Support evacuees of Fukushima

From the 3^rd and the 4^th of December just a few weeks ago, we hosted an exciting concert at a total of seven post-disaster-recovering housings and temporary housings in Aizu-wakamatsu city as well as Nihonmatsu city in the prefecture of Fukushima. The concert was anchored by Edoya-Nekohachi, who is most famous for animal impersonations, accompanied by a group of folksingers who represent the prefecture.

We were at the newly-built post-disaster-recovery housing in Aizu-wakamatsu on the first day. The housing hosts displaced populations who have been uprooted from Okuma town, located within a 20 km radius of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, under an evacuation order. These residents have long stayed at a temporary housing but only recently were able to move into the recovering housing.

This is a new community still under development. Communication is still a struggle among the residents. In the face of this ubiquitous sense of uncertainty hovering over this new community, the concert provided a fantastic opportunity for the residents to connect and get to know each other. They exchanged conversations of commonly felt anxiety, comfort and hope. Some were saying “Oh I didn’t know you also moved here. I am happy to see your face,” while others were saying “I have started to get used to a new life here in Aizu.” There were people who seemed happy on the surface but still had a sign of nostalgia and confusion on their faces.

We were at a temporary housing in Nihonmatsu on the second day. This housing also hosts displaced populations from Namie town located within a 20km radius of the nuclear plant. The concert was held in an open congregational area and was attended by a number of people. The nature of it, being held in a physically liberating place and featuring folk-singing on the main stage served to comfort the residents who are locked up in an occlusive environment of the housing on a daily basis. Folk-singing was also very much appreciated by the elderly residents.

The concert on both days was very successful. The biggest highlight was Edoya-Nekohachi’s impersonations of nightingales and cows, which gave a thunder in an auditorium with the audience breaking into laughter and loud applause.

There were people shedding tears while Mr. Suzuki Masao was singing traditional folksongs from Fukushima.

Edoya-Nekohachi who has co-hosted, along with AAR Japan, commemorative/comfort concerts on more than 100 occasions understand the struggles of the residents undergo. He tells the audience that “I understand that every day is a challenge but you cannot give up. If you keep smiling, you can keep going. I know you all will be fine because I see all of you are smiling now. I would like to continue to be a part of the future events and concerts until the very last moment when there is just one person left in temporary housings.”

It’s been five years since the 3.11 disaster but Fukushima is still in the process of recovery. AAR Japan has been supported enormously by generous support from individuals inside/outside of Japan. Our support for people of Fukushima will continue into the year of 2016.