copy of thephotograph I had taken of the Suez Canal.
The couple were very happy to receive
the picture, and when the gentleman
took great interest in the ship and myexperiences, I felt a real connection. They
told me they always look forward to thevisits from the Peace Boat volunteers andthey always enjoy their conversations.
I think that the newsletter can be an
important source of friendship andjoy in adversity. The elderly couple
wholeheartedly agreed with me.”9

PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER SYSTEM
Peace Boat’s relief efforts centre on the deployment ofvolunteers. Peace Boat provides these volunteers withthe training and coordination to undertake projects in
Ishinomaki safely and efficiently, with sensitivity towards
local residents and their needs.
Peace Boat believes that the deployment of volunteers
assists both the physical regeneration of the disasterareas and the psychological recovery of the survivors.

THE MEANING AND IMPACT OF VOLUNTEERS

volunteers have been crucial in the following ways:• SCALE OF WORK
Volunteers have made a tremendous difference in the number andspeed of tasks which have been accomplished.
• TYPE OF WORK
Human work has been crucial as most work could not have been doneby machines. For example, mixed up in the tsunami mud are precious
momentos of peoples’ former lives, such as photograph albums, family
documents and toys, which can only be retrieved by hand.
• ENCOURAGEMENT AND SOLIDARITY
Survivors have been encouraged by the constant presence and hard
work of volunteer teams. The volunteers are ordinary people, young
and old, Japanese and non-Japanese. Their presence shows that therest of the country and the rest of the world is standing in solidarity
with the survivors through this difficult time.
• HEALING FROM TRAUMA
Putting a traumatic experience into words is a crucial part of therecovery process for survivors. However many people who havebeen through this disaster feel unable to talk to their friends andneighbours as everyone who lived through the disaster has suffered.
The volunteers, although they do not seek to “counsel” the survivors,
have become an important part of the psychological recovery of thesurvivors, as they provide a safe, neutral and natural audience forpeople to talk about their experiences as they work alongside eachother.
• OUTREACH - SHARING THE REALITY
The testimonies of volunteers who have returned from the disasterareas, whether by blog, social media or word-of-mouth, havehelped shape a greater understanding in Japan and overseas of theneeds and realities on the ground. As we grow to understand more
about the benefit of the volunteers’ presence, we are determined tocontinue dispatching volunteers to work on the tasks requested by
the community.
As we grow to understand more about the benefit of the volunteers’presence, we are determined to continue volunteer dispatch to workon the tasks requested by the community.
Recruitment: To volunteer with Peace Boat on the relief efforts please visit
http://peaceboat.jp/relief/volunteer/ for the latest information.

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THE PEACE BOAT SYSTEM

Based on 28 years of experience of volunteer
operations, Peace Boat believes that volunteers
should be well-trained, self-sufficient and able
to work with sensitivity, safety and maximum
effectiveness. Peace Boat has developed andrefined a system for the recruitment, training
and deployment of volunteers as follows*:
1) ORIENTATION
All potential volunteers attend an orientation inwhich they are briefed on the reality of the disasterarea, safety and on the volunteer conditions andtasks. Volunteers are divided into small groups,
and “Group Leaders” are appointed.
2) TRAINING
Those volunteers assigned as “Group Leaders”
undergo a further intensive training session,
covering first aid, risk assessment andmanagement and leadership.
3) DEPLOYMENT
Volunteers work in closely supervised small
groups on specific tasks in the disaster zone
which meet the needs and desired outcomes ofthe local people. Tasks are assigned on a daily
basis, with the strengths of the group being
considered during assignment.
4) RETURN
Peace Boat operates a one-week dispatch system
to protect the mental and physical health of thevolunteers. Follow-up events are held in Tokyo, at
which past volunteers are encouraged to returnfor a further stint if they can, and/or to recruitothers to volunteer.
5) DEVELOPMENT
Peace Boat is working to provide training in“Volunteer Leadership” for those who have beenin the field, thus developing a body of well trained
leaders ready to respond to changing needs in
this, or other, disaster.
*Note: This process may be modified for corporate
or other group volunteers

INTERRUPTING THE DISASTER CYCLE:
THE PEACE BOAT VOLUNTEER LEADER TRAINING PROGRAMME
Regretfully, Japan’s geography means it will never be free of the threat ofnatural disasters - from earthquakes and tsunamis to typhoons and floods.
The need for volunteers to take part in relief activities is ongoing, and it is
crucial that we take steps now to ensure that the effects of future disasters
are mitigated by the more rapid and effective use of volunteers.
Peace Boat began supporting the relief work in
Ishinomaki from March 17, 2011. Evaluating theoperation has shown that one of the biggest
barriers to mobilising human resources rapidly
was a lack of adequately trained individuals
capable of acting in coordinating roles. Peace Boat
has designed and implemented a new Volunteer
Leader Training Programme to address this issue.
The programme, launched on November 5, 2011,provides participants with the skill set needed
to help run and manage disaster relief centers,
liaise between various organizations and bodies,and manage teams of volunteers safely andeffectively. Graduates of the programme willremain in contact with Peace Boat, ensuringongoing teamwork and a rapid-response dispatchof volunteers in future diasasters.

Participants of the leadership training programme in a safety briefing

Additionally, agreements are being put in place between Peace Boat andvarious local authorities in vulnerable areas so that the ground is already laidfor deployment in the event of disaster.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
The Leader Training Programme lasts one week and courses are held every two
weeks. They are currently only available in Japanese, but this may change inthe future. For further details, or to book a place on the programme, please
visit: http://pbv.or.jp/leader_training.html.
TYPHOON TALAS – AID IN WAKAYAMA
In September 2011, Wakayama prefecture in the south of Honshu was hit
by the strongest typhoon to affect Japan in four years. Trained Peace Boat
volunteers and Volunteer Leaders took part in the clean-up efforts. The damage
was severe, but the area received limited aid as many of the resources had
been directed to Tohoku. The typhoon demonstrated the importance of the
Leader Training Programme, and the continued significance of volunteers.
“In the field, every single day counts. Local authorities andcommunities must re-evaluate the system of accepting volunteers.
In such times of jeopardy we must come together and know what
to do... One can never know when or where a natural disaster will
hit, so that is why we need to create a more effective system inmajor cities to gather young people to provide aid in the future.”
Takano Motoyuki, Peace Boat Volunteer Leader, Wakayama 201111

PEACE BOAT’S HISTORY IN DISASTER RELIEF
ABOUT PEACE BOAT
Founded in 1983, Peace Boat is an international non-governmental and non-profit organization
with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
The organization works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development
and respect for the environment through global educational programs, cooperative projects
and advocacy activities on global peace voyages. Our associate organization Peace Boat US isa 501(c)3 registered organization based in New York, and we have representatives in Europe,
Latin America, South Asia and the Middle East. In 2008, Peace Boat Director and Co-Founder
Yoshioka Tatsuya was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

PEACE BOAT’S EXPERIENCE IN DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS
As part of our wider peace building activities, Peace Boat has carried out emergency relief
operations for the past 15 years, delivering emergency assistance and raising funds, as wellas coordinating the dispatch of experienced logisticians, interpreters and volunteer teams toaffected areas all over the world. Peace Boat’s first disaster relief efforts took place in 1995,
following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe, Japan when teams of volunteers provided
assistance for months supporting community access to food, water and other basic supplies aswell as humanitarian support. Since then, Peace Boat has organized emergency relief support
in disaster affected locations around the world, including in Turkey (Aug. 1999), Taiwan (Sept.
1999), Algeria (May. 2003), Mid-Niigata, Japan (Nov. 2004), Sri Lanka (Dec. 2004), Pakistan (Oct.
2005), in the US (Hurricane Katrina, Oct. 2005), Indonesia (Jun. 2006) and Korea (Aug. 2007).

SUPPORT PEACE BOAT’S EFFORTS

DONATE: Donations can be made directly to Japan, or through Paypal via Peace Boat US: Donate online or see bank/post officetransfer information at http://peaceboat.jp/relief/donate/
VOLUNTEER: Peace Boat is recruiting volunteers to assist with the relief work. Opportunities are also available for international
volunteers who do not speak Japanese. Please see http://peaceboat.jp/relief/volunteer/ for more information.
Peace Boat Partners

Contact Details
Relief Activities: http://peaceboat.org/relief/
Peace Boat General website:
http://www.peaceboat.org/english/

For a full and up to date list of our partners and corporate sponsors,please visit our website at http://peaceboat.jp/relief/about/supporters/

Email: relief@peaceboat.gr.jp
Tel: +81 -3-3363 8047 Fax: +81-3-3363-7562

Photographs: Yoshinori Ueno, Mitsutoshi Nakamura, Kazushi Kataoka, Kenji Chiga, Shoichi Suzuki, Jon Mitchell, 37 Frames Photography