Aid For Japan was committed to supporting the orphans of the 3rd March 2011 tsunami. We gave them a UK support network and a platform for them to share their stories about how they survived, coped with collective grief, and thrived.

Our History

2021

Ten years on since the disaster and we are still in contact with the orphans who have grown up into amazing young adults. Although this marked the charity’s ten year anniversary it came during the global Covid-19 pandemic. We were not able to travel to and from Japan, so we held an Online Cultural Fair showcasing Japanese culture to raise awareness.

2014

We organised a trip with the children to Yokohama Fireworks Festival, held English lessons, took part in traditional Japanese craft- workshop and visited a marine museum. We also went to the beach and played the traditional Japanese game of suikawari – to strike a watermelon!

Credits: Film by Cordelia Lawler

2013

We ran a summer residential course in Kiyosato, Japan with some of the children in care at KEEP School. The project involved several activities, including creating a song in English and Japanese, learning different cultural etiquette and outdoor activities such as hiking.

2011

The Great East Japan Earthquake struck on 11th March 2011 at 14:46 JST.

Upon learning about the devastation, the charity was founded by Akemi Tanaka, a Japanese language and cultural lecturer living in England. She went to Japan to visit orphanages in the area over several years to see if any children needed our support.