Oranda-­‐jima  and  Yamada-­‐machi;  a  Match  of  Centuries    Impressions  of  a  PA  International  Foundation  visit  including  several  industries  to  Yamada-­‐ŵĂĐŚŝ͕ĂƐŵĂůůĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĞŶ͛ƐƚŽǁŶthat  was  partly  wiped  off  the  earth  during  the  11  March  2011  earthquake  and  tsunami.  
ŶĞǁ͚KƌĂŶĚĂ-­‐ũŝŵĂEWK͛ǁŝůůďĞĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚƐŽŽŶ͘ŶŽƵŐŚfunding  has  already  been  acquired  to  build  within  two  months  a  Child  Play  and  Support  Centre  that  will  also  host  elderly.  The  new  building  on  safe  ground  will  increasingly  assist  civic  society  recovery.  These  operations  will  be  managed  by  the  NPO  and  local  authorities  for  two  years  after  which  the  entire  ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚǇǁŝůůĐŽŶƚŝŶƵĞĂƐĂ͚:ĂƉĂŶ-­‐Netherlands  Friendship  ,ŽƵƐĞ͛͘Additional  funding  of  another  400,000  euro  is  needed  to  equip  and  manage  the  Centre  for  two  years.  All  major  donors  and  Child  Welfare  Expert  Prof  Akemi  Morita  reside  in  the  NPO  Board.  No  funding  is  wasted.    
The  first  loud  explosion  lifts  ƚŚĞDĂǇŽƌ͛ƐŽĨĨŝĐĞ.  The  second  bang  makes  it  tremble  intensely.    
Children  who  flocked  to  a  drumband  performance  in  the  street  shout  in  panic.  Our  discussion  stops.  
As  in  trance  the  Deputy  Mayor  stands  up  and  puts  on  an  emergency  news  channel.    
&ĂůƐĞĂůĂƌŵ͘dŽĚĂǇ͛Ɛ  first  aftershock  is  4.ϭĂŶĚƚŚĞƐĞĐŽŶĚϱ͘ϯŽŶZŝĐŚƚĞƌ͛ƐƐĐĂůĞ͘dŚĞďĂŶĚƉůĂǇs  on,  the  music  finding  its  way  over  an  eerie  area  of  several  square  kilometers  of  totally  flattened  life.  Only  a  few  who  once  lived  between  the  sea  and  the  Town  Hall  survived.      That  horrible  11th  March  took  the  people  of  Yamada-­‐ŵĂĐŚŝďǇƐƵƌƉƌŝƐĞ͘:ĂƉĂŶ͛ƐŵŽƐƚĞǆƉĞƌŝenced  and  traditional  fishermen,  cherishing  the  sea  as  their  source  of  life,  now  pay  a  death  toll  to  it.  925  of  their  19,000  citizens  died  or  are  missing.  2,884  survive  in  schools  and  halls;  1,399  live  in  broken  houses.  
Koei  Abe  is  on  the  list  of  missing  persons.  So  the  President  of  the  Yamada  Town  Japan-­‐Holland  &ƌŝĞŶĚƐŚŝƉ^ŽĐŝĞƚǇ^ĂƚŽƐŚŝ/ƚŽŝƐƚŽƚĂůůǇƐƵƌƉƌŝƐĞĚ͘͞You  are  not  dead͊͟ŚĞƐŚŽƵƚƐ͘Indeed  Koei  Abe  is  ĂůŝǀĞĂŶĚŬŝĐŬŝŶŐ͘͞/ŵĂǇŚĂǀĞůŽƐƚŵǇŽĨĨŝĐĞďƵƚŵǇĐŽƵƐŝŶŚĂƐĂƉŝĞĐĞŽĨůĂŶĚŝŶƚŚĞƐĂĨĞǌŽŶĞ͕͟ŚĞƐĂǇƐ͘͞,ĞŝƐalso  a  Rotarian.  He  is  willing  to  give  away  his  land  for  free  to  your  Foundation,  so  that  you  ĐĂŶďƵŝůĚƚŚĞŚŝůĚWůĂǇĂŶĚĂƌĞĞŶƚƌĞƚŚĞƌĞ͘͟  Koei  Abe  and  his  family  have  clearly  reached  the  top  of  our  rapidly  growing  list  of  friends  in  Yamada-­‐machi.  63  and  formally  retired,  he  still  is  the  ŚĂŝƌŵĂŶŽĨzĂŵĂĚĂ͛ƐZŽƚĂƌǇůƵďĂŶĚŽĨƚŚĞůŽĐĂůChamber  of  Commerce.  Having  lost  his  office  he  is  suffering  himself.  But  he  wants  to  be  of  assistance  ƚŽŽƚŚĞƌƐ͘͚^ĞƌǀŝĐĞĂďŽǀĞƐĞůĨ͛ŝƐZŽƚĂƌǇ͛ƐŵŽtto.  He  and  his  cousin  are  living  up  to  it.    

Page  1  of  3  While  walking  through  the  totally  devastated  area  Jan  Remie͕ZKĂŶŬ͛Ɛ'ĞŶĞƌĂůDĂŶĂŐĞƌŝŶ
Japan,  finds  a  piano.  It  somehow  survived  the  tsunami  in  one  piece  and  overlooks  the  emptiness.  It  looks  like  a  theater  that  was  deserted  by  the  orchestra  except  for  the  piano.  Just  as  in  Aceh,  the  flattened  houses  smell  like  death;  yet  radios,  puppets,  a  hairdryer  betray  there  must  have  been  much  life.  Jan  is  silent,  but  he  speaks  when  asked  aďŽƵƚŚŝƐĂŶŬ͛ƐĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ͘ϭ00,000  euro,  free  expert  support  of  caring  colleagues,  and  perhaps  a  micro-­‐finance  unit.    dŚĞĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚŝĞƐĂƌĞŝŵƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ͘͞zŽƵƌvisit  and  help  is  vitamin  I͕͟ƐĂǇƐĞƉƵƚǇDĂǇŽƌ^ŚŽŝĐŚŝ^ĂƚŽ͘͞/ŵĞĂŶ/ĨƌŽŵŵǇŚĞĂƌƚƚŽǇŽƵƌŚĞĂƌƚ͘͟        ͞/ŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶŚĞƌĞĨŽƌϭ8  years.  This  is  a  fantastic  country.  In  the  weekend  I  grow  carrots  and  potatoes  in  the  mountains  and  I  feel  close  to  the  local  people.  As  a  businessman  I  have  many  friends  in  Tokyo  and  I  share  my  vegetables  with  them  and  with  those  in  need.  So  I  know  a  bit  about  Japan.  
BuƚƚŚŝƐŝƐŚŽƌƌŝďůĞ͘͟tŽůƚĞƌVeenhoven  wears  a  dark  blue  striped  suit  because  he  left  his  Tokyo  office  in  a  hurry.  His  appearance  is  a  bit  odd  amidst  boats  on  rooftops,  houses  floating  in  water  and  completely  destroyed  cars  swept  against  thĞƌŽĐŬƐĂƐďǇ'ŽĚ͛ƐďƌŽŽŵ͘,ĞŚĂƐƚŽƐƵƉƉƌĞƐƐŚŝƐ
emotion  when  he  tells  the  Mayor  why  he  and  50  other  Dutch  friends  of  the  ͚dƌĞŬpaert  Foundation͛  give  a  donation  of  70,000  euro  to  the  Child  Centre.    
Last  week  PA  International  Board  Member  and  former  Environment  Minister  Wakako  Hironaka  met  Mayor  Kiichi  Numazaki  in  his  office.  She  informed  him  of  the  plan  to  build  a  centre  for  those  children  that  are  now  and  for  the  foreseeable  future  living  in  shelters  or  in  small  ĞŵĞƌŐĞŶĐǇŚŽŵĞƐ͘͞They  have  no  room  to  play,  and  often  suffer  in  silence  not  understanding  why  family  members  and  friends  have  left  them.  The  problem  starts  when  they  stop  crying;  such  growing  traumas  must  be  addressed.  
Of  course  the  authorities  must  prioritise  reconstruction.  You  need  to  build  2,000  emergency  houses.  
But  please  allow  us  to  come  up  for  the  children.  Together  with  UNICEF  Japan  and  local  experts  we  can  help  inspire  and  encourage  them  in  their  own  perfectly  equipped  space͘͟  The  Mayor  had  looked  very  tired  and  burdened.  He  has  so  many  things  to  do.  The  entire  Elderly  Home  at  the  sea  side  has  disappeared͘͞ĂŶǇŽƵŝŶĐůƵĚĞƚŚĞŵŝŶǇŽƵƌƉůĂŶƐ͍͟,ŝƐƐĞŶŝŽƌĂĚǀŝƐĞƌƐƚĞůůus  that  ƚŚĞĐŚŽŝĐĞƐĂƌĞƉĂŝŶĨƵů͘͞/ƚŝƐŶŽƚƚŚĞĨŝƌƐƚƚŝŵĞƚŚĂƚǁĞĂƌĞŚŝƚďǇĂƚƐƵŶĂŵŝ͘/ƚŝƐƚŚĞƐĞĐŽŶĚtime  that  the  MĂǇŽƌůŽƐƚŚŝƐŽǁŶŚŽƵƐĞ͘ŶĚǁĞĐĂŶ͛ƚƌĞďƵŝůĚĂŐĂŝŶŝŶƚŚĞůŽǁĂƌĞĂƐŶĞĂƌƚŚĞƐĞĂ͘^Ž
we  must  flatten  the  mountains  to  rebuild  our  city  on  safe  ground.  But  that  is  very  expensive,  also  because  when  you  remove  the  rocks  the  soil  to  build  on  cannot  be  stabilŝǌĞĚĞĂƐŝůǇ͘͟    Today  the  Mayor  appears  stronger,  and  more  optimistic.  He  notes  that  the  House  will  also  include  a  ĨĂĐŝůŝƚǇĨŽƌƚŚĞĞůĚĞƌůǇǁŚŽŵĂǇǁŝƐŚƚŽǁŽƌŬǁŝƚŚƚŚĞĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͘͞ĂŶƚŚĞǇƚĂŬĞĂďĂƚŚŝŶƚŚŝƐŚŽŵĞ͍͟ŚĞĂƐŬƐ͘͞zĞƐ͕ǁĞĐĂŶďƵŝůĚŝƚƚŚĂƚǁay,  says  Martin  van  der  Linden.  He  is  a  Dutch  architect  with  experience  in  developing  public  schools  and  facilities  for  Japanese  authorities.  He  will  be  responsible  for  drawings,  the  programme  of  requirements  and  buy-­‐ins,  free  of  charge.        When  the  Mayor  hears  that  the  children  and  elderly  will  be  provided  with  special  foods,  rich  in  vitamins  and  nutrients,  provided  for  free  by  another  major  Dutch  donor,  DSM,  that  already  agreed  to  donate  100,ϬϬϬĞƵƌŽ͕ŚĞƚĂŬĞƐĂĨŝƌŵĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ͗͞The  Child  facility  will  be  built  simultaneously  with  the  emergency  homes͘͟  We  are  happy.  
His  decision  is  strongly  supported  by  LDP  Senator  Otsuji  and  DPJ  Senator  Yasui.  Iwate  Governor  Tasso  ƌĞĨůĞĐƚƐƚŚŝƐǁŚĞŶŚĞĞǆƉƌĞƐƐĞƐŚŝƐŐƌĂƚŝƚƵĚĞĂŶĚƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĨŽƌƚŚŝƐƉƌŽũĞĐƚ͘͞dŚŝƐŝƐĂůƐŽĂgood  ĞǆĂŵƉůĞĨŽƌŽƚŚĞƌĐŝƚŝĞƐĂŶĚƌĞŐŝŽŶƐ͕͟ŚĞƐĂǇƐ͘͞dŚĞĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ͕ƚŚĞǇĂƌĞŽƵƌĨƵƚƵƌĞ͘ŶĚPage  2  of  3  it  is  rather  special  that  among  the  many  international  donors  so  many  Dutchmen  come  to  Yamada-­‐machi.  When  you  came  here  for  the  first  time,  in  1643,  we  were  a  closed  country.  Foreigners  were  not  so  welcome.  But  you  were  allowed  to  stay  on  the  small  island  in  Yamada-­‐ŵĂĐŚŝ͛ƐďĂǇƚŚĂƚŝƐŶŽǁĐĂůůĞĚ͚KƌĂŶĚĂ-­‐ũŝŵĂ͕͛Žƌ͚,ŽůůĂŶĚ/ƐůĂŶĚ͛͘zŽƵĐŽŵĞǁŝƚŚŐŽŽĚŝĚĞĂƐ͕ĂŶĚ/ǁŝůůĐĞƌƚĂŝŶůǇĐĂůůŽŶǇŽƵƌtechnical  expertise  as  we  have  many  problems  to  address.  It  is  not  only  that  we  must  find  a  way  to  recover,  but  we  must  also  change.  Our  economy  must  modernize  and  we  look  forward  to  further  ĐŽŽƉĞƌĂƚŝŽŶ͘͟Back  in  Tokyo,  Vice  Minister  Kaname  Tadjima  of  Economy,  Trade  and  Industry  is  also  ŚĂƉƉǇǁŝƚŚƚŚĞƵƚĐŚŝŶƉƵƚ͘͞ƵƚǁĞĂůƐŽŶĞĞĚƚŽƐŝŐŶĂ&ƌĞĞdƌĂĚĞŐƌĞĞŵĞŶƚǁŝƚŚƵƌŽƉĞ͕ĨĂƐƚ,  and  ĐĞƌƚĂŝŶůǇƵŶĚĞƌƚŚĞĐƵƌƌĞŶƚĐŝƌĐƵŵƐƚĂŶĐĞƐ͘͟,ĞŝƐƌŝŐŚƚ͘If  industrial  leaders  like  DSM  Japan  President  Leon  Halders  take  the  lead  in  bringing  Dutch  and  other  industries  to  Yamada-­‐machi,  Japanese  counterparts  should  be  assisted  to  lead  Japanese  industries  to  Europe.  Obviously  the  11  March  earthquake  is  a  horrible  event.  Many  Japanese  still  live  in  fear  with  daily  aftershocks  and  with  sharply  reduced  income.  But  the  disaster  does  serve  a  purpose  if  it  makes  Europe  and  Japan,  after  all  these  centuries,  grow  closer.  That  cannot  be  accomplished  by  trade  and  investment  only.  Of  course  The  Netherlands  and  the  EU  have  much  to  share  in  terms  of  water  technology,  agricultural  innovation  and  exchange  in  every  thinkable  area.  What  must  be  added  is  vitamin  I,  from  heart  to  heart.  If  not  now,  when,  asked  Martin  Luther  King  once.  You  please  answer  now.  
Rio  Praaning  Prawira  Adiningrat  Page  3  of  3