JAPAN and the WORLD Magazine APRIL ISSUE 2016 #Issue 15 | Page 25

AROUND MARCH 11
WHO CARES?
WHO CARES?
NGO s CHALLENGES IN PROVIDING AID TO POST-DISASTER AREAS
被災地への支援供与でNGOが直面する課題
WORDS: FAITH YANAI
INTRODUCTION
As we mark 5 years of relief and
rehabilitation after the disasters of
the Great East Japan Earthquake, its
more severely damaging Tsunami
and the attending nuclear disaster
caused by destruction of the three
nuclear reactors in Fukushima, we
should review the relief funding
that has enabled Japan to reach its
current level of recovery.
東日本大震災、それに続くより深刻な打
撃を与えた津波の発生、福島第一原子
力発電所の1－3号機の炉心損傷事故
に対応した救済・復旧が5年を経過した
ことを踏まえ、
日本が募金活動により現
在のレベルにまで復興できたことにつ
いて検証するべきであろう。
M
ore than 160 nations provided
more than 1 billion USD in
support with 750 million USD
originating from the US alone.
While the number of entities
supporting the recovery process and total
contributions themselves are remarkable,
there are several trends in the flow of funds
to this disaster that are distinctly different to
preceding international disasters such as the
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2010
Haiti earthquake.
More than 160 nations
provided more than 1
billion USD in support with
750 million USD originating
from the US alone.
The first and most striking difference is the lack
of an apparent coordinated public appeal for
JAPAN AND THE WORLD MAGAZINE
Origami cranes as a symbol of hope.
support to the disaster relief. In the immediate
aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and
again in the Haiti earthquake international
news coverage showed US presidents standing
with notable public figures making an appeal
to support the disaster relief efforts to those
areas. These appeals were made repeatedly and
followed with high profile visits to the affected
areas in an effort to keep the calamities in the
public eye. Immediate action by major NGOs
accustomed to dispatching teams to assess
needs and deliver aid spearheaded private
sector efforts as well.
This masked the reality
of the type of funding
and assistance that was
actually building within
the US and elsewhere.
Credits: Sheila Sund
had fully assessed the situation and needs of
the disaster before making relief strategies.
Within the US an apparent lack of donations
and action on the US side made headlines,
resulting in a public debate by pundits as to
whether it was appropriate or even necessary
to send assistance to such a wealthy nation.
This masked the reality of the type of funding
and assistance that was actually building
within the US and elsewhere. Fundraising
by individuals, businesses and societies with
personal, business and cultural connections to
Japan, even cities with sister city relationships
to cities in Japan were moving to help but each
without knowledge of the others who were
similarly active.
In the case of the Great East Japan
Earthquake, none of this was apparent.
Rather, the reaction was similar to the 8.8
magnitude earthquake in Chile the preceding
year, where official condolences and aid was
offered. According to Sarajean Rossitto, NGO
consultant in Tokyo, the government of Japan
initially requested that agencies wait until it
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