Facebook Group: Japan Quake, Eye-Witnesses from the Ground
Earthquake Tsunami 
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Just came across this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_117876598289260
A Nuclear Reactor Explained by Poop and Farts: Nuclear Reactor Boy’s Tummy-Ache
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Dispatch from Minamisanriku and other towns nearby
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Via an email I received. The writer below is a friend of the person who sent the email.
These are notes I wrote on March 13th and 14th when I was too exhausted to post…
by Abe Levin on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 11:17am
Heading north to MinamiSanriku. Tried to get onto the highway and found the rally point for rescue teams heading south towards Fukushima. I saw fire trucks from Kawasaki and Osaka in addition to teams local to Sendai. These dozens of red fire trucks were waiting to get on the highway to which they said there was damage that was preventing them from heading south.
We’re taking mountainous back roads to Minami Sanriku since the coastal highway is badly damaged and limited to emergency vehicles – one of the hardest hit areas. I’m not a geologist but it seems these granite peaks held firm during the quake as road conditions up here are fair with only a few areas where the roads are damaged. I’m sure it will be bad as we get near the coastline. Descending towards the coast, there are many more buildings that’ve been mostly or completely destroyed.
Local Residents are again today lined up for miles for gas stations that may or may not have gas. Saw a JSDF team get stuck in traffic. Looked like they were on their way to Kessennuma. Hope they aren’t too late getting to wherever they need to be…
Entered the town of Minami Sanriku. Coming down the mountain towards the coastline, we hooked back up with the JSDF team so we are going to follow them straight into whatever chaos there is at the coast.
Arrived at Minami Sanriku. Read More
Japan and Beyond: Advice for donating after disasters
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Thanks to JET alum Jim Gannon (Ehime), Director of the New York office of the Japan Center for International Exchange, for sharing this very helpful and informed Huffington Post article:
Japan and Beyond: Advice for donating after disasters
Saundra Schimmelpfennig, Founding Director, The Charity Rater, LLC
he following is a series of dos and don’ts to help you make the best donation decisions after a disaster, like the current crisis in Japan.
Do determine if the country is accepting international assistance
With all the photos and videos of destruction on the evening news, it may seem impossible that governments would not want outside assistance. However, just because there has been a disaster does not mean that the local government and local aid organizations are not capable of reaching and helping those in need. Before sending your donation find out what, if any, assistance the government is allowing. Check to see if the aid organization you’re considering donating to is offering that same type of assistance.
Do look at a variety of nonprofits before giving
There are hundreds of organizations that respond to most disasters, take the time to evaluate a few before giving. Also, just because they have name recognition does not mean they’re best able to respond to the disaster. Look for organizations that were operating in the country before the disaster, they will be able to respond more quickly and know the local culture, politics and needs better. Giving to local organizations is great, unfortunately they can be difficult to find and may not have a website or if they do, it may not be in English.
Places to find lists of organizations involved in the recovery efforts include:
InterAction for many U.S. organizations
Reliefweb.int for organizations from many different countries
Dochas for Irish aid organizations
Do look for organizations with prior experience and expertise
There is a great deal of money after well-publicized disasters. The ease of raising money makes it tempting to respond even if the organization does not have prior experience in that area. After the 2004 tsunami,
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE ON HUFFINGTON POST
Event: Japan and the World After the Quake @ Japan Society, New York – Mar 23
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Ambassador Hiroki and other experts look at the immediate and long term impacts on Japan’s economy, society, and international relations after the March 11 earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan.
Date: March 23, 12 pm – 2pm
More information here: http://www.japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=4f23936d
JET Taylor Anderson (Ishinomaki) - still unaccounted for
This post is now out of date. See more recent posts please.
10:42 am NY time, Wed Mar 18
Unaccounted for JETs
*10:08 pm – Nothing new to report unfortunately. I’ve been checking the “Foreigners from Miyagi” and “Sendai Earthquak Family & Friends Link” and checking with other sources. But no new info on unaccounted for JETs.
*Ngaroma Riley – possibly a JET. Was contacted by a journalist from New Zealand trying to get in touch with her. Said she’s a colleague of Iain Campbell who is a JET in Sendai (and who has been doing great work in trying to gather info on unaccounted for JETs).
Still some unaccounted for JETs to my knowledge including Taylor Anderson (despite earlier reports that she was located) and Monty Dickson. Email jetwit [at] jetwit.com with additional info/updates as well as any photos or things you would like to share about them. Read More
Earthquake: Volunteer Information for People in Japan
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Via AJET Website. Thanks to JET Mike Maher-King (Fukui) of Smile Kids Japan for all his efforts with this:
http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/03/16/volunteer-information-for-people-in-japan
AJET and Smile Kids Japan, with support from the JetWit JET alumni translators and interpreters group, have compiled a list of prefectural volunteer organisations (PVOs) mobilising volunteer groups to do ground work in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The list of PVOs can be found below.
The current state of affected areas in the Tohoku region is still being assessed. Until a final assessment has been made, no volunteers will be allowed into those areas. Because PVOs are being formed on a prefectural level, each prefecture is at a different stage in organisation. This list will be updated frequently so please keep checking back here for the latest news about your prefecture.
Although we recommend that JETs in unaffected areas stay safe at home, we know many of you have volunteer experience and want to get involved at ground level. We highly recommend that interested volunteers contact their PVO before contacting any NGOs. PVOs are prepared to work with large numbers of untrained volunteers and know how to create safe, secure ways to volunteer in Tohoku; most NGOs cannot do this as effectively. In addition, by working with your PVO, you will be helping the affected areas rebuild themselves while promoting grassroots internationalization by bonding with your local prefectural volunteers.
We must also remind all JETs that you are under contract. Your role in Japan is first and foremost as an educator or community relations officer. If your contracting organisation or school asks you not to volunteer, you must not go. Also, as a JET you should only be volunteering your time during school holidays. Keep in mind that relief efforts are going to take many months; even if you cannot get permission to volunteer now there may be other opportunities to volunteer during Golden Week, summer holidays and beyond.
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Should you volunteer away from home?
- You may be able to help more from home:
You can help from your prefecture by making material/monetary donations, doing fundraisers, donating blood or hosting displaced people through CouchSurfing. Going to the Tohoku region isn’t something to do because of peer pressure, it is a serious decision.
- Do not go to Tohoku without support:
Going alone without the support of a recognized PVO/NGO puts you and disaster victims in danger. Especially if you are untrained/unskilled, you can make matters worse. This was a major problem for NGOs in Haiti and we do not want anyone slowing down the emergency response.
- Tohoku is not yet safe for untrained volunteers:
Not one volunteer organisation is allowing untrained/unskilled volunteers into the disaster zone yet. It is not safe. Organisations will start sending lay volunteers when the region is deemed stable and safe. Be patient. Be safe.
- Make sure you’re physically and mentally prepared:
AJET and the volunteer organisations ask you to seriously consider your physical and mental health. You will be going into a disaster zone, one that in places may look worse than a typical war zone. There will be things that you may not expect or want to see. You will be doing heavy, physical labor after a very long journey by bus or car. Are you ready to handle that?
- Make sure that you can afford to pay your own way:
You will be responsible for your own travel, accommodation, food, water and other basic expenses.
- Be prepared to stay in very modest accommodation:
It is likely that you will be camping near your work sites but accommodation may vary by location.
- Be sure that you can can complete all work duties in addition to volunteering:
The volunteer dates may not fit your work schedule, if volunteer opportunities fall outside of spring break/Golden Week, you may not be able to go. Also your contracting organisation may not approve your request to do volunteer work/take nenkyu. If they do not approve, you must not go.
- Be ready and able to leave on short notice:
PVOs will send notice of the chance to volunteer only very shortly before they actually move out. Will your schedule and contracting organisation allow that?
- Be aware of the risks:
PVOs will do their best to make the trip safe for everyone. The ones we have contacted so far are providing special volunteer insurance to cover you but please know that if anything happens, it was your decision to be there and you are responsible for your own well-being. We will organise a contact person in your PVO and in your home prefecture, so that we can remain in touch at all times and quickly address any issues that may arise. However, there will still be some risks to volunteering.
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If you are not accepted by your PVO for any reason, AJET and Smile Kids Japan are currently working on a list of NGOs that may later accept groups of foreign volunteers. No matter how you volunteer, it will be essential to register with AJET and keep your B.O.E informed so that we can always account for every JET’s whereabouts and safety.
Please direct any questions to volunteer@ajet.net.
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Find Your Prefectural Volunteer Organizations Here:
AJET SKJ Earthquake Volunteering Info
[This list will be constantly updated — check back if you can’t find what you’re looking for!]
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Donate Money here – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198359066854878
Donate Food/Goods – http://www.2hj.org/index.php/news/send_us_food_and_supplies/
Host displaced people here – http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=39703
Counseling Services – http://www.telljp.com/ / http://ajet.net/psg/index.php?title=AJET_Peer_Support_Group
Compiled by
AJET http://ajet.net/
Smile Kids Japan www.smilekidsjapan.org
with help from
JetWit https://jetwit.com/wordpress/
I know that many of you have been awaiting next steps on a national JETAA USA fund. We’ve been in correspondence with JETAANY and JETAANC to work on a way to run a national fund through one of our 501c3′s (just found out that Great Lakes is one, as well!). After a lot of email conversations and a considerable amount of due diligence, JETAANY has graciously agreed to convert the JETAANY fund that was announced on Friday to the national JETAA USA fund!
The purpose of this fund is to bring the 19 U.S. chapters together in an organized and concerted effort to raise funds aimed at helping rebuild the affected areas in Japan. Instead of having 19 separate small funds, we felt that if we created a national initiative to drive fund-raising for Japan, it would bring together the JETAA USA community and inspire more overall participation from JET alumni in America. Read More
Shizuoka 6.0 earthquake or aftershock
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Update: “There was a 6.0 in Shizuoka, then two small aftershocks (according to JMA, one of the aftershocks was actually a 5.6 quake in Tohoku.”
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Strong quake of upper 6 jolts Shizuoka Pref.
Kyodo News
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 jolted Shizuoka Prefecture and its vicinity, including Tokyo, on Tuesday evening.
The 10:31 p.m. quake registered upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in the eastern part of Shizuoka, and upper 5 in the eastern part of Yamanashi Prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
No tsunami warning was issued.
Just saw FB updates about 6.0 earthquake or aftershock in Shizuoka.
Volunteer Translators
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[via JET alum and Brooklyn-based translator Philip Schnell via Charles Aschmann]
The Japan Association of Translators (JAT) is compiling a list of interpreters willing to volunteer their services to help rescue crews and other people providing help to victims of the earthquake and tsunamis. We are starting by compiling the list, publishing it on the website and trying to contact organizations that are responding. If you are willing to volunteer, either travel or perhaps (if the location allows) electronically, please send your information to webmaster@jat.org.
Please include the following information.
1. Full name
2. Address
3. Language pairs
4. Phone number
5. Mobile phone number
6. Skype name (if you have one)
7. Other means of communication, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
8. Extent to which you can help. (travel, tele-interpreting, etc.)
9. Any other information you feel would be useful.
Also, this Facebook group has been started for translators to provide free translations of disaster-related information:
Request: Personal essay for NYTimes op-ed about the earthquake?
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Via JET alum and DC-based Kyodo News reporter Ben Dooley:
A good friend of mine is an op-ed editor for the NYT, and he’s looking for someone to write a personal essay about the earthquake to be run on the op-ed page. It needs to be about 900 words, written in English or Japanese. The ideal person would be a prominent writer, academic or government official from or with strong ties to Sendai.
I know that things are very difficult in Japan right now, but if anyone from the JET community could put me in touch with someone who is interested in this opportunity and fits the bill, I would really appreciate it.
Thank you for your time.
Best,
— Ben Dooley
bdooley [at] kyododc.com
CLAIR Tokyo office operating as usual
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There was a tweet or post earlier today incorrectly stating that CLAIR Tokyo was being evacuated and responsibilities were being handed to CLAIR NY. This was inaccurate. I think it’s been deleted everywhere on other pages, groups, etc. Just re-posting on JetWit in case anyone out there is still confused by this. The post apparently related to last Friday but inadvertently got posted today (Monday).
FYI, CLAIR Tokyo office is operating as usual. (Actually, “as usual” is probably not the correct term as they’re working their oshiris off more than ever right now.)
Ganbatte and hang in there CLAIR Tokyo people!
Via Fukui JET Mike Maher-King of Smile Kids Japan:
Update: Here’s the link to the Google spreadsheet where you can start inputting any info you gather: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AsMdoYcl5qwSdG5BTHl3M3VSX21TZHpYc21ReVFhUGc&hl=en&authkey=CJH_ppQL
AJET and Smile Kids Japan are working on some procedures to help foreigners living in Japan volunteer at the earthquake sites. They need JET alums with good Japanese>English ability to look through prefecture websites and find the information about prefectural volunteer groups plus, if easily available, volunteer forms. (This might best done through internet searches using < prefecture name + 東北地方地震災害ボランティア >)
CONTACT: smilekidsjapan [at] gmail.com, cc: activities [at] ajet.net
An example of what we are looking for for every prefecture is this
Fukui
Info http://info.pref.fukui.jp/danken/npo/060_sv/touhokujisin.php
Application form http://info.pref.fukui.jp/danken/npo/060_sv/html/data/touhokumousikomusyo.doc
Complete form and mail to danjoken-volunteer@pref.fukui.lg.jp
Once gathered, this information is going to be distributed through block reps, facebook, twitter etc to all the jets and hopefully lots of non jets that want to help so it has to be accurate.
Yoroshiku,
–AJET & Smile Kids Japan
The AJET Relief Fund for JETs in affected areas
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Via National AJET (10:15 am, Monday, March 15 NY time):
AJET would like to announce that we will be collecting money to specifically address JET needs in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami. We also encourage donations to relief efforts directed at the community at large (JEN: http://tinyurl.com/4sp8mba; Peace Winds Japan: http://www.peace-winds.org/en/; or Good Neigbours: http://tinyurl.com/4f6gtas), however the AJET Relief Fund will provide donations directly to JETs in affected areas, with advice from Prefectural Advisors in prefectures such as Akita, Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Iwate and Miyagi to ensure that this money is used in the most efficient way possible.
As the relief effort is still in its early stages, the needs of affected JETs have not yet been fully assessed. National AJET expects to address some of these needs as they arise; shelter, food and water will be top priorities. The AJET Relief fund will also be used to help JETs rebuild their lives after the immediate danger has passed. For updates or questions about the distribution of AJET Relief funds, make sure to e-mail relief@ajet.net.
Via Matthew Holmes who is at Interac’s headquarters:
Thank you all of you for sharing information and really helping to keep us updated at Interac HQ. We are working round the clock trying to contact everybody and also give news to relatives by phone, email, facebook and via the various Embassies. We have really appreciated your responses and help with contacting various people on the ground.
Please take care everyone and please tell any Interac teachers, if they have not already done so, to contact Interac . They can do so 24/7.
contact@interac.co.jp
We are all taking turns to do shifts in the office and we will continue to try and get through to everybody. We will be providing instructions and further advice over the next 24 hours.
All those in the middle of this tragedy are in our thoughts and prayers.
Matthew
