The Japan Earthquake which caused extensive damage to affected areas was designated as a serious disaster, especially in the three prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. Consequently, the Konkokyo Headquarters donated ten million yen in relief money to each disaster countermeasures office in the three prefectures. On April 21th, Reverend Shinsaku Nanao, Director of Konkokyo Tohoku Center, visited each of the three prefectural government offices and presented them with relief money certificates.

Just after the earthquake happened on March 12th, the Konkokyo Headquarters dispatched two teams to the affected churches in Tohoku area. Rev. Hisakazu Fukuba, who visited the northern part of Tohoku, reported, “We could not enter sites which were shown on TV due to the traffic situations. We could visit only less seriously affected areas. In Aomori and Akita Prefectures, the churches did not suffer human or structural loss. Hachinohe City was seriously damaged and ships were carried onto the land by tsunami, but fortunately, the church located five kilometers from the coast was unharmed by tsunami.
Rev. Kazuhiko Obu, who visited churches in the southern part of Tohoku, reported, “In Yamagata Prefecture churches, offerings fell off the altars and some furniture collapsed. However, there was no human loss or injury or serious damage on the buildings. Thankfully, members were safe. In Miyagi Prefecture, we visited Sendai-Nambu, Sendai, and Ishinomaki Churches. Sendai-Nambu and Sendai church ministers and families survived injury and loss of lives. The buildings were not seriously damaged.”

Ishinomaki City was one of the areas most devastated by tsunami. The team successfully visited the church in the area. Rev. Obu said, “The church is located twenty meters from the river-end. We could see a water line on the walls of the church one and half meters from the floor, marking the height of the water in the church. When we visited there, the water already receded, but tatami mats were piled in the church resulting from being pushed by the water. The head minister was very busily taking care of the suffering people.”
The team could not visit Kesen’numa Church due to the traffic. Later, it became clear that the church barely avoided the damage by tsunami. Although it is located only two or three hundred meters from the coast, the church was saved by its location on a hill. Ministers and their families were all safe and hard at work helping the people in the community.

Seven churches are located in Fukushima Prefecture. Some churches’ buildings were damaged, but none of the members were lost. Reverend Shinsaku Nanao, Director of Konkokyo Tohoku Center, said, “Those areas are seriously impacted by the nuclear power station accident. There are no problems about the lifeline, but the variety of foods is limited and the prices have risen. Above all, the people have only limited information about the accident, so they are very much worried about their future.”

Rev. Mitsuaki Matsumoto, Director of Konkokyo Tokyo Center, made a condolence visit to the Konko Churches of Yuki, Matakuma, and Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture and researched the damage on March 24th. He presented the Sacred Rice from Konko-Sama. The next day, he visited four evacuation centers located in Kita-Ibaraki City, which suffered severe damage, and provided relief supplies. He said, “In Ibaraki Prefecture, the closer I approached the coast line, the more severe was damage I found. One church’s building was severely damanged. We need to provide continuous assistance to rehabilitate and reconstruct the affected areas through the Konkokyo Metropolitan Forum.”

Following the massive earthquake in Japan, the Konkokyo Headquarters immediately organized the emergency center, led by Reverend Mitsutoshi Sato, Chief Administrative Director, and dispatched two teams of four staff members each to Tohoku Church Administrative Block on March 12th. The teams carried out services for the consolation for the affected churches and relayed the Sacred Rice from Konko-Sama, Spiritual Leader of Konkokyo.

Konkokyo Headquarters now asks its congregation for monetary support to the affected churches and local community. Many believers and Konkokyo organization have been making efforts to support affected areas.

Reverend Sato expressed his reflections regarding the earthquake:
“I heard of the news of earthquake occurrence, while attending a meeting at about 3 pm of March 11th. I watched TV after closing the meeting, and stunned by the scene which I couldn’t believe it was true.

“First we should pray for the comfort of the mitama spirits of the victims, express the condolence to their families, and pray for their well-being from the bottom of our hearts. Today, many people and organizations in society are making their best efforts in relief activities. It seems that the necessity of recovery support will be expected for months or years.

“My principal wish is that our entire congregation tries our best to provide support — both with manpower and materials — with our deep prayers and with our Faith.”

Ms. Stephanie Laite, a believer of the Konko Church of Toronto, is a trainee at Konkokyo International Center as of March 3rd. In participating in KIC’s daily operations, Stephanie learns about the principles of world propagation. To deepen her knowledge and faith, she reads “Voice of the Universe” and exchanges opinions with staff members. She also goes to various Konko Churches in Tokyo to meet and talk with the head ministers.
She will continue to study at KIC until the beginning of April, and after that she will be at Konkokyo Research Institute, Konkokyo Seminary and Head Administrative Office. She will return to Canada in August.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to the victims who passed away because of the Tohoku Area Pacific Coast earthquake on March 11th and pray for the quick reconstruction of the area and recovery of those suffering.

The Konkokyo Headquarters has organized a Tohoku Area Pacific Earthquake emergency center (director Rev. Mitsutoshi Sato) due to Tohoku Area Pacific Coast Earthquake. We are trying to communicate with each centre and gather safety information on churches and believers in Tohoku area.
Special teams were dispatched from Headquarters to visit churches in the Tohoku area and is currently evaluating the level of damage.
According to the information so far, there are no damages to ministers and families of affected churches, however, they are still in the middle of checking the situation of the believers in the surrounding area.
Some of the church buildings have suffered serious damages.

Also, Konkokyo Head Administrative Office and Konkokyo Churches of North America(KCNA) have commenced collecting Donations.