Kirk here with another positive story about foreigners pitching in to help.
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[Ogori, Fukuoka] Foreign Technical Intern Trainees at Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin Take the Lead in Delivering Relief Supplies to Areas Affected by the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake
August 20, 2026, 7:30 p.m. — Straight Press
Photo taken at one of the facilities receiving assistance
Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin (九州国際学院), operated by RPJ Co., Ltd. (株式会社RPJ) in Fukuoka, carried out a relief-supply effort for areas of Kumamoto Prefecture affected by the earthquake, led primarily by foreign technical intern trainees currently undergoing training at the school.
Relief effort motivated by a desire to support disaster victims and senior trainees
Photo taken at a company receiving assistance
For this relief effort, arrangements were made in advance with companies employing graduates of Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin and facilities serving as distribution points for relief supplies. Supplies were delivered to three locations. A total of 18 people participated that day, representing the students of Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin, including technical intern trainees from Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Nepal.
Photo taken at a nursery school receiving assistance
Trainees form a line to carry relief supplies
Wanting to help disaster victims and others living in the affected areas, they delivered water, daily necessities, and other items needed locally. The participating trainees actively helped bring in and transport the supplies, carefully carrying the relief goods one item at a time.
Trainees form a line to carry relief supplies
Trainees load supplies onto a cart
Some of the participating technical intern trainees experienced the earthquake almost immediately after entering Japan. They said that, just as they were beginning life in an unfamiliar country, they felt the powerful shaking and were frightened and anxious. Even so, they asked themselves, “Is there anything we can do for the people affected by the disaster?” That desire led them to take part in this relief effort.
Photo with graduates of Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin currently working as trainees in Kumamoto (from left: trainee, Mr. Noguchi, trainee, Mr. Egashira)
Kumamoto Prefecture is also home to more senior trainees who came to Japan from the same countries—Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Nepal—and who have already been working hard to build their lives in Japan. The desire to “help, even in some small way, if senior trainees from our own countries who are working hard in Japan are in trouble” was another motivation behind the relief effort.
Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin plans to continue doing what it can while monitoring conditions in the affected areas and determining what kinds of support are needed.
A relief effort conceived and carried out by the technical intern trainees themselves
Vietnamese trainee Nguyen Duc Thanh commented in an interview after the relief effort:
“There was an earthquake soon after I came to Japan, and I was very frightened. I still wasn’t used to life in Japan, but I wondered whether there was anything I could do for people who were having difficulties, so I decided to take part in this relief effort.”
Indonesian trainee Abdul Rohman said:
“There are senior trainees from my country in Kumamoto who came to Japan before us and have been working hard here. I wanted to help those senior trainees and people in the local community who are having difficulties, even if only a little. I’m glad I was able to participate in delivering the supplies.”
Mizuki Noguchi, a director of RPJ, commented:
“This relief-supply effort was not something that we at RPJ Co., Ltd. initiated. The technical intern trainees themselves thought, ‘Is there anything we can do for the people affected by the disaster?’ and took action on their own. At present, crimes involving foreign nationals sometimes receive a great deal of attention. But we hope that more people will also become aware that there are foreign nationals in Japan who study and work very hard and who want to take action to help people and communities in need.”
Kei Egashira, also a director of RPJ, added:
“For this effort, we provided support with things the trainees could not handle entirely on their own, such as preparing and transporting supplies and coordinating with the organizations involved. We are extremely pleased and encouraged that the trainees thought for themselves and acted to help others across national boundaries. We intend to continue respecting their wishes and supporting the activities that are needed.”
Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin places importance not only on teaching Japanese and the knowledge students need for work, but also on fostering ties with the local community and encouraging a spirit of compassion that leads people to take action for those in need. Its future efforts to remain attentive to the circumstances of disaster victims and affected communities will also be worth watching.
Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin official website:
https://kyushukokusai.com
(ASANO)
Note: I have rendered 九州国際学院 as “Kyushu Kokusai Gakuin” rather than presenting “Kyushu International Academy” or another naturalized translation as an official English name.
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