Ashoka Japan Tohoku Youth Venture
The Dynamic of Youth Taking Action after the Triple Disaster in 2011
On March 11th 2011, one of the largest tsunami in the Japanese history hit the northeastern coast of Japan, otherwise known as ‘Tohoku’ region. The triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown, took the lives of over 20,000 people and homes of 100,000. This devastating situation also brought a movement of youth to take action for their communities.
Ashoka Japan Youth Venture first started out by hunting out young people aged between 12 and 20 who were taking action to bring changes in the disaster affected areas. Now after 5 years, Ashoka Japan’s Youth Venture community has grown to 85 teams all over Japan. Of the 85 teams, 80 percent are those from the affected area or those who take initiatives for the ongoing issues after the disaster.
From a Tsunami victim to a survivor
Some Youth Venturers are victims of the tsunami. One of them is Nanami Miura, who experienced the tsunami in 5th grade of elementary school. Now a senior student in high school, she continues to share her story in her hometown and all over Japan.
One particular painful story that stands out is the story of how she was bullied when she transferred to another school after evacuating. Nanami recalls that many of her friends from her hometown were bullied after reallocating to different schools, by being called they smell of dead fish or her bag being filled with rubbish gathered from the classroom bin — most likely, rumors among adults of the area had influenced children to behave in such a way.
When Nanami asks her friends to join her movement of kataribe (storytelling), many of them shy away or brush her off, saying that is something of the past. The truth is, her activities are helping more and more people understand about what happens when an earthquake or tsunami hits and how to take their own preventive measurements. For Nanami, sharing her stories served as a purification of the experience. By having the courage to stand up, face the facts about the disaster and to give back to the people she meets, undoubtedly, Nanami is a thriving role model of a youth survivor.
Facing the Reality in Fukushima
The tsunami not only was a natural disaster but also became a human disaster with the nuclear plant meltdown. Evacuation, family separation, food safety concerns, deprivation of playgrounds and fractured communities are just some of the issues triggered by the meltdown.
One team working in Fukushima is Kai and Motoya. Kai is a university student in Tokyo while Motoya studies in Fukushima. Together they have created study tours for students to understand the reality in Fukushima. Their wish is for youth to understand the real voices of the people in Fukushima and those working for the plant.
From their tours participants understand the complex situation from diverse stakeholders that is usually oversimplified and partially concealed in media. By joining the tour participants can access the actual and holistic reality through unfiltered voices of the local Fukushima people.
The Nationwide Movement of Youth to Take Action
Youth Venturers are not only a bunch of individuals. They are a movement. Participate in one of the Kikkake Shokudo (thought triggering bistro) events in Kyoto organized by Nami Harada and Hanako Ukon — you will be surrounded by people enjoying Tohoku style dishes made from fresh Tohoku seafood or vegetables. They are not just eating — they are brainstorming how they themselves can contribute to the addicted areas. The meaning of having these activities is significant especially when the tsunami stripped victims of not only their homes but their whole industry and living hood.
Yuki Sato wants to bring back the faming in Fukushima. He was appalled and frustrated when he saw diligent farmers who are regrowing vegetables which are in fact clear of the radioactivity inspection but were refused by consumers. Wanting to show that Fukushima farmers are capable of producing radiation free vegetables, Yuki created the ‘Fukushima farmers market’ — a fun event where youth and farmers get together to enjoy vegetables grown in Fukushima.
Looking Ahead
In Miyako, one of the affected towns, Tomoki Yoshihama’s passion lies in inspiring youth around him to have ownership of their hometown. Motivated by Ashoka’s global network, he is now studying in one of the projects facilitated by Ashoka Changemaker Schools in the US. He hopes to bring back something to the youth in his hometown so that they can think big while also being an active member of their local community.
Some of the Youth Venturers have graduated from university and are now aspiring to lead their lives for social good. As a university student in Tokyo, Ayaka Ueda founded her initiative in order to develop better education environments and career education for the one of the disaster affected town, Hirota in Rikuzen Takada. Ayaka declined her offer to work for a large Japanese company, and turned her Youth Venture into a social venture. The small steps taken in her youth venture years had given Ayaka the courage to turn around the education in the area.
Unsurprisingly, two of the Ashoka Japan staff are also Youth Venture alumni, advancing the movement of youth who take action for changing things. Nanami Nakagawa had been running music festivals in Kesennuma, which had also one of the worst hit area. With a similar motive, the other Ashoka staff, Maho Watanabe organized study tours that make participants fall in love and become life long supporters of the tsunami hit areas.
The opportunities for youth to challenge themselves outside of school and to experiment is still very scarce in Japan. Ashoka Japan and its youth network are eager to change that trend.
