Tohoku Japan Earthquake/Tsunami/Atomic Disaster 2011

[Kendoguy9]

Hello all,

I got an email from Kondo Katsuyuki sensei. He is okay. There was some damage but nothing too bad it sounds like. I hope everyone else's teachers are well and in good health.

Best regards,

[muden]

All are safe up here in Hokkaido, as far as I can tell. I'm not aware of any DR instructors in the Tohoku region, though I'm sure there are some. I believe it was an importatnt area in DR history. I will enquire around and try to find out the situation.

Best from Japan,

[Nathan Scott]

Thanks for posting this Chris. All the members of the groups I am associated with in Japan are o.k. too, though some are a bit shaken up. As most have probably heard, food, water, electricity, and gas are things that are becoming threatened in supply all over.

I know that Sendai was once pretty active in Daito-ryu, and I also know that there are still some active groups there that I believe are independent from the main branches. Its something I was meaning to look into at some point, but don't have any information on them at this time. My training partner and I went through there a couple of times by train less than a month ago (Shizuoka to Hokkaido and back). We stayed in Aomori on the way up, and Hakodate on the way back. Last June my wife and I were exploring / researching in Fukushima (formerly Aizu) as well. Got lucky on the timing I guess.

BTW, Tohoku is the area of the main island (Honshu) consisting of basically everything north of Tokyo. In my experience, the Tohoku and Hokkaido people are the warmest and nicest people I've come across in Japan. Really sad.

Regards,

[Nathan Scott]

We've been looking in to the various ways of offering support to Japan. The problem is figuring out how to get the majority of your donation to the people who need them. Many large organizations have been found to spend the majority of received donations on their own administrative / operational fees, with only a small amount actually making it to the intended target. So following is the best info I've been able to find so far (feel free to offer further):

First is a general announcement paraphrased from the Japanese Consulate General of Japan in LA:

ANNOUNCEMENT: CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN IN LOS ANGELES

Monetary Donations in Response to the Japanese Tohoku Area - Pacific Ocean Earthquake

The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles is accepting monetary donations in response to the Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake. They claim 100% will go toward aiding the Japanese people with recovery from the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant meltdowns.

They are accepting donations by check. Please address the check and mail as detailed below.

Write Checks to:
“Consulate General of Japan”
(Memo line: Earthquake Aid)

Mailing Address:
Consulate General of Japan
350 S. Grand Ave., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90071-3472
(Earthquake Aid)

Please write "Earthquake Aid" on both the check memo line and the mailing envelope. The donations accepted will be sent directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society. Donations from individuals and organizations are both welcome.

For more information see the Embassy of Japan and Consulates in the U.S. webpage:
http://www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/e_web/e_m01_05.htm

The Japanese Consulate is forwarding donations directly to the Japanese Red Cross (bypassing the American Red Cross). So, another option is to donate directly to the Japanese Red Cross here:

http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/ (English)

As far as financial donations go, the best way is probably to donate directly to the local associations in the affected areas (Kenjinkai 県人会 ). These are local clubs formed by the residents. This cuts out all the middle men.

Not all of them seem to have webpages, but here are best links I could find to the most affected areas:

Ibaraki Prefecture:
http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/bukyoku/s...ndexsaigai.htm (Japanese)

Fukushima Prefecture:
http://www.worldvillage.org/fia/kinkyu_english.php (English)
http://www.worldvillage.org/fia/data..._0316_1600.pdf (English - *wire donation instructions*)
http://wwwcms.pref.fukushima.jp (Japanese)

Miyagi Prefecture (Sendai):
http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/kihu.htm#3 (Japanese)

Another, and perhaps easiest donation, is to donate shoes. Shoes (especially dry shoes) are a big problem in Japan right now. You can send them shoes and know that your entire donation is getting there while helping someone for sure through Sports Chalet:
http://f.e.sportchaletnews.com/i/3/2...c_s4s_sv5.html

Regards,

[Nathan Scott]

You have to be a member, but Bank of the West is offering Japan disaster relief donations via wire transfer with no service charge (usually about $35.00) until April 30th 2011. See here for further:

Bank of the West

Regards,

[Gene McGloin]

The Japan Society in NYC also started an Earthquake Relief fund. Here's their link for donations: http://www.japansociety.org/earthquake