UNITE FOR CHILDREN

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief (47th report)
Ambassador Agnes Chan’s visit to Iwate Prefecture: Second Edition
A completely devastated city

[RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, 29 April 2011]

© Japan Committee for UNICEF

“A lot has already been cleaned up, but I was truly shocked on my first visit,” said Agnes Chan, Ambassador of Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU). Ms. Chan visited the disaster area once before between 12-15 April to the coastal region of Miyagi Prefecture. This visit, her second, is to the coast of Iwate Prefecture.

Just as we passed the highway marker indicating that it was six more kilometers to Rikuzentakata City, the first area we were to visit, we began to see piles of rubble in Kesen River, which flowed alongside the road. Then, from next to me, Mr. Suzuki, who has been the driver for JCU emergency activities in Iwate Prefecture, quietly whispered to me.

“Thank you for singing the song Ame ni mo Makezu!”

The first place Ms. Chan visited on her trip was Daiichi Junior High School, where even now, over a month and a half after the disaster, more than 600 people are still living as disaster victims. That was the first thing that someone said to Agnes Chan at the entrance of the school. Agnes Chan was called on by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan to participate in a charity concert with other Hong Kong and Japanese stars directly after the disaster. It was there that she sang Ame ni mo Makezu, a song written by Kenji Miyazawa, a native of Iwate Prefecture. After returning home from the charity concert in Hong Kong, Ms. Chan quickly worked to record the song on CD. It is being delivered to disaster victims in various different forms.

A completely devastated city

© Japan Committee for UNICEF
The driver, Mr. Suzuki, driving on the way to Rikuzentakata City.

“All of the landmarks have disappeared, so I have no idea where anything is,” said Mr. Suzuki, who spent is primary and junior high school years living in Rikuzentakata. Ms. Chan, who visited the city on business for a conference several years ago, also said that everything had been destroyed in the city and it looked totally different.

“I never would have thought that I’d return one day to see the city like this.” At a shelter a Daiichi Junior High School, one woman that came to hear Ms. Chan speak at that conference broke down into tears after hearing this.

“I can’t believe that there are still this many people forced to live in the shelter even though more than five weeks have passed the disaster. Everyone, I know that you are really struggling. But even amidst this situation, I saw a child smile. After seeing that smile I knew that I had to work hard, too. It may still be a long road to recovery, but I am absolutely sure that we can rebuild this city,” said Ms. Chan.

JCU Ambassador Chan will visit Ofunato City on 30 April.

      
© Japan Committee for UNICEF    © Japan Committee for UNICEF
The location of a town hall where Ms. Chan gave a lecture several years ago.    Ms. Chan being welcomed at a shelter set up in Daiichi Junior High School.

Current arrival status of relief supplies

Receiving
Prefecture
Type of Emergency
Supplies
Arrival
Date
Quantity Donating
Company
Comments
Miyagi Water 19 Mar. 12,288
bottles
VanaH Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Fukushima Water 22 Mar. 12,672
bottles
VanaH Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Miyagi Underwear for boys and girls 22 Mar. 200,000    
Iwate Underwear for boys and girls 23 Mar. 30,000    
Fukushima Water 23 Mar. 4,680
bottles
KIRIN MC DANONE WATERS Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Miyagi Children’s shoes 23 Mar. 10,000
pairs
   
Miyagi Children’s diapers 24 Mar. 80 packs P&G Japan  
Iwate Children’s underwear 24 Mar. 9,700    
Fukushima Water 24 Mar. 12,288
bottles
VanaH Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Iwate Shoes 26 Mar 1,404 pairs Achilles Corporation  
Iwate Underwear for boys and girls 27 Mar. 28,266  
Iwate Boots 27 Mar. 7,462 pairs  
Iwate Wipes 28 Mar. 1,200 P&G Japan For babies
Miyagi Recreation kits
Early Childhood Development kits
2 Apr. 50 of each Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division
Iwate Recreation kits
Early Childhood Development kits
2 Apr. 50 of each Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division
Miyagi Book bags 6 Apr. 70 Nihon New Bag Chain
Iwate Book bags 6-7 Apr. 340 Seiban
Miyagi Schoolbags 8 Apr. 18,000 Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division
Iwate Schoolbags 8 Apr. 18,000 Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division
Miyagi Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) 8 Apr. 5,000
Iwate Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) 8 Apr. 5,000
Miyagi Minicar 8 Apr. 3 cars
Fukushima Water 11 Apr. 1,536 bottles VanaH Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Miyagi Replenishments for recreation kits 12 Apr. 60 sets
Miyagi Miniature toy cars 12 Apr. Approx. 1,200 TAKARA TOMY
Sagamihara* Water 12 Apr. 12,288 bottles VanaH Co., Ltd. Two-liter plastic bottles
Miyagi Play mats 13 Apr. Two types; 80 of each type IKEA
Miyagi Drawing sets 13 Apr. 60 sets IKEA
Iwate Preschool-size chairs, tables and low tables 14 Apr. 75 chairs; 11 tables; 9 low tables Donated to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations
Miyagi Mopeds 15 Apr. 5
Iwate Notebooks and stationery sets for primary and junior high school students 15. Apr. 16,700 sets
Miyagi 183 computers; 57 copiers and fax machines; 61 printers 18-21 Apr. Distributed to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations
Fukushima Movable blackboards 21 Apr. 10
Fukushima Temporary toilets 21 Apr. 20

Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 250 (as of 28 April 2011)

*Areas receiving disaster victims.

*In certain cases some supplies may be taken from prefectural supply storage warehouses and distributed to shelters and disaster sites in other prefectures.
As of 9:00 a.m. on 28 April 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).