Disaster-related deaths
It was during the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th.
In Kesennuma, it snowed the morning after.
The elderly residents of a nursing facility by the sea in Kesennuma were struck by the tsunami, but they survived and evacuated to the roof. However, due to the snow the following morning, many elderly people lost their lives from the cold.
Patients at a hospital near the Fukushima nuclear plant boarded a bus to find evacuation sites within the prefecture but couldn’t find one, and ultimately, several elderly people lost their lives.
Disaster-related deaths, to me, mean that people who could have been saved were not.
They must have thought for a moment that they had been saved.
It was a death filled with regret.
This is the current state of society in Japan.
The people who are aware of this reality are still active as disaster volunteers.
There are still people who can be saved.
There are people who remain in the disaster area and would not survive if left alone.
Japanese society is still not fully equipped to respond to this reality.
Not the politicians, not the administration, not the media, and not even the public.
Especially the awareness, judgment, and actions of those directly involved were not optimal in the end.
Should one stay in the disaster-stricken area?
Or should they evacuate to a distant place?
The choices between the individuals and the rescue organizations, as well as mutual support, are not functioning smoothly.
I believe this extends to the field of social education.
The disaster prevention seminar and local support report meetings in Ichibancho, Chiyoda Ward, continue to be held to share local information and experiences.
Building a regional disaster welfare network is an ongoing effort.
We meet teams involved in disaster relief, cooperate with them, and prepare for the next disaster.
I entrust this mission to my companions for next year.
We are not the only ones working hard.
There are many admirable, grateful, and supportive companions in the world.
For this power to move Japan, we still have a long way to go.
That frustration is what keeps me alive and moving today.
Last night, I attended a year-end party for a senior care home company in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
It had been years since I visited the beer hall in Ginza.
The food was so delicious, even though I didn’t drink alcohol, just ginger ale.
Until now, I only drank beer and never knew how good the food was.
There were many things I lost because of alcohol.
Exploring Ginza without alcohol led to a new discovery of the city.
At the year-end party’s raffle, I won a humidifier.
But it was a natural humidifier, a ceramic cat sitting in a bath, the size of a mug.
You fill it with water, and since it’s made of ceramic, it naturally evaporates from the exterior.
Since last night, it has become a cute pet by my bedside.
I’ve sold my soul to the devil.
I’ve betrayed the movie theater and been unfaithful.
For the first time, I subscribed to Netflix and U-NEXT.
I’m currently watching old American TV shows.
The characters are young.
As expected.
This New Year’s, I’m likely to stay at home, holed up.
One more preparation for bedridden elderly has been made.
It’s both happy and not happy.
Blood sugar: 193 My bad habits are returning, especially with chocolate.
Koyama Group CEO, Thunderbird CEO, Vice Chairman of Health Station
Yasunari Koyama