Quake-hit tourist spot attracts more visitors than expected on 'Golden Week' holiday (by Mainichi Shimbun)

Tourists board a cruise boat in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, on May 4, 2011. (Mainichi)

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110505p2a00m0na005000c.html

Better quality of life for nuclear workers coming: TEPCO (by Mainichi Shimbun)

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has announced a plan to improve the living conditions of workers fighting to bring the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant under control.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110505p2a00m0na006000c.html

Hiroshima A-bomb victim voices anger over handling of nuclear crisis (by Mainichi Shimbun)

Atsushi Hoshino gives his views about the nuclear accident at his residence in Fukushima. (Mainichi)

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110505p2a00m0na012000c.html

Workers enter No. 1 reactor building for 1st time since accident (by Mainichi Shimbun)

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Workers entered the No. 1 nuclear reactor building at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant Thursday for the first time since the complex was damaged by the March 11 mega earthquake and subsequent tsunami, as part of efforts to install a cooling system at the No. 1 reactor, Tokyo Electric Power Co. officials said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110505p2g00m0dm010000c.html

Cross made with drifted woods build by the pastor in the midst of debris at the lot where the church used

There stood a cross made with drifted woods among debris in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. It was built by volunteers and pastors at the lot where Kesennuma First Bible Baptist Church, which was completely destroyed by the tsunami, used to be. People gathered and held the first service after the disaster on May 1, 2011. Rev. Hiroshi Minegishi (63), a pastor of this church who is living at the evacuation center said, “I hope that many will find comfort and healing at this place.”

Rev. Minegishi built the church near Kesennuma Bay three years ago. He currently delivers the relief goods received from churches in various places to the victims.


After the service, Christian people who came to help from U.S.A., Canada, and Singapore removed debris around and straightened the cross. Mr. David Torres (50) had helped the disaster hit areas in various countries such as earthquake damaged Haiti. He said, “I am very impressed that victims in Tohoku area are behaving with consideration toward each other.”

Asahi Shimbun,  May 3, 2011

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0501/TKY201105010232.html

Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano

Stoma: There is someone who understands my condition. (Story #2 out of 2)

Nurse Saori Oami distributed these fliers at the evacuation center to let the staffs know about the patients who use stoma.



A woman (44) of Watari, Miyagi Prefecture, who has a stoma on the abdomen, thought she should be washed away by tsunami for a moment right after the earthquake struck on March 11. But on second thought, she ran to the second floor of her house along with her mother (74). The two spent the night there.

They were rescued by a self-defense force helicopter on the afternoon of the next day. They reunited with the woman’s father who had evacuated earlier and their evacuee life began at a local school’s gymnasium.

The woman could not take extra colostomy bags for fecal collection with her this time again. The town employees at the evacuation center provided her with colostomy bags but the problem was that it took her at least 40 minutes to change bags.

She waited until other evacuees at the center were fast asleep and told the evacuation center staff that she would need a bathroom for a longer time due to her stoma. “What is a stoma?” was some of their replies. “That’s life,” she thought.

People with a stoma have no control with bowel movements or gas. Many of them worry about odor and noise and they hesitate to go out. The woman was no exception. In fact, she felt stressed at the center where she had to share space with strangers. To make matters worse for her, the colostomy bags provided to her were different from what she normally used and she felt apprehensive that the bags might leak.

Then Ms. Saori Oami (38) from Miyagi Shakai Hoken Hospital (Sendai City) visited the woman. Ms. Oami is a nurse specializing in supporting and teaching stoma care for people with an artificial opening, such as an artificial anus or an artificial urinary bladder.

The woman told Ms. Oami that she wanted to be washed away by tsunami and that the evacuation center staff’s response to her special needs had hurt her. The two talked in a private room for about two hours. Ms. Oami taught the woman how to cope with odor and skin irritation around a stoma due to the appliances the woman had to wear. Knowing that there was someone who understands her condition made her feel better. She came to be able to use a private room for changing colostomy bags at the evacuation center.

Ms. Oami realized that the dignity of the people with an artificial anus or an artificial urinary bladder was left behind even though excretions directly affect human dignity.

Ms. Oami visited the evacuation center again a week later. “We can talk right here,” said the woman. And she started talking about her current condition in her own space where there were some other evacuees around. Ms. Oami felt that the woman had a more relaxing look than last time.

In April, the woman moved to other evacuation center. She has no idea when she could move into temporary housing. She is hoping that there would be no one who would have to go through what she had experienced if another disaster should happen.

The Asahi Shimbun, April 29, 2011

http://www.asahi.com/health/ikiru/TKY201104290199.html

Translated by Mikiko Yamashita

Group helps kids get through grief (by Japan Times)

Child support: Donna Schuurman, executive director of Dougy Center, speaks to The Japan Times on April 20 in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo. YOSHIAKI MIURA

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110504f1.html