Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan: Latest Data

As of Noon on March 16, 2011, the number of death is 3,676 and of missing people is 7,843 in the 12 provinces of the east part of Japan by the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and Tsunami taken place on March 11, 2011.  The number of the wounded is 2,044 in the 17 provinces.

The number of death is found in each province as follows:

Among the dead, 1,870 were examined and 1,060 of them were recognized who they were.  However, only 420 were given to their loved ones.  Other recognized bodies were not accepted by their loved ones who were also victims of the disaster.

As of 5:00 pm of March 15, the number of refugees is over 439,000 in 7 provinces as follows:

Pastor Masaru Kawagoe, former pastor in Aomori Province, living in Tokyo now, sent an email to me on March 15, 2011.  According to him, he has a very hard time to buy gasoline even in Tokyo where it is far from the center of this earthquake that is near Miyagi Province.  Most of the gasoline stands announce “Sold Out” or are closed.  If it is opened, there is a long line of buyers.  He found no bread at all even convenience stores or small super markets.  There are shops which sold out toilet paper and batteries.  He mentions also about fear of the damaged nuclear plants in Fukushima Province.

Mrs. Kinue Uno, a church member in Gunma Province where was found only one death, wrote the same thing about the situation on March 16.  She witnessed that there is no more rice, bread, noodle, and cans in shops.  She cannot buy gasoline because gasoline stands are always closed.  Additional earthquakes are frequently taken place and furthermore different earthquakes taken place in different provinces.  She is very concerned about the radiation and stop of electricity.  She says, “All Japan is something strange.  Ah, will Japan be perished like Sodom and Gomorra?”  Finally, she adds, “We need true repentance.  Please pray for Japan so that we all truly return to God.” 

Donation to Japan Union Conference from the NSD

The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) Administrative Committee (ADCOME) on March 16, 2011 voted to send fund US 50,000 dollars to the Japan Union Conference for helping the church members, churches and institutions damaged by the recent great earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Besides this vote, the ADCOM agreed to encourage all staff workers in the NSD office to contribute for raising fund for the Japan Union Conference.  Additionally, it was decided that NSD president and his accompanist will visit to Japan soon for encouraging people as well as for correcting right information of the disaster.

Reported by Tadaomi Shinmyo, Japanese Staff of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division