Posts

The Ouzaki family from Mashiki - Mom Kiyomi-san, Dad Yoshitaka-san, and seven children ranging from 1 to 13 years of age - welcomed an eighth on April 22nd. The whole clan first evacuated from their apartment to a supermarket parking lot after the 4/14 quake, where the kids found places to stay so as to allow space for Kiyomi-san, who was due on 4/27, to recline in the car. After the quake on 4/16, they continued living in their car at Undou Kouen until the 22nd, when they moved to a kindergarten in Mashiki which was accepting evacuees. That very afternoon, Kiyomi-san noticed contractions beginning, and complications led to her being transferred from a Mashiki hospital to the Red Cross Hospital, where she gave birth to a healthy, 2,900 gram girl.
I would have hoped that they would have been named, in order, Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack. (Apologies to those who do not understand the reference.)
Better, their newest daughter has been named 未来 (Mirai) - "Future," at the suggestion of Yoshitaka-san's mother, who was quoted as saying, "Despite the disaster, we must proceed step by step to realize a bright future."
From May 5th, the family has moved into a temporary apartment in Higashi-Ku, and Yoshitaka-san has been busy ferrying belongings from their destroyed Mashiki residence. Today, Mother's Day, Kiyomi-san's children presented her with messages praising her reliability and gentleness.
I will try to contact the family to arrange for donations. Man, I'm all teared up just from writing this.
- William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160508007.xhtml

The Source -Kumamoto Earthquake- introduced this project. At this point, Japanese seems to be the primary language used by project organizers. If you're interested click on the link for more information.
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/thesourcekumamotoearthquake/posts/1743788589170823

This is not specific to Kumamoto but I think quiet a few readers of the page may be interested, as I was. If you follow the links, you'll find interesting videos in English, etc.
My own impression is that there is much more recognition and understanding of LGBT issues today in Japan than just a few years ago. Nonetheless, the article and videos, etc. indicate that there's still a lot of work to be done.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/06/national/social-issues/bullying-of-lgbt-students-at-epidemic-levels-in-japan-human-rights-watch/
Bullying of LGBT students at 'epidemic' levels in Japan: Human Rights Watch | The Japan Times
Bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students is at "epidemic" levels in Japanese schools, exacerbated by government's failure to inst

A summary of the damage to cultural assets published in the Chicago Tribune . . .
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-wp-japan-quakes-aba329dc-147c-11e6-93ae-50921721165d-20160507-story.html
327 cultural assets hurt in Kumamoto quakes
TOKYO - At least 327 cultural assets designated by the central and local governments in six prefectures in the Kyushu region have been damaged in the Kumamoto Earthquake and related tremors, according to a survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Liquefaction, an unusual phenomenon in which an earthquake under sandy earth overlaying a water basin causes the water to rise, has been confirmed by a couple of science guys to have occurred in Kawashiri, according to the Kumanichi. The science guys theorize that the liquefaction zone traces an ancient river branch which connected the present Shirakawa and Kasegawa rivers (a map is presented at the link). I mention this due to my concern of an earthquake in Yatsushiro, at the southern end of the Hinagu Fault which has yet to rupture. Apparently, Route 3 through that area used to be at the seafront; the vast area between that and the sea today is all landfill, and thus highly vulnerable to liquefaction.
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160507010.xhtml

Jazi Kelgenbaeva, a Kumamoto University PhD graduate in physical sciences who is from Kyrgyzstan (where there are few earthquakes), had her thoughts of the earthquakes and their aftermath published in Islam in Japan Media. Many at the Kumamoto Islamic Center, located in Kurokami just next to Kumamoto University, have been very active in quake relief efforts. Her perceptions of the response of the Kumamoto citizenry to this tragedy are very complimentary and illuminating. Please read them at this link. - William http://www.islaminjapanmedia.org/490-2/
From Your Messages: "My experience and thoughts in Kumamoto Earthquake" - Islam In Japan Media
From Your Messages: "My experience and thoughts in Kumamoto Earthquake, 2016." by Jazi Kelgenbaeva from Kumamoto University. My name is Jazi Kelgenbaeva, c

Here are some images from today's Asahi Shimbun. Most of the article is about the role that the Kumamoto City International Center has played (and is continuing to play) in the recovery. One point that I found to be interesting is that the facility was not originally designated as a shelter in the event of a disaster. Rather, the original plan was for the staff of the center to introduce travelers and foreign residents to other shelters. However, after the earthquake, evacuees tended to move in opposite direction -- from other shelters to the International Center -- because individual centers were only able to present information in Japanese. The article also mentions tomorrow's consultation event:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1032185160188249
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1031471000259665
Finally, Kumamoto International is introduced! It says that since the earthquake we have posted over 400 messages and that one has been seen by about 50,000 people. The post with about 50,000 views was this one, by Sara, which introduced a map that showed where one could get food and goods:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1019250848148347
One sign that things are getting back to normal is that the number of people viewing the page has fallen off a lot. As you can see in the image from this page's "insights" (only viewable by editors) we jumped up to over 50,000 views per day immediately after the quake. We are still not completely back to normal but things are definitely quieting down.
I'll write again to express my thanks to the editors who have helped (and are continuing to help) to make the page work so well. I really appreciate everyone's cooperation and support!
-- Kirk

Here's an Asahi article about the Iidamaru. I've already discussed how some have come to see the "ippon ishigaki" (single-pile stone wall) that supports the turret as a symbol of determination and resilience:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1028309280575837
In this post, I'd like to point out that the Japanese expression I've heard that corresponds to the “Hang in there! Hold on!” in the article is "Fumbare, Iidamaru" (踏ん張れ、飯田丸). Fumbaru is similar to gambaru (頑張る) but the Japanese-Japanese dictionary installed on my computer says it means "足に力をいれて立ち，倒れたり，動いたりしまいとする" (using the strength in your legs to resist falling over or moving). Makes perfect sense in this context. :) Come to think of it, "dig in your heels" might be a closer metaphor than "hold on." At any rate, fumbare, Iidamaru!
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201605050005.html
Kumamoto Castle turret hangs by a thread on quake-hit wall：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO—A 14-meter-tall turret at Kumamoto Castle here remains precariously balanced on a sliver of

Good morning! Here's an inquiry from Jacqueline Hearne:
"Greetings!! I live in Kumamoto and work with the JGSDF at Camp Kengun. I was recently contacted by U.S. military group in Tokyo, that in conjunction with the Girl Scouts, is gathering donations to put together and deliver backpacks with hygiene/useful items to people in need in the Kumamoto area. I'd like to put them in contact with a volunteer group who would know the best places to distribute this type of donation. I've seen your posts on volunteer efforts, and wondered if you'd be able to point me in the right direction. I appreciate your assistance. -Jackie"
You can contact her at [email protected] or please respond in a comment to this post with any ideas.
-- Kirk

News from Kurokawa Onsen.
http://kurokawa-onsen.com/update-4-after-the-kumamoto-earthquakes/
Update #4 on Kurokawa Onsen after the Kumamoto Earthquakes (bus from Kumamoto to Beppu now running!)
Its`s a beautiful morning,sunny and breezy here in this part of Kyushu after a wet and blustery day yesterday. So....all in

- Announcement from Kumamoto International Center -
The 2nd Consultation to support the foreign residents who suffer from the earthquakes:
Date 10:00 to 14:00 Sunday 8 May, 2016 (Entry to be made by 13:30) Venue International Communication Area on the 2nd floor of Kumamoto City International Center
Contents
１Municipal Service（Kumamoto City Hall） ２VISA status （Kumamoto Public Notary Council ） ３Law issue （Kumamoto Lawyer Council） ４Residential issue（Kumamoto residential support council） ５Mental care support
＊Interpreters for English, Chinese and Korea are available
＋Free Relief Supplies! Thanks to foreigners group in Ooizumi-machi Gunma-ken, Many relief supplies such as diapers, foods, water etc. arrive to help us. ＋Free Light Lunch to be provided Sponsored by link café at KCIC
No Reservation needed Free feel to join and talk Tel 096-359-2121 e-mail [email protected]
(Check out the link below for original PDF file with photos!)
file:///C:/Users/Fuku/Downloads/5月8日相談会ちらし（英語）.pdf
-Ciaran

Another step on the way back to normalcy.
-- Kirk
Quake-hit Kumamoto to put Kumamon mascot back into action soon | The Japan Times
The prefectural government of Kumamoto has decided to allow Kumamon, its hugely popular black bear mascot that has remained unseen in public settings since

City of Kumamoto to check mental health of 60,000 children after earthquakes | The Japan Times
The city of Kumamoto will conduct a survey on the mental health of around 60,000 children, as many are believed to be under stress in the aftermath of the

The image you see is a screenshot of a page in the manga mentioned in the article, which is available to read (in Japanese) free of charge on the Tokyo Disaster Prevention Information website:
http://www.bousai.metro.tokyo.jp/book/book/comic.html
It would have been nice if people in Kumamoto had received similar warnings about the possibility of large quake, but I'm not aware of any such public education campaigns in Kumamoto.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/29/national/quake-prone-japan-kumamoto-temblors-stir-worry-tokyo-x-day/
In quake-prone Japan, Kumamoto temblors stir worry of 'Tokyo X Day' | The Japan Times
There's nothing comical about this manga: office building windows shatter, trains derail and cars plunge from buckling bridges. It all happens at 4:35 p.m.

Here's an English video update (with the text read by the announcer) from NHK:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160504_01/
Kumamoto struggles with aftermath of disaster- News - NHK WORLD - English
Earthquakes continued on Tuesday in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto as residents struggle to deal with the aftermath of the disaster.

Woody Hodgson, who is handling the yahoo groups list, writes the following:
In my daily bicycle trips I'm seeing all over the city mountainous piles of unseparated trash building into health and fire hazards and even road hazards on the narrow neighborhood streets. People are taking advantage of the earthquakes to now empty their residences not just of quake-damaged goods but also of all the things that were too troublesome to dispose of in the past--analog TVs, old bedding, furniture, appliances, PCs, etc.
With organic burnable garbage liberally mixed in as well it's pretty difficult to expect the sanitation crews on the trucks to try to sort through the messes themselves on designated pick up days.
What's to be done? With whole demolished houses and buildings needing to be disposed of I guess this issue is still on the back burner. But it is seriously worsening and warm weather and rain are going to reduce these accumulations into even more toxic stews.
I'm not sure if volunteers can be of help in this, but I think it's worthy of attention. Is there a plan of any kind?
OR..if information is available on this subject, please post a link.
Thank you,

Classes are scheduled to resume on Monday at several universities in Kumamoto City as well.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/03/national/social-issues/80-kumamoto-schools-resume-classes-tuesday-quakes/
80% of Kumamoto schools to resume classes Tuesday after quakes | The Japan Times
About 80 percent of public schools in Kumamoto Prefecture will have resumed classes by Tuesday after their buildings were damaged or used as evacuation cen

Chosen to host the National Athletic Meet in 1998, Kumamoto built a stadium officially called 熊本県民総合運動公園陸上競技場, but which quickly acquired the moniker "KKWing." Recently, I've noticed it referred to as "Umakana-Yokana Sutajiamu" (うまかな・よかなスタジアム); apparently, Roasso acquired naming rights in 2013, and that's what they came up with. Of course, people immediately abbreviated that to "Umasuta" (うまスタ) because why not. Ask your friends what they call it! - probably older people like me call it KKWing, while younger call it Umasuta.
Whichever you call it, it will be out of action likely at least through July to repair light fixtures and seating and confirm safety. This will greatly affect the Prefectural High School Athletic Meet. The entrance ceremony scheduled to be held there has been cancelled and various events shifted to venues both inside and outside the prefecture. Not so yoka for the high school kids. - William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160503003.xhtml
県高校総体、開会式を中止　開催地など大幅変更－熊本のニュース│ くまにちコム
熊本日日新聞社が取材した熊本のニュース。新聞紙面に掲載前の記事もお伝えします。

" . . . evacuees will likely have to stay at these facilities for extended periods of time."
The evacuation center that was set up at the local elementary school near my home (Obiyama) has closed down and evacuees are being asked to move to other centers. As the article indicates, it will take a good deal more time to find homes for all of the evacuees.
-- Kirk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002920141
Kumamoto to improve shelters
KUMAMOTO — The Kumamoto city government is set to implement measures aimed at improving the living conditions of 18 evacuation shelters for quake victims, such as setting up partitions between the spaces allocated to each family.

More than a week has passed since Peace Winds Japan posted this on their website so it's no longer "news" but I still found it to be interesting. The reason is that Peace Winds Japan is one of several organizations that have focused on helping people in other countries and are now using this expertise in Japan. Here's a quote from the "About" tab on their web site:
"Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to the support of people in distress, and threatened by conflict, poverty, or other turmoil. With its headquarters in Japan, PWJ is operational in many parts of the world."
One of the things I've learned through this disaster is that helping people in other countries is good preparation for helping people in your own country when the need arises.
By the way, if you look at their website, you'll find that they are accepting donations.
-- Kirk
P.S. Thanks to The Source -Kumamoto Earthquake- (https://www.facebook.com/thesourcekumamotoearthquake/) -- my source in this case. :)
http://peace-winds.org/en/news/1134
Kumamoto: More shelters and relief items for the evacuees
Even though it is more than a week ago that Kumamoto was first struck by the large earthquakes on 14 and 16 April, there