Seven Years After 3/11

Seven years have now passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Considering that March 2017 graduates were still junior high school students on that day, I feel strongly the significance of these seven years.

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the disasters and we would like to convey our great respect for those who continue to persevere in their efforts to embark on new chapters in their lives.

In today’s world of rapid information exchange, events that happened just months ago already feel as if they took place long ago. Nevertheless, we must not view the devastating 3/11 disasters as the remote past.

Chuo University continues to support complete restoration of the affected areas, and applying lessons learned from 3/11 in our everyday activities, we are committed to making continuing contributions to society as an institution of higher education.

Shozaburo Sakai
Chancellor and President
Chuo University

Chuo University’s Disaster Relief Efforts

1. Financial support for students
In order to provide an effective and immediate response to support those impacted by natural disasters, Chuo has offered disaster relief scholarship to students.

2. Disaster relief activities in the affected areas

i.An officially accredited Chuo student group has provided support in Miyako, Iwate, Omose, Kesennuma, and Onagawa Town, Miyagi, Nishiharamura, Kumamoto, and in Tokyo. As in the past, many students from Tohoku and Kumamoto joined support activities, contributing to the local communities as supporters. Also, in addition to the main activities during spring, summer and winter vacations, students have dedicated their weekends to reparatory research and study tours, with 251 students spending a total of 138 days.

ii.In support for the disaster-struck areas through cooperation with other universities and organizations, thirty-eight students joined Tohoku volunteer programs hosted by the inter-university disaster-relief volunteer network to engage in support activities.

iii.Information dissemination activities in the Tokyo area and conveyance of knowledge on disaster prevention to residents of the Tama district:

a. Reporting activities, exhibitions of products, and disaster prevention events were held inside and outside of the university to ensure that memories of the disaster do not fade, and to take advantage of every aspect of the lessons learned in the disaster-hit areas of Tohoku, improving disaster prevention in Tama area.

b. An event held by students at the Aeon Mall Tamadaira no Mori from February 14-18, 2018 was attended by 1,650 visitors.

c. Reporting events were held at elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools in Hino City, in order to share volunteer activities in the disaster-hit areas with local young people, strengthening bonds with members of the next generations.