UNITE FOR CHILDREN

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief (99th report)
The 34th Miyagi Sports Association Rubber Baseball Exchange Competition (Jumbo Tournament)!
Playing baseball to encourage the swift recovery of our beloved hometown!

[MIYAGI, JAPAN, 17 August 2011]

On 16 August at the opening ceremony of the 34th Miyagi Sports Association Rubber Baseball Exchange Competition (Jumbo Tournament), the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) provided icepacks as a countermeasure for heat stroke to primary school students participating in the competition, which had been pushed back three months due to the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Shin Watanabe, chair of the Miyagi Sports Association Baseball Council, gave a big smile as he explained to JCU, “After the disaster, on 13 and 14 March, I thought about visiting different parts of Miyagi Prefecture in my car, but the road was severed around Minamisanriku, leaving me without a way to go. I was unable to confirm the safety of the Association’s board members and was very worried about the children as well. After I was finally able to get in touch with everyone, we held a board members’ meeting on 23 March where we decided that the Jumbo Tournament just wasn’t feasible due to the circumstances. Still unable to give up, we held another meeting in late April but it was again determined that it would be impossible to hold the event as the baseball fields were still covered in rubble. The situation felt hopeless, but the children didn’t give up. Children from Ishinomaki, Higashi-Matsushima and Watari contacted me directly and demanded that we hold the Jumbo Tournament. They pleaded that they are finally sixth graders and want nothing more than to participate in the tournament. Thanks to the eagerness of these children, at the next board members’ meeting held on 23 May we decided that, while the winners still wouldn’t be able to participate in nationals because the tournament has been delayed, we should still hold the tournament anyway. I was very pleased with this decision and felt greatly relieved. We were worried how many teams would be able to participate at first, but in the end a total of 289 teams, just one short of last year, registered. Everyone was then very pleased that we had decided to hold the tournament. However, we still had a long way to go before making the tournament happen. First, the baseball field we had used in the past was rendered useless by the disaster and a lot of children had lost their baseball cleats and other equipment as well. We managed to secure the Kleenex Stadium and received assistance from people across Japan in the provision of equipment. I am so happy that we are able to hold the tournament today. I am absolutely full of gratitude. Just when we were about to give up, it was the eager voices of children that encouraged us to keep trying.”

   

The mother of a boy in the sixth grade at Yanaizu Primary School in Tome City also commented that, “After the disaster, the children were unable to practice often because of fears of aftershocks. They were finally able to return to practice as normal from around late April. It made me feel so good to see them out there playing with such energy. This is the last competition for sixth graders, so we were determined to make it happen. I was so thankful when I heard that they decided to hold the competition. It’s truly amazing that so many primary school students are participating today. I hope that they will give it their all out there, but just be careful about heat stroke because it is a tremendously hot today.”

Players were provided with UNICEF bags.

At the opening ceremony, Miyagi Sports Association Director Yuya Goto greeted the crowd: “Your entrance marches were more spirited and energetic than in past years. This year, countless precious lives were lost in the horrific 11 March disaster and many more have been affected. It brings me great pleasure to be able to hold this opening ceremony despite these circumstances. The baseball tournament is being held three months later than normal years, but I hope that you will demonstrate the spirit and skills that your coaches have provided you with to make this year’s competition better than others. When you play remember your passion for baseball, the feelings of your families, as well as the supplies and assistance that has been provided by Miyagi Prefecture and from people across Japan. Let these feelings serve as motivation that will allow you to play courageously out there on the field.”

After the opening ceremony, the students sounded refreshed with energy as they told us, “We practiced a lot for this, so I am happy that we were able to compete. We’re not the best team, but I am determined to win. We promised that we’d all shave our heads if we lost.” Another student said, “This is our last tournament. When they said the tournament was on, my mom was really happy for me. That made me happy.”

The 34th Miyagi Sports Association Rubber Baseball Exchange Competition (Jumbo Tournament) is scheduled from 28 August (Sunday) until 2 October (semifinals and the finals) at Kleenex Stadium and other public baseball fields.

All photo credits: © Japan Committee for UNICEF

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
Miyagi Nutritional supplements From early April 4,000 bottles
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
Fukushima Notebooks and stationery sets 16 Apr. 390 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 22 Apr. 20
Iwate Geiger counters 28 Apr. 14 For schools in Soma City
Iwate Dressing room/ breastfeeding partition system 29 Apr. 21 sets
Saitama* Milk From late April Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City
Saitama* Yogurt From early May Danone Japan Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City
Iwate Color pencils (120 sets) and paint (240 sets) 13 May
Iwate Student lamps 14 May 15
Iwate Stationery sets 16 May 840 sets
Fukushima Lockers 16 May 22 sets For the Board of Education of Minamisoma City
Fukushima Computers 16 May 1 Ishikawa Town Board of Education
Miyagi 2 copiers; 2 computers; 2 printers May For Higashi-Matsushima Day-Care Center and Watari Day-Care Center
Iwate Water receiving tank, water purifier tank, water supply tank May construction
Miyagi Solar-powered vaccine refrigerator 18 May
Fukushima Fans 30 May 112 Minamisoma City Board of Education
Fukushima Masks 30 May 100,000 Minamisoma City Board of Education
Iwate 1 copy machine 2 June Preschool
Miyagi Rain coats 4 June 1,000
Saitama* Shoes 15 June 460 pairs Converse Footwear Co., Ltd.
Fukushima Fans 21 June 21 Minamisoma City Board of Education
Miyagi Jerseys for teachers and windbreakers for students (various sizes) June Akashi Hifuku Kogyo Co., Ltd Junior high schools in Kesennuma City (6 schools)
Miyagi Used digital piano June 1
Miyagi Digital scale 6 July 200 Ishinomaki City Offices
Miyagi Fans 6 July 5
Miyagi Child-size tables and chairs; toys 22 July IKEA
Iwate Candles for events 23 July
Iwate Wall-hanging fans 1 August 200
Iwate Recreation kit replenishments Regular
Fukushima Fans 2 August 95 Minamisoma City Board of Education
Miyagi Hand sterilizer 3 August 4,680 Lion Corporation Preschools, etc.
Miyagi Antibacterial freshener 3 August 3,600 Magnet Corporation; Antimicrobial Technology Co., Ltd.; Jutech Corporation; Clean Techno Co., Ltd.; Mitani Valve Co., Ltd.; HY Corporation Preschools, etc.

-Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 240,000 books to over 1,900 locations (as of 4 August 2011).
-Number of children that have participated in the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” in Fukushima Prefecture (including planned numbers): More than 31,000 (as of 4 August).

*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 4 August 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).