Japan Disaster: Relief & Recovery

More than four years after heavy rains and flooding affected the lives of people living in western Japan in 2018, Peace Winds continues to support community-building and disaster-preparedness activities for those who have been displaced by flooding and mudslides. 

For one program, Peace Winds has been collaborating with two local Japanese NGOs in Hiroshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan. At the SKY Kyodo Center, community members attend lectures on how they can best prepare for natural disasters to mitigate damage caused by heavy rains. The center also hosts community-building events for people living in temporary housing after being displaced by natural disasters. One recent event allowed participants to make and taste soba noodles, helping build a sense of community among those whose lives have been changed by the flooding. 

At another center in Hiroshima Prefecture, Peace Winds works with local NGOs to host a weekly “candy store” for displaced disaster survivors. Children come in after school with their coins and are excited to shop for sweets and treats. Not only does this event benefit young people, but many elderly people in the area have a hard time traveling to buy groceries. They attend the market as well, offering an important opportunity for the elderly to shop and interact with other community members.

In the wake of disasters like the heavy rains and flooding that Japan endures every year, Peace Winds knows that long-term support is just as important as providing immediate relief. As we enter the rainy season of 2023, citizens of western Japan will continue to have the opportunity to attend disaster preparedness seminars and strengthen their sense of community. We thank you for your support and look forward to bringing more updates as we are able.

Flooding and typhoons have continued to affect western Japan in 2022. In July of this year, Peace Winds’ airborne search-and-rescue team, ARROWS, jumped into action to support residents of Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures who were affected by heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides. ARROWS team members helped evacuate people and their pets and distributed supplies such as food, pillows and blankets, and first aid supplies to local schools which had become evacuation centers. Doctors on the ARROWS team also performed medical evaluations for evacuees. 

More recently, in mid-September 2022, the Kyushu region was hit by Typhoon No. 14, killing three people and injuring 133 others as well as causing extensive damage to homes and other structures. ARROWS was prepared early on to respond to this disaster as well, dispatching teams as soon as they were needed to help citizens evacuate and to distribute supplies to evacuation centers. 

Finally, it has been three years since the flooding disaster that struck western Japan in 2018 and has been called “the worst flood disaster in the Heisei era” (1989-2019). More than 8 million people were affected, and 225 were killed. Fortunately, the townscape has now recovered to the point that it’s hard to even tell the area was ever hit by such a tragedy. However, 400 people are still living in temporary housing, and construction work is still underway on the collapsed river. 

Peace Winds and ARROWS continue to implement disaster preparedness programs throughout Japan in preparation for more disasters like these. Activities include monthly in-person disaster response trainings for Japanese citizens, webinars and articles about how to best prepare, and community-centered activities where adults and children can come together to share their knowledge and experience in creative ways. 

Peace Winds would like to thank our ARROWS team members, local government partners and community members, and you, our donors, for making disaster preparedness and response possible in Japan. Follow Peace Winds on social media and subscribe to our newsletter using the links below to stay up-to-date on our programs around the world.

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