Thank You for Your Support～Beyond Recovery, toward Reconstruction, and Rebirth～

  Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake continues its support activities.

Two and a half years have passed since the Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake started its actions immediately after Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake. In the disaster-affected coastal area, precise reconstruction plan is yet to be completed, as well as the prospect for closing of temporary housing and construction of public restoration housing has been uncertain in many local governments.

Picture1:Disaster Management Building to Be Dismantled, Minamisanriku, Miyagi

In the second year of our support activities, our focal centers, which were set up by the headquarters, assessed the track to start business projects, with an aim to be a community resource. At the same time, needs of the individual support, which was originally estimated to be decreased as the reconstruction progressed, turned out to be more serious, especially in transportation. Thus, the type of the supports shifted from emergency to everyday living.

On December 4, 2013, the House of Councilor approved of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the plenary session, more than five years after the Convention came into force. This event coincided with the 1,000th day after the Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake struck. The current situation of the disaster-affected areas is in the mixture of “usual” and “unusual” life: some areas remained safe and the same just as before the disaster, while other devastated areas are still staggered for recovery; some people are bringing back their “regular” life, yet some other people have been in need of external support. This discrepancy will be more serious when the support is ceased or decreased. Time is not a solution to improve the disaster-affected people’s living, which has been demanding supports. Support activities cannot be terminated in a current state where problems remain unsolved.

Picture2:Recently Installed Stone Figures of Jizo, Traditional Guardian Deity of Children, Kadonowaki-cho, Ishinomaki, Miyagi

From that day on, a number of nonprofit organizations engaged themselves in the disaster relief and support activities, finished their projects and left. We, Relief Headquarters for Persons with Disabilities of Tohoku-Kanto Great Earthquake, are determined to continue the effort. Your support to our work is deeply appreciated.