UVic Japanese students organize and respond with support

The waters have receded and the tremors have diminished in Japan, but amidst unstable nuclear reactors and the rubble of a starkly redefined landscape, communities begin to face the challenge of rebuilding and coping with the loss. Here at UVic, separated by an ocean of uncertainty, we watch and wait, wondering how this disaster will affect us all. For two Japanese students in the School of Child and Youth Care, watching was not enough.

With support from the Office of International Affairs and the school, undergraduate students Keiichi Otani and Hiroko Ota have formed the UVic Support Japan Committee. They have organized a regularly scheduled “conversation lounge” for students and faculty, offering peer support in the Japanese language and a space for planning responses to the crisis. Graduate student Nozomi Kido from the school and visiting clinical psychologist and counsellor Dr. Haruki Miyakawa from Tezukayama University in Japan are also offering their assistance.

The space, located in the Human and Social Development Building room B141, will remain open every Friday (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) until further notice. Organizers are also seeking other venues to ensure that opportunities to provide group support are continuous and available as often as possible.

Otani, from Kanazawa city in mainland Japan, felt compelled to set up the support system at UVic. “Many people came forward and wanted to extend a helping hand to Japan and the students around me,” says Otani. “We have received tremendous support from students and faculty and the Office of International Affairs.”

The anxiety of being so far from home with incomplete access to information added to the feelings of helplessness. Connecting with people was paramount to Ota, and with the help of a friend she set up an event page on Facebook that provided opportunities for conversation and support.

“The Facebook page helped get the word out and reach as many people as possible about our events and activities,” says Ota, whose family is from Kobe, Okinawa and Yokohama.

Otani has been touched by the growing number of supportive initiatives taking place on campus. Art and silent auctions, bake sales and fundraising activities have been sponsored by the School of Social Work, Pacific and Asian Studies, Office of Community Based Research, and the Faculty of Human and Social Development; and many students whose home countries have been impacted by recent earthquakes have come forward with support.

With calm determination, the students are helping to shed light on the strength of their nation, rebuilding in the face of uncertainty. As the world witnesses those efforts, we can appreciate the comment from graduate student Kido who says, “I believe that Japan will overcome this difficult time. I just know it.”

The committee is hosting an event on Friday, April 15 at the Vertigo Lounge in the Student Union Building from 3 to 8 p.m. There will be performances, Japanese food and information about supporting the relief efforts in Japan at this family-friendly event. To keep up to date on the work of this student committee join their Pray for Japan page on Facebook or contact the committee at u.vic.prayforjapan@gmail.com.