The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March 11, 2011. Foreigners often need support and information in their own languages, and are seen as a group particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. On the other hand, by observing foreigners support and be supported by their families and friends, we can catch a glimpse of a multicultural society in action. In this special edition, we have gathered the earthquake and tsunami experiences of foreign residents of Iwate who have forged deep bonds to their community and to residents in their region.
Discussion Session– Natural Disasters and Foreigners in Iwate
We asked about the experiences of the foreigners who helped distribute information in their native language on the internet and radio, and who took questions directed at the International Center from Japan and internationally.
-Please tell us some of the questions you received from other foreigners and the information you distributed on the radio.
Smith: There were some people who wanted to return to their own countries but couldn’t speak Japanese well, so they wanted me to help with those procedures. Seeing everyone leaving for their own countries made me lonely and progressively more anxious.
Zheng: I broadcast information on the radio about the status of the tsunami and aftershocks. I also gave information on public transportation and necessary public utilities and lifelines. Calls asking about the safety of loved ones came to the International Center from both within Japan and from China.
Smith: I’m glad there was information on the radio regarding necessary supplies for the refuge shelters.
Zhou: I had a phone call from someone who told me they couldn’t return a book they had borrowed, but I figured they were just lonely and needed someone to talk to.
Xi: There were a lot of things people could rely on, and the Iwate International Association homepage was one of those lifelines. Also there were sites like individual embassy homepages.
-There seems to be foreigners that do not know about the existence of the Iwate International Association. What are some ideas for solving that?
Hall: You should cooperate with companies who hire foreigners, and hand out pamphlets about the Association. Maybe at orientations, companies can talk about how there is this association in Iwate to help…
Smith: They may know there is an International Association, but they may not know what it is for or what they do.
Hall: They help out with so many things. People who can’t speak Japanese very well, people in trouble – they should all contact the Association more often. However, those people usually have a small network, so they just aren’t aware of it. For example, how about locating foreign brides who come to Japan with low Japanese ability and sending them some information?
-Are there countermeasures against natural disasters or evacuation shelters in your country?
Xi: There aren’t any shelters. Most of the time we gather in town squares.
Hall: For places that get tornadoes, some houses will have a basement where you can take shelter. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, people took refuge in an arena. I think there is a system in place for evacuating from dangerous areas.
Smith: There are many wildfires in the south of Australia, so we have many systems in place. You can receive information by cell phone, and information is broadcast from neighborhood speakers. The Fire Department will publish magazines and the like every year and give them to everyone.
-What did you do after the earthquake? Did you learn anything from the experience?
Zhou: I listened to the hand-powered radio I finally got my husband to buy after bugging him about it so many times.
Hall: I took refuge in the gymnasium of Morioka’s Third High School for about 2 days. Everyone brought things like kerosene and food to share, so I had no trouble.
Zheng: I live in government housing, so I stayed with another CIR. The Prefectural Office has its own source of power, so we stayed in the office until midnight, and the next day we broadcast tsunami and earthquake information on the radio.
Xi: I had previously translated a prefectural disaster pamphlet into Chinese which outlined what to do in an earthquake. Even though I translated it myself, I didn’t pay too much attention to it, so I didn’t prepare things necessary for evacuation. I definitely need to prepare the minimum just in case another disaster occurs.
Hall: Before, when I looked at the signs for evacuation sites, I wondered why we needed such places. But after the earthquake I realized that it was for times like this. We are pretty lucky. We have a network with fellow residents, and a lot of friends who will help us out. But I wonder what some foreigners who have just arrived in Japan, or cannot speak Japanese, or who have few friends did during the quake.
Smith: Before the disaster, there were some other people who lived in my apartment complex who I would say hello to, but they would never respond. After the quake, I bought a ton of rice so I asked them if they needed any. They said thank you, and ever since then, when they buy things like milk, they’ll bring it to me, and they’ve started to say hello to me. They probably didn’t know I could speak Japanese, and were too nervous to say hello before.
-There are times when people won’t say hello even if we are both Japanese, so it’s nice that you had this opportunity to talk with them. What other things do you think are necessary?
Hall: Information about when utilities would return, when food will be distributed again. They told us on the TV not to purchase things in bulk – no panic buying – but if you don’t know Japanese you’ll have no idea when things will return to normal.
Smith: People wanted to volunteer - stuff like sending rescue supplies and helping with the cleanup. But you need Japanese for volunteering, so those who can’t speak Japanese just get in the way. People who didn’t have cars or a large social network didn’t know what to do. It would be nice to have some information for foreigners living in Morioka on how they can help.
Wrapping Up
Regardless of nationality, regardless of race – what is most important during a time of crisis? During a time of trouble? When you want to start something? It seems there are some clues within this discussion. Readers: what have you been thinking since the disaster, and what sort of things did you do?
<Profile>①Birthplace ②Years in Iwate ③Job Description ④During the Earthquake…
Shiyi Xi
① Shanghai, China
② 20 years
③ Chinese Language Teacher at Kozukata High School
④ I calmly checked my house, and went to buy candles and batteries.
James Hall
① Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
② 13 years
③ Associate Professor within Iwate University’s Education Department
④ I tried to call my wife but the call wouldn’t go through, so I went to search for my children by bike.
Hamish Smith
① Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
② 1 year and a half
③ ALT at Morioka Kita High School
④ A nearby old lady that I didn’t know grabbed onto my arm.
Lina Zhou
① Longyou, Zhejiang Province, China
② 4 years
③ School helper at Shiwa Elementary School
④ I wanted to cry because it was the first big earthquake I ever experienced, but I put on a strong face for the children.
Xiaomei Zheng
① Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
② 1 and a half years
③ CIR (Coordinator of International Relations) for Iwate Prefecture
④ I was at work at the Prefectural Office when the earthquake struck. I started distributing information in Chinese on the radio from the very next day.
http://iwate-ia.or.jp/cms/media/kikanshi/2011/2011autumn-kikanshi-E.pdf
（
Iwate International Association September 30, 2011）
