Helping Japan rebuild, two years after the tsunami

March 11 marks the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Shortly after the quake hit the International Rescue Committee responded by providing technical and financial support to three Japanese aid groups—the Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR), Japan Emergency NGO (JEN) and Peace Winds Japan. Their efforts focused on the elderly and the disabled, and on rebuilding the ruined coastal fishing industry.

 

These efforts, and the IRC’s support for them, continue. The latest project, launched in December 2012, will help oyster farmers on the Oshika peninsula establish businesses, including restaurants and markets, where they can sell their catch directly to customers.

 

“This project will help restore the livelihoods of the local people and eventually become a major source of income and tourism,” says the IRC’s Shinko Tana, who has worked closely with the Japanese aid groups.