Experiences of Foreign Residents on the Coast
How did foreign residents of the coast react when the disaster struck, and what are they feeling now? We asked three people: Misaki Kinno, who took refuge in Morioka from Miyako, Victor Kochaphum, a resident of Tanohata who took refuge in Miyako, and Maria Teresa Hosoya, a resident of Rikuzentakata who volunteered after the disaster.Disaster at 7 months pregnant– and then comes baby
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| ▶ Misaki and Yuri, at one and a half months old |
Misaki Kinno
Misaki arrived in Japan in August 2010, and married Kaname Kinno of Miyako, a self-employed businessman. Before coming to Japan, she studied Japanese for two years while working. Originally from Dalian, China, she is 24 years old.
Misaki Kinno gave birth to a 6lb 11oz (3030 grams) baby girl on June 7th in Morioka. Misaki’s husband Kaname named her Yuri, hoping that his baby girl would grow up to be as kind as her mother.
On the day of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, Misaki was at the dentist in Miyako with her in-laws. The appointment was for 2:30, and the earthquake struck just as she sat down in the dentist’s chair. The dentist’s office was in a high place, so they waited for the aftershocks to stop. That night, they evacuated to a nearby government building. Her husband Kaname was in Kamaishi for work. She received a cell phone email from him directly after the quake saying, “Run away now!” but she could not contact him after that. It was five days before they reunited.
The Kinno family house was swept away by the tsunami, but the entire family was safe.
Misaki’s parents in China contacted her by email, but phone calls would not go through. It took around 10 days to finally hear their voices. “You’re an only child so you go at your own pace,” said her father. “So I was so worried you wouldn’t evacuate in time. I searched for you on the internet, but there was no way to contact you. I was so afraid you had died.”
Misaki was 7 months pregnant when the disaster struck. She wanted to return temporarily to China as soon as possible, but remained in Japan because she worried about her health and the difficulty of getting to China. After she had moved to three different evacuation centers, she moved to employee housing in Morioka at the beginning of the May holidays. In thefirst few days after the disaster, there were days where she would only receive one rice ball as food rations - not nearly enough nutrition. Her husband asked her everyday if their baby was still moving inside of her. Their neighbors in the refuge center made sure she got enough nutrition.
Even though she had planned on giving birth in a hospital in Miyako, she ended up having to switch to a Morioka hospital. Luckily she had her Mother & Child Handbook with her so there was no problem with the paperwork, and she looked forward to a safe birth. “The staff at the obstetrician’s office prepared everything I needed for the birth and my baby, and I’m so thankful for that,” said Misaki.
In the year since she had arrived in Japan, Misaki experienced pregnancy, an earthquake and tsunami, and the birth of her daughter. She is currently learning the ropes of being a new mother.
Misaki and her daughter Yuri, who will inherit both Chinese and Japanese cultures, want Iwate to remain their home forever.
first few days after the disaster, there were days where she would only receive one rice ball as food rations - not nearly enough nutrition. Her husband asked her everyday if their baby was still moving inside of her. Their neighbors in the refuge center made sure she got enough nutrition.
Even though she had planned on giving birth in a hospital in Miyako, she ended up having to switch to a Morioka hospital. Luckily she had her Mother & Child Handbook with her so there was no problem with the paperwork, and she looked forward to a safe birth. “The staff at the obstetrician’s office prepared everything I needed for the birth and my baby, and I’m so thankful for that,” said Misaki.
In the year since she had arrived in Japan, Misaki experienced pregnancy, an earthquake and tsunami, and the birth of her daughter. She is currently learning the ropes of being a new mother.
Misaki and her daughter Yuri, who will inherit both Chinese and Japanese cultures, want Iwate to remain their home forever.
Miyako’s Yamaguchi Elementary School, one of the refuge centers.
Yuri is still inside her mother’s belly.
http://iwate-ia.or.jp/cms/media/kikanshi/2011/2011autumn-kikanshi-E.pdf
（Iwate International Association September 30, 2011）
