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The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Keywords:　Disaster Prevention / Reduction　Newsletter　University / Research institute　 What we experienced in these unprecedented disasters profoundly shook our ideas about safety and security and taught us many lessons we must never forget to pass on to coming generations We learned that the important thing is to save our lives even if the means to do so are not normally visible and even if it is not immediately obvious how it is going to work Through the courtesy of Public Relations Office we present an article about disaster prevention efforts in Kamaishi City which claimed more than 15,800 lives and have left some 2,660 people still missing the fact that almost all the nearly 3,000 elementary and junior high school students of Kamaishi miraculously survived has brought hope to many people A prime example was the children in Unosumai Immediately after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck that afternoon the students of Kamaishi East Junior High School ran out of the school to higher ground Their quick response prompted the children and teachers of the neighboring Unosumai Elementary School to follow and consequently drew in many local residents older students supported the younger school children and together they reached a safe location while behind them the mega-tsunami swallowed their schools and the town The city lost more than 1,000 lives to the disasters but only five of them were school-age children and they weren't at school when the quake hit The story of the successful evacuation came to be known as "the miracle of Kamaishi." their prompt response to the urgent situation was the fruit of a tsunami disaster prevention education program that Kamaishi schools had been working on over the past several years under the guidance of Toshitaka Katada professor of civil engineering at Gunma University "The top priority of disaster prevention is to save lives we need to educate children who can save their own lives," Katada says Originally a flood disaster prevention specialist Katada came to focus on tsunami disaster prevention after he witnessed the tragic aftermath of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 that even though Japan's coastal regions had been warned of a possible major earthquake Katada recalls how shocked he was back then when some children in the Sanriku region -- which stretches from Iwate Prefecture to Miyagi Prefecture and has been affected by two major earthquakes and tsunami in the past century -- said without hesitation that they wouldn't evacuate if another earthquake hit the region because the adults in their families wouldn't "Children look at the grown-ups and do what they do I felt that if those children lost their lives to tsunami the fault would lie with not just the parents I knew I had to do something so the children can save their own lives," he said Katada's enthusiasm eventually moved the teachers in Kamaishi to work with him they came up with various classroom plans and activities for the children to learn about tsunami and the importance of evacuation But rather than simply focusing on informing children about tsunami Katada put the emphasis on developing the right attitude to deal with natural disasters and becoming proactive about saving lives," he said To make it easier for the children to understand this Katada created "three principles of evacuation." don't put too much faith in outdated assumptions "When people look at hazard maps and see that their houses are located outside the affected zone But those maps are based on past tsunami and there is no telling that the next one is exactly the same It's important not get caught up with such assumptions," he said The second rule of thumb is for people to make their best efforts to deal with the situation I believe the students actually did their best They urged the teachers to keep moving higher," Katada said adding that the older kids also remembered to help the younger ones Katada encouraged children to take the initiative in any evacuation people don't evacuate even though they know they should It's natural to be reluctant to escape when no one else is escaping So I told the students that they must be brave and be the first ones to evacuate others will follow you and you can save their lives The three principles of evacuation actually apply to any other hazard that people may face "It's the same because in the end what's important is your attitude toward nature Katada also stressed the importance of continuing this kind of education "These kids will grow up and become parents," he said From MADE IN NEW JAPAN by Public Relations Office, Government of Japan This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License The magnitude 9.0 earthquake that shook the region and subsequent tsunami that took more than 1,060 lives in the small coastal city and devastated countless others In the more than eight and a half years since impacted areas along the northeastern Japan coastline have made major efforts to recover at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi ahead of a Rugby World Cup Pool D match between Fiji and Uruguay.) There are still many reminders of that fateful day bright white concrete tsunami barriers that impose themselves on each of the picturesque bays along the Kamaishi coast including one just a stone's throw from the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium or the lines painted on downtown buildings showing the height the tsunami's deadly surges reached -- 32.87-meters at their peak has offered an opportunity for the city in Iwate Prefecture to look forward When Fiji and Uruguay took the pitch at the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium on Wednesday there was a moment's silence held to remember those killed or impacted by the disaster Fiji coach John McKee said before the match that the significance of the moment would not be lost on the teams there are two things there: the first is to remember the loss of life eight years ago but it is also important to look to the future and how the area can re-grow We can see already that there is a lot of development in the area," he said rugby contributes to taking the prefecture forward." Uruguay assistant coach Oscar Duran said his team has taken strength from what they have learned about the tragedy "We find ourselves moved by the extraordinary work that the entire community has put into readying this in only eight years," he said Tuesday "We are immensely proud to have the honor of coming to this city and witnessing the result first-hand after all that's happened The stadium itself is a physical representation of the town's determination to move forward the new stadium was built on the site of two schools that were swept away by the tsunami almost no students were killed in the disaster thanks to the quick thinking that sent them scurrying up to high ground nearby The five that were killed were elsewhere at the time 580 people were killed or remain missing in the Unosumai district that is home to the stadium; it lost more residents than any other part of the city Despite the trauma being so relatively fresh the newly-constructed stadium has provided not only an opportunity for the town to hold two Rugby World Cup games "The most important thing is after the game," said Hideyuki Iwabuchi when he spoke to Kyodo News on a train arriving in Kamaishi on Monday "How we are going to use such a stadium and how we will be able to invite more people into Kamaishi city We have to connect this opportunity to future opportunity through this World Cup game." was coming to town to volunteer for the local municipality using his Spanish skills to help any visiting Uruguayans find their way in the city "The people from foreign countries who are coming to Kamaishi city is a very good thing but after the World Cup is much more important," he said who works as a manager with a major Japanese trading company has his own personal links to the tragedy with his family hailing from the region His parents were born in the town of Rikuzentakata which is about 90 minutes drive south of Kamaishi he said he had family members who lost a home (Spectators observe a moment of silence for the victims of the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster "Nobody can imagine the scale of the suffering because at least in Kamaishi city more than 1000 people died and some people are still missing," he said so I have always thought about some possibility to return to the prefecture...I am very happy I could find this opportunity to be involved as a volunteer to help this city." Iwabuchi points out that reconstruction and the pumping of funds into impacted areas can only do so much as it is the loss of human capital that still has the region reeling and Uruguay players observe a moment of silence for the victims of the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster "The situation is much more serious because according to the results of the earthquake more of the population of the city has gone and most of them have not returned yet because there are no jobs and there are no sufficient places to live So there are many things to be solved in the future." Rugby is perfectly placed to help solve at least some of those problems team had a long and decorated history in the sport having won seven national titles in a row between 1979 and 1985 before they were disbanded and handed over to the local community and became known as the Kamaishi Seawaves "Rugby in this community is very important and I think they identified that as being a very good fit in a World Cup like this," World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper said Wednesday Kamaishi's rugby blood was made very clear to one of those most impacted who was one of those forced to flee to higher ground when Unosumai Elementary School was inundated there was a huge amount of change in the city but once it was decided that Kamaishi would host the Rugby World Cup there was a huge increase in the speed in which the reconstruction could take place," she told the media ahead of Wednesday's game I really understood why Kamaishi is known as a rugby town and it is thanks to that project that the city was really able to come together to make today possible." a member of the Australia team at the 2015 Rugby World Cup is a former Seawaves player who knows from his time here just how deep the rugby roots run "Anyone who comes here can find a really authentic Japanese experience I think (it will be obvious) if more people make the effort to jump on the shinkansen and come up and have a look...I think the World Cup can really help tourism here." "This is really authentic Japan and there is no place like this they are quiet and they are unassuming but they have big hearts." he was living here and playing for the Seawaves His career in Australia had stalled and he had moved to Japan on a one-year deal in hopes of getting it back on track Fardy was right in the middle of the aftermath and when the Australian Embassy offered to evacuate him helping with the delivery of essential supplies to stricken communities His efforts sealed his status as a local hero He loves the place so much that he ended up playing here for three seasons and made a special trip back for Wednesday's game despite his season with his Irish club Leinster starting in a matter of days just for this game," he told Kyodo at the Kamaishi fan zone where he was catching up with some former teammates so the coach was nice enough to give me one week off to come to this and it is something I am very grateful for." traveled here on Monday to watch the game between Uruguay and Fiji he said he was not totally aware about the scale of the disaster when he decided to buy a ticket for the game "I knew about the tsunami because of Fukushima (but) I didn't know it affected this city until when I started researching where the games are going to be." "I don't know whether it is because of the tsunami that I chose to come here but it is more the case that it is a small city a town more than a city," the father of two said By enlightening people like Graham about the disaster the benefits of the World Cup can be spread wider than just here in northeastern Japan something that Horiguchi hopes is a lasting benefit of her city's suffering "I hope that people who are here today take away some of the history of this place and perhaps some of the lessons that can be learned about disaster preparation and prevention," said the now 18-year-old who has become the face of local children after she gave a famous speech at the 2018 opening of the stadium "And if that goes on to save any lives in the future To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible The Future of AI and Buddhist Teachings (Dr 60th Anniversary of Normalization of Japan-South Korea Diplomatic Relations: Pre.. Japan Tourism Topics -2024 August Vol.2- by JNTO Copyright © 2015- Foreign Press Center Japan japan all images courtesy KAZUHIKO NAMBA+KAI WORKSHOP image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co tokyo-based architecture practice KAZUHIKO NAMBA+KAI WORKSHOP has shared with us images of ‘kamaishi box’ located in a city that was heavily hit by the tsunami of march 2011 the temporary shelter responds to the area’s need for spaces of assembly by providing a public building that can be easily assembled and disassembled as required street view image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co the simple rectangular layout is devised in two parts: an indoor forum that can host full private meetings and an outdoor terrace that generously runs the front elevation of the box a series of sliding glass doors provide a sense of connection between the two illuminating the former with soft natural light the meeting house acts as a spatial focus point for the public park and neighbourhood the box is constructed out of japanese cedar panels which have been burnt and polished to a dark finish in order to aid the quick disassembly and reassembly of the structure the design utilizes a system of dry joints instead of glue within context image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co terrace image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co under overhang image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co interior view image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co in use image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co construction shots image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co image © mitsumasa fujitsuka / helico co AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Japan - Two years after the disastrous 2011 earthquake and tsunami most of the debris from the deluge has been cleared away in this small city on the northern edge of Japan’s tsunami coast The cars and vans once piled on top of each other like some kind of apocalyptic traffic jam have been sorted out or sold for scrap a local teacher who lost three of her aunts in the deluge Spread out below us is the coastal village of Unosumai The view reminds me of pictures taken of Hiroshima after the atomic bomb had flattened almost everything The only exception there was one surviving building the former Industrial Promotion Hall in Hiroshima’s Peace Garden with the huge clock over the main entrance still fixed forever on 3:25 p.m. the time on March 11 of 2011 when an enormous wall of water washed into the building A small shrine with flowers is set in front several people arrive to pray and give obeisance Kamaishi is a hilly city with little flat land Rising directly behind the central business district are three steep hills stairways and pathways that have long provided a natural shelter against tsunami a kind of local version of the storm shelters in Oklahoma Tsunami is an historic threat here in the same way that deadly tornadoes are there These routes upward were critical in saving many lives The town is extremely proud that not one of the approximately 3,000 elementary through high school children was killed in the surge It is often called the “Kamaishi Miracle.” By all accounts the teachers and students performed admirably in the thirty minutes or so between the earthquake and the tsunami Teachers had the presence of mind to tell their charges to literally 'take to the hills' Older students carried the younger elementary school children on their backs as they climbed to safety Kamaishi was famous for its network of seawalls built at considerable expense before the tsunami The seawalls utterly failed to hold back the surging tide using money from the national reconstruction fund Why spend so much money on a system that demonstrably failed its ultimate test Some argue that the sea walls gave the residents a false sense of security the breakwater’s presence did give people a false sense of security,” says Mayor Takenori Noda Loud speakers all over the city had warned people to flee Most of the town is within about two hundred yards of the nearest evacuation stairway there isn’t much evidence of new construction going on The national government has appropriated billions of yen to facilitate rebuilding in the tsunami-devastated zone it is not surprising that it takes time to decide what to write as a replacement Kamaishi and other Japanese towns along the northeastern tsunami coast need something more basic than millions of yen in reconstruction aid sunk into greater seawalls the city's reason for being was grounded on its famous Steel Works The location of Japan’s first steel mill blast furnace Kamaishi started to rise even before the Meiji Restoration began Japan’s transformation into a modern the furnace was initially established to provide the steel needed for modern artillery to defend the country The city's heyday was probably in the 1950 and 1960s when some 12,000 people were employed by the mill and the town had a population or more than 90,000 The town’s population has steadily declined Kamaishi Steel Works never found a niche to justify itself unlike Japan Steel Works a little further north on the island of Hokkaido supplied the steel needed to build the large guns for the Imperial Japanese Navy but it then evolved into a lucrative niche business to forge reactor pressure vessels for nuclear power plants which it developed into virtually a global monopoly Kamaishi struggled to find a substitute for defense production It recruited various metal-working enterprises but others left because the location was too far from regular supply networks The small harbor was thought to have container-ship potential but it never developed into the kind of terminal that some of the city fathers had envisioned The day I visited it was quiet and empty of ships Foreign Policy Magazine used Kamaishi as an exemplar of what it thought ailed Japan’s economy especially the propensity to spend billions of yen on unneeded and ultimately useless public works projects including Kamaishi’s famous city breakwater One element of the town’s new reconstruction plan involves a request for funds to build a rugby stadium With the once formidable Kamaishi Nippon Steel Rugby team long gone This blog is a great source of information which is very useful for me fathers day quotes This was one of the very sad news and there was a heavy loss in this Tsunami People in Japan have to suffer form many problems http://www.chemdryrapiddry.com.au/upholstery-cleaning-sydney/ Given that in at least parts of that area big tsunamis occur at least once every 100 years or more often: why not build only business that need to be near the shore there Shops etc would be a couple of meters above the highest tsunami line In particular no no homes would be located there Excess land could be turned into farming land But other than docks and the like what is the benefit of building on the lowland NewGeography.com is a joint venture of Joel Kotkin and Praxis Strategy Group Joel Kotkin's newest book The Coming of Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class is now available to order. Learn more about this title and Joel's other books Infinite Suburbia is the culmination of the MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism's yearlong study of the future of suburban development. Find out more the small town in which 1,000 people died in the 2011 tsunami Read moreLike all the children at Kamaishi High They were all supposed to meet at the evacuation point in schoolyard so the teachers could take a head count But as she hurried there she heard one teacher shout: “We don’t have time to count We should just run away!” And that’s what they did They stopped at an old people’s home 800m uphill The teachers were talking about what to do next when the aftershocks started Rocks and boulders were tumbling down on them from the mountain so they ran again and they had to squeeze beside the cars coming up from the seafront I was in the middle and I could see the people at the back didn’t have room to run in so I was shouting: ‘Making room Show• Fixtures, tables and results • Top try and points scorers • Stadium guide • Referee guide • Our latest minute-by-minute live reports • Sign up to The Breakdown Photograph: Christophe Ena/APWas this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.When they reached the car park And that’s when Nodoka heard what she thought was a helicopter Only she couldn’t understand why the whirring sound seemed to be coming up from all around What I saw was like a great wall moving towards us.” Everyone fell silent “Then someone shouted ‘tsunami!’ and I realised what it was.” They wanted to run higher and they were worried the mountains were going to fall down The teachers led them safely to the highway instead and another had been collected by their parents But everyone who stayed with the teachers survived Nodoka Kikuchi Photograph: Andy Bull/The GuardianThe tsunami killed more than a thousand people in Kamaishi Over 160 of the deaths were at the Unosumai District Disaster Control Centre Many of the dead there had taken part in a tsunami drill just the previous week instead of heading up the mountain where they were supposed to go they’d stayed indoors at the Centre instead they would call what happened at Nodoka’s school “the miracle of Kamaishi” But she and her friends have never liked to that name “A miracle,” says her colleague Miyuki Kanie it wasn’t an act of God that got them through it The children lived because their teachers made the right decisions And the townspeople have carved that lesson in stone at the new Tsunami memorial And tell the future generations that a tsunami once reached this point and that those who survived were those who ran.” The “miracle of Kamaishi” has become a famous story one which has been repeated over and again in the media here It’s one of those tales we tell each other for succour because it allows us to believe in hope and mercy where there isn’t any And in that way it’s similar to how we’ll talk about the new rugby ground they’ve built on the site of those two old schools the two World Cup matches that will be played here – Fiji face Uruguay on Wednesday– seem a powerful symbol of Kamaishi’s redevelopment A fishing boat rests surrounded by debris in Kamaishi in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami Photograph: Yomiuri Shimbun/AFP/Getty Images“For most of the old people the World Cup coming here is very meaningful,” says Miyuki “The local team were very strong a long time ago when they won the championship seven years in a row so rugby is especially popular with old people young people are not so interested.” It’s a fact that the recovery has moved more quickly here than elsewhere because the World Cup has spurred it on There are only around 20 local families left in temporary accommodation and they will be rehoused by the end of the year “So I don’t think many people were against the idea of the World Cup,” she says and because they knew how important rugby was to Kamaishi But I know some kids have complicated feelings about it.” “When I heard the stadium was being built I was shocked,” she says “because it felt like they were destroying my memories “While I watched the stadium going up I started to digest all my feelings And I feel like if they hadn’t destroyed the school to make this new stadium Find more coverage of the games through the JAPAN Forward 2019 Rugby World Cup portal. The northeastern Japanese city of Kamaishi devastated eight years ago during the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami has taken the next step in its recovery — by playing host to the Rugby World Cup 2019 At the city’s Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium Pool D’s Fiji versus Uruguay match kicked off on Wednesday in the presence of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko The only newly-built facility among the 12 Rugby World Cup 2019 venues Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium pays tribute to the people of Kamaishi whose lives were devastated by the twin natural calamities on March 11 A bustling port town on the edge of the Pacific Ocean Kamaishi bore the full force of the tsunami as it came ashore in the north east of Japan and 98% of the local fishing fleet was wiped out the people of Kamaishi have devoted themselves to recovery displaying a strength and resilience that has moved the world Kamaishi recognized rugby as a way of inspiring local people during a time of incredible hardship With the long-awaited kick-off of RWC matches on Wednesday the city is welcoming 16,000 spectators to the stadium for each match as well as hundreds more to the Kamaishi Civic Hall Fanzone was built on the site of the former elementary and junior high schools that were wiped out by the tsunami Kamaishi received support from across the world following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami so its local people are excited to give something back by offering visitors a warm welcome and a top-class rugby experience Today marks a very special day for World Rugby and for the people of Kamaishi as the city hosts its first Rugby World Cup 2019 match When deciding upon host cities for Japan 2019 it was clear that Kamaishi was a place with rugby at its heart with a great rugby history and a passionate local fan base From the first moment World Rugby visited Kamaishi special and fantastic Rugby World Cup venue The character-building values of rugby are closely aligned with the spirit of solidarity and determination shown by the people of Kamaishi in recovering from the tragic events of 2011 As we paused for a moment’s silence prior to today’s match we remembered the victims who sadly lost their lives and we honored them by looking forward with hope and pride to a positive future for this region You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Japanese version some of its residents are taking the initiative to both put out the welcome mat and help ensure the event creates a lasting tourism legacy for the city a city of some 30,000 inhabitants in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate was "just ordinary with nothing to offer" but has changed his mind since looking at it through the eyes of potential visitors The small seaside city offers "awesome scenery" and great seafood while locals are "warmhearted Kamaishi was chosen as a venue partly because of its strong rugby tradition with now-defunct local club Nippon Steel Kamaishi having won seven straight All-Japan Championship titles from 1979 to 1985 The city is also still recovering from the massive earthquake and tsunami that battered northeast Japan in March 2011 -- a calamity that claimed the lives of over 1,000 of Kamaishi's inhabitants the newly built stadium due to host two group-stage matches during the World Cup -- Fiji vs Uruguay on Sept 13 -- is called the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium and opened about a year ago on a site once inundated by the tsunami But located some 6 kilometers north of the city's central area it is inconveniently located in terms of public transportation and vacant lots are still conspicuous around the stadium Kamaishi also has only 1,400 beds for visitors nightly which means that World Cup organizers plan to charter buses to transport the bulk of fans to the 16,000-capacity venue from other cities like Hanamaki and Morioka which have shinkansen bullet train stations for Nitta and other like-minded inhabitants is that rugby fans coming for the games may simply bypass the city's center altogether who attends an international boarding school in Karuizawa started his project to promote Kamaishi's attractions with a group of classmates after returning home for the summer break in mid-June He plans to conduct a one-day tour to take guests to about 20 spots the day after the final rugby match in Kamaishi Tour participants will also receive recommendations for activities on "task cards." Suggestions may include "Taking photos of a beautiful seaside view from the windows of a local train" or "Getting a bite to eat at a local ramen shop," said Nitta who is also trying to get local high schools in Kamaishi involved in guiding the tour Growing up in Kamaishi and starting to play rugby at the age of 8 Nitta had planned to go to a local high school with a strong rugby team but decided to enroll at the United World Colleges' ISAK the only full-boarding international high school in Japan as it is supportive of students' community service and project-based learning "I grew to think that my life isn't all about rugby and that I want to acquire other experiences to repay people all over the world in the future for the kindness shown us since the 2011 disaster." who aim to gather around 40 tour participants plan to use social media to spread the word ahead of the tournament though further details are still to be worked out "The World Cup will be a chance to gain new Kamaishi fans and also give thanks to the whole world for their support till now I really want to offer them hospitality in return," said Nitta a local incorporated body supporting the student-led project focuses on regional promotion and is represented by Akiko Iwasaki She is also the proprietress of Japanese-style inn Horaikan which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium Iwasaki plans to serve white wine to tourists made from grapes that the hotel workers have been cultivating for five years She is also considering offering guests food and drinks buffet-style outdoors "so that they can leisurely drink from morning till night" instead having to eat meals inside the inn's dining area "It would be a pity if guests ended up staying here only a few days before and after the matches so our major challenges are whether we can persuade them to lodge for more nights," said Iwasaki who is still working on other ideas to entice guests to stay longer private households are sprucing up rooms after the city decided to allow them to offer accommodation during the event due to the hotel-bed shortage "I'm looking forward to interacting with various people at (my home)," said Shusei Yamada a photojournalist who moved to Kamaishi from Tokyo in summer 2011 after becoming drawn to the city while supporting its reconstruction efforts located in a mountainous area about 20 minutes from the stadium by car features a detached room and can accommodate as many as 20 guests per night the city aims to arrange 50 private lodgings for a limited time of four nights before and after the matches as the city is unaccustomed to welcoming tourists a coordinator of international relations for the Rugby World Cup says more English descriptions around the city such as guide signs and restaurant menus are necessary She hopes locals also familiarize themselves with different manners and customs who was appointed to the position in Kamaishi in July 2017 wrote a graduation thesis on Japan's 2011 disaster at Dublin City University she has learned much more about both Kamaishi and rugby just enjoy the experience and try to make Kamaishi more appealing for foreigners who come here," she said More than 6,000 people watched the first match at the new stadium in the Japanese coastal town as it battles to rebuild following the 2011 disaster the waters of the Pacific Ocean that drew visitors to her ryokan in the coastal town of Kamaishi had unleashed waves that killed more than 18,000 people in the country’s worst natural disaster for decades Dramatic footage taken by a member of her staff shows Iwasaki and her neighbours desperately trying to evade the encroaching tsunami She was swept away and ended up wedged between the building’s back wall and a minibus The tsunami killed 1,145 of Kamaishi’s 35,000 people flooded or destroyed thousands of homes and businesses On Sunday, Iwasaki was among the crowd of just over 6,000 who attending the inaugural match at Kamaishi’s new Rugby World Cup stadium the most visible evidence to date of the town’s recovery Fiji and Uruguay will meet in Pool D in September followed by a Pool B match in October between Namibia and the winner of November’s four-team repechage that takes place in France The ¥3.9bn (£27m) stadium currently holds just 6,000 people but another 10,000 temporary seats will be added for the World Cup Located on low-lying land that took a direct hit from the tsunami it stands as a symbol of the town’s recovery and their long and illustrious relationship with rugby As the birthplace of Japan’s steel industry Kamaishi was home to the Nippon Steel rugby club who won seven consecutive national championships from 1979-85 earning its players the nickname the “iron men of the north” Kamaishi is no stranger to destruction and renewal A huge tsunami in 1896 killed half of its residents and another US naval bombardments targeting its foundries reduced the town centre to rubble The decision by Nippon Steel to close its last steel mill in the late 1980s triggered a period of steep economic decline whose players battled to a 24-29 defeat in a pre-season friendly against Top League side Yamaha Jubilo on Sunday “Today has been an incredible day for Kamaishi,” said the mayor “To have played the opening match in this beautiful stadium completed with the support and vision of so many people I feel like the rugby gods are looking down on us today.” Aerial view of Kamaishi Unosumai stadium and the nearby Otsuchi Bay Photograph: Quentin Tyberghien/AFP/Getty ImagesThe chairman of World Rugby said the opening of the stadium marked a “very special moment” just over a year before the start of the tournament he added: “The stadium stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the people of Kamaishi and will act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come.” The level of interest in Sunday’s match augurs well for the World Cup Tickets were snapped up as soon as they went on sale and spectators arrived hours before kick-off to watch touch and wheelchair rugby Entertainment was provided by the J-Pop band Exile accompanied by hundreds of local children whose tsunami-damaged primary and middle schools once stood on the site now occupied by the stadium All of Kamaishi’s children who were at school on the day of the disaster survived because they had followed simple advice – head uphill and don’t turn back for family and friends – passed down through generations in a town where residents can expect to experience three huge tsunamis in their lifetime “People in Kamaishi were able to regain their sense of hope through rugby,” said Kenji Sasaki the principal of Kamaishi Higashi middle school which reopened on a permanent site last year Rugby fan Sasaki conceded he has mixed feelings when he sees the new stadium But he added: “To have World Cup matches played here is a dream come true so I understand why the stadium had to be built Despite the general atmosphere of optimism some spectators questioned the wisdom of building a rugby stadium when many displaced families have yet to secure permanent homes 1,100 Kamaishi residents were still living in temporary housing a situation the local government has vowed to rectify before the World Cup Japan international Ayumu Goromaru is chased down by children during the opening day event at Kamaishi Unosumai stadium Photograph: Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images“The city hasn’t completely recovered and there are still people who haven’t been rehoused so I’m in two minds about the stadium,” said Mieko Niinuma “But you can see today that it at least it has helped bring people together.” Takeshi Nagata, a former Seawaves scrum-half and coach who is now an official with the Kamaishi Rugby World Cup headquarters said he believed the vast majority of the town’s people were behind the stadium “Some people initially disagreed with its construction as there is still a lot of rebuilding to be done,” Nagata said “But others thought that having World Cup games here would give people hope This sort of thing only happens once in a lifetime It will be our chance to show the world how much progress we’ve made.” And there has been progress. The stadium aside, Kamaishi has a new civic hall – where the Webb Ellis Cup was on display over the weekend – shops and restaurants, and residential areas built on higher ground. Locals are pinning their hopes on a surge in tourism to secure the town’s long-term economic future But there are reminders, too, of the disaster: grass-covered rectangles where homes once stood, and, in places, towering concrete sea walls that block views of the ocean who was surrounded by well-wishers as she walked through the stadium gates believes the World Cup will serve as a reminder of the town’s tragic history and as a beacon of hope for its children “We can’t pretend that the disaster never happened,” said the 62-year-old who reopened her inn less than a year after the disaster “But I’m sure that rugby fans who travel all the way to Kamaishi will go home feeling glad they came The construction of two temporary stands at the new rugby stadium in Kamaishi has been completed ahead of this year's World Cup the operator of the facility said Wednesday Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium -- the only newly constructed stadium for this year's Rugby World Cup which will be held at 12 venues across the country from September -- was completed last July with a permanent seating capacity of 6,000 have been installed for the two matches scheduled in the city which was devastated by the earthquake-tsunami disaster in 2011 Rugby: World Cup train unveiled in Iwate Prefecture Kamaishi schoolboys team up with superstars to boost rugby's appeal a city of approximately 35,000 residents in Iwate Prefecture hopes to use the World Cup to showcase its recovery from the disaster The stadium stands on land once home to a local elementary and junior high school ravaged by tsunami waves A large video screen system and other equipment will also be installed at the stadium Japan's national team will face off against Fiji in Kamaishi on July 27 in the Pacific Nations Cup one of the Brave Blossoms' four warm-up games before they kick off their World Cup campaign on Sept During the first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia The only Rugby World Cup 2019 venue to be purpose built for the tournament will open on Aug 19 with a game between hosts Kamaishi Seawaves and Japan Rugby Top League side Yamaha Jubilo The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Iwate Prefecture has been built on land formerly occupied by an elementary school and a junior high school both of which were destroyed by the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 (Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium under construction in Jan The game is a rematch of the first game the Seawaves played following the disaster which saw many of the team's players -- including former All Black Pita Alatini and Wallaby Scott Fardy -- remain in the town to help with rescue and recovery efforts "We are proud to play the opening match at this great stadium completed with the support and vision of so many people," said Yoshihiko Sakuraba general manager of Kamaishi Seawaves RFC and a Rugby World Cup 2019 official ambassador "It's an honor to welcome our friends from Yamaha Jubilo who were the first rugby team to come to Kamaishi to support us during the reconstruction effort following the earthquake and tsunami honors the present and looks forward to the future 19 will be a great step forward in the ongoing recovery of Kamaishi and the lead-up to our city hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2019." the stadium will have a permanent capacity for 6,000 spectators with 10,000 additional temporary seats to be added for Rugby World Cup 2019 when it will host two fixtures -- Fiji vs Uruguay on Sept 2019 and the top African qualifier against the winner of the four-team repechage on Oct (Artist's impression of Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium) "The opening of the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will mark a very special moment on the journey to Rugby World Cup 2019," World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said in a press release "The stadium stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the people of Kamaishi and will act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come providing an important legacy for the future of this region of Japan that has rugby at its heart." The port town of Kamaishi has a long and successful rugby history winning seven consecutive national championships between 1978 and 1984 play in the national second-division Top Challenge League and have ex-Japan international Wataru Ikeda and New Zealand and Japan sevens player Scott Pierce on their coaching staff Asia Rugby Regional Association of the Governing Body for the Global Game 19 August, 2018 in Rugby World Cup 2019 by The newly-built Rugby World Cup 2019 venue Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Iwate Prefecture opened today with a memorial match between the local Kamaishi Seawaves Rugby Football Club and Top League side Yamaha Júbilo The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and the tsunami that followed brought considerable devastation and loss of life to Kamaishi and the surrounding area 30 per cent of homes were either damaged or destroyed 60 per cent of businesses were completely inundated and 98 per cent of the local fishing fleet was wiped out while initially focused on supporting the relief and recovery effort were encouraged by the people of Kamaishi to return to the rugby pitch as quickly as possible to begin training for the upcoming season Being a town so closely tied to its rugby team rugby was recognised as an important way of helping to bring a sense of normal life back to the people of the city during a time of incredible hardship Kamaishi has a long and successful rugby history Nippon Steel won seven consecutive national championships between 1979 and 1985 World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “The opening of the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium marks a very special moment on the journey to Rugby World Cup 2019 The stadium stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the people of Kamaishi and will act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come providing an important legacy for the future of this region of Japan that has rugby at its heart “Rugby World Cup will bring four top international teams thousands of fans and the attention of the world to the region next year and promises to be one of the highlights of the event World Rugby will continue to work closely with the organising committee and the Iwate Prefecture to ensure that the venue is a success Built on the former site of the local Elementary and Junior High Schools construction of the stadium began in April 2017 The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium is the only newly-built facility of the 12 Rugby World Cup venues It has a permanent capacity for 6,000 spectators however during next year’s tournament 10,000 additional temporary seats will be added bringing the total capacity of the stadium to 16,000 for the two Rugby World Cup fixtures The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will host Fiji versus Uruguay in Pool D on 25 September followed by the Pool B match on 13 October between Namibia who secured their place at Rugby World Cup 2019 yesterday and the winner of the repechage tournament which will take place in November in Marseille said: “Today has been an incredible day for Kamaishi To have played the opening match in this beautiful stadium Thank you to our friends from Yamaha Júbilo who have once again shown their commitment and solidarity with the people of Kamaishi We now look forward to welcoming people from across the world to Kamaishi during Rugby World Cup 2019 and beyond.” Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee President and CEO said: “Congratulations to the people of Kamaishi in taking this important step forward with the opening of this wonderful rugby stadium Kamaishi will be one of the great stories of Rugby World Cup 2019 and I am delighted that the tournament will help to bring this inspiring story of survival resilience and reconstruction to the world.” Rugby World Cup 2019 will be the first time the tournament will be held in Asia More than 400,000 foreign visitors are anticipated to travel to Japan to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event With 48 matches played across 12 host cities stretching from the northern island of Hokkaido to the southern island of Kyushu visiting fans will get to experience the amazing regional diversity Japan has to offer while being a part of the world’s premier rugby tournament The next opportunity to secure tickets begins on 19 September with the opening of the General Ticket Sales Ballot open to the general public Fans who have been unsuccessful in securing tickets so far are encouraged to keep trying as tickets are still available for all matches and in all categories, across the entire tournament. For further information visit www.rugbyworldcup.com/tickets Filed Under: Rugby World Cup 2019 © 2025 Asia Rugby Football Union Pte Ltd A declining population and the perception that rugby is a dangerous sport hardly bode well for a successful high school rugby team even in a town whose history is steeped in the sport Shogo Fumota and their Kamaishi High School teammates are hoping a recent visit from rugby royalty will help their side overcome several obstacles -- the first of which is getting 15 players on the field (Former Australia international Matt Giteau and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson give some tips to the backs from the Kamaishi High School rugby team during a training session at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium on May 6 rugby and other sports have suffered," 17-year-old Kawahata "Rugby is still regarded as a minor sport and people are scared about tackling," said Fumota and a second-year student who plays flyhalf We've had to borrow players from other sports to join tournaments or play with 14 which is really tough when we get an injury," he said For many people visiting Japan this fall for the Rugby World Cup there will be no bigger story than the way the game has helped Kamaishi rebuild from the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 and as many as 9,883 survivors were forced to evacuate their homes play touch rugby with the Kamaishi High School rugby team during a training session at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium on May 6 The boys in the Kamaishi High School team are hoping the two World Cup games at the brand new Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will see the sport once again take center stage rugby has been an integral part of the Iwate Prefecture town with Nippon Steel Kamaishi Rugby Football Club winning seven straight All-Japan Championship titles between 1979 and 1985 It was that rugby pedigree that led England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson French greats Thierry Dusautoir and Christian Califano and former Japan captain Toshiaki Hirose to Kamaishi to help Kawahata and Fumota in their quest to boost playing numbers in their team Rugby World Cup sponsor Societe Generale is in the third season of producing its "Homefield Advantage" online shows "The show basically sees Jonny and his friends go around the world showing why rugby is important and how it helps people and Kamaishi is the perfect example," said Benoit Pensivy India and Fiji and when we heard Kamaishi had been struggling to put out 15 players since 2011 and former France internationals Thierry Dusautoir Fumota was just one year old when Wilkinson provided rugby with one of its most iconic moments a drop goal off his "wrong" foot to help England beat Australia in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney So it is probably no surprise he did not know the pedigree of the men coaching him But it did not take long for him to realize they were worth listening to "The coaches helped fix small things with our passing and kicking and I realized I could have fun while I was training I could smile and not take things so seriously," said Kawahata but it was great to see all our skills improving." And that improvement and sense of enjoyment -- so often missing from regular school training sessions in Japan -- was noticed by the coaches "Jonny and I were keen to make sure they enjoyed themselves," said Giteau who was in the Australia teams that lost the 2003 and 2015 World Cup finals "They were so respectful and kept a lot to themselves early on but as they became more comfortable they could start being themselves." "When they were tense they were worried and were dropping balls It was almost like they were treating it as a job But sport is all about friendship and a team achieving something as one As soon as they started enjoying themselves who has spent the last two years playing for Suntory Sungoliath and former France international Christian Califano give some line-out tips to some forwards from the Kamaishi High School rugby team during a training session at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium on May 6 Kawahata and Fumota hope to watch the two World Cup games staged in Kamaishi and hope those matches -- and the message and help they received from the rugby stars -- will inspire others to take up the game "I want other kids in Kamaishi to know the fun and joy you can have playing rugby I think it is really important to spread that message," said Kawahata "It's a great sport that helps develop team spirit and communication and I hope this session and the show can create interest and get people involved." "I would love rugby to be a major sport so my message to other children is Morgan Mitchell will not be playing for the Toronto Arrows in 2020 The popular tighthead prop has inked a deal with the Kamaishi Seawaves in Japan’s second division He makes the move after being overlooked for a Super Rugby contract despite another strong Mitre 10 Cup campaign with the Southland Stags The 26-year-old New Zealander was an instant hit with the Arrows in 2019. His strong scrummaging and hard-charging style in the loose saw him ranked among the very best tightheads in MLR with only San Diego’s Paddy Ryan standing in the way of Dream Team selection appearing in all but one match during the season It’s unclear if goal-kicking flyhalf Sam Malcolm will return from Manawatu Tags Two of the best teams in Major League Rugby will meet at Fort Quincy on … With four months to go until the World Cup Kamaishi revealed Friday the progress it has made in constructing temporary stands at the northeastern Japan city's new rugby stadium The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium has a permanent seating capacity of 6,000 but temporary stands are being added to enable approximately 10,000 additional fans to attend the two matches scheduled in the city devastated by the earthquake-tsunami disaster in 2011 It is the only newly constructed stadium among the World Cup's 12 match venues Workers on Friday operated two cranes in constructing the seating structures with work scheduled to be finished at the end of June hopes to use the World Cup to showcase its recovery from the earthquake and tsunami disaster The venue is constructed on land formerly occupied by an elementary school and a junior high school both of which were destroyed by the tsunami It will host two group-stage matches -- Fiji vs Uruguay on Sept 2 World Cup will involve 20 teams playing across 12 cities stretching from Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido to Kyushu in the southwest So was Scott Fardy when he first came here. Years later Fardy would become a star of the 2015 Wallabies team that made it to the World Cup final He was 24 and he had just been let go by the Western Force without playing a single game for them all season “My manager told me there was one club left They were called the Kamaishi Seawaves and they were playing in the second division of Japan’s eastern conference “What do you think?” Fardy signed up for 12 months Read moreThe Seawaves are unique among Japan’s top two divisions: they are the only club owned and run by a community rather than a company “When I was here I think there were 15 guys who worked at Nippon Steel and the rest of the guys worked at different businesses around town,” Fardy says a lot of the rest worked down the docks.” Japan is not a rugby country but this little corner of it is It was in the third year that the tsunami hit Fardy’s house was far enough inland that he was safe The first he heard about it was when he saw “all the guys coming back from the factory saying ‘the tsunami has destroyed the town’” to check on friends of his who lived over the hill in Omachi There was a big gas fire and everything was burned out In the days afterwards Fardy was not sure what to do “We didn’t know whether we should get out or not everything was gone and we were eating supplies and it felt like we were doing the wrong thing.” Five days later the Australian embassy offered to fly him and the team’s other overseas players home “I told them: ‘I’m going to stay.’ The wives and children went home but we wanted to do what we could to help the town.” For the next few days he and his teammates worked at the supply depot The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Reuters“Rugby has values “The whole community was out there doing it as a team There were hundreds of people doing amazing work There were people picking up bodies and digging up bodies.” Photograph: Christophe Ena/APWas this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.It turned out that the best thing the Seawaves could do for the town was to get back playing “The people wanted us to start again,” he says “I think sport was a great way for people to get back to normality They can go and watch a game and get away from what’s happening to go out and play well for the town.” They played a full season in the year of the tsunami in front of some of the largest crowds they had had since the team won the championship posters and murals that are on every lamppost in the gruff taxi driver who presses a handful of sweets on you and tells you to enjoy the game the convenience store clerk who comes running up to shout “Thank you very much!” in English as you’re on your way out of the shop and the three old ladies at the corner table in the cafe folding thousands of origami cranes from little paper flags of the four countries playing games here No town was ever happier to host a World Cup match These days the general manager of the Seawaves is Yoshihiko Sakuraba who played for the team in the last of their glory years “It’s not just that the people are happy to have the World Cup here,” he says “It’s that they want to thank the world for all the support and aid they gave us after the tsunami These World Cup matches are their way of giving back.” the home-for-all initiative was born as a response to the great earthquake that hit eastern japan on march 11, 2011. developed by toyo ito and organized in collaboration with riken yamamoto, kengo kuma and kazuyo sejima their vision is to offer assistance and affordable shelters to the victims of the disaster and help them get back on track by bringing the community back to life each build is developed with both the inhabitants and the constructors in mind providing an open dialogue between all those involved to discuss gather and share ideas about the reconstruction of the area the structure is a construction made primarily of wood and is composed of a cottage and hutimage courtesy of atelier tekuto to date, several structures have been erected as part of the home-for-all project including a small dwelling in rikuzentakata the most recent being a small hut for fishermen of the town of kamaishi which was completed in november 2013 on the occasion of BODW in hong kong, toyo ito presented the ‘home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi’ — conceived in partnership with atelier tekuto and ma design office — to a packed audience sharing the social and architectural payoff of its fabrication view of the fishing hut along the waterimage courtesy of atelier tekuto the humble scheme draws on fishing huts found in bahrain and serves as a meeting place for anglers and the local community is connected to the main programme via an open patio the primarily wooden structure was erected with the help of students of the kyushu university along with the general public and local craftsmen it was fabricated using local materials and traditional construction methods and stands as a suggestion to what architecture can serve as out side of a roof over one’s head view of the timber structure in its seaside contextimage courtesy of atelier tekuto the home-for-all venture is ongoing, and served as the focus of the japan pavilion at the 2012 venice architecture biennale for which toyo ito akihisa hirata and kumiko inui won the golden lion logs create a structural framework over an open patio that connects the cottage with the hutimage courtesy of atelier tekuto  the main interior programme is the cottage which serves as a meeting place for the communityimage courtesy of atelier tekuto a built in grill offers a place in which inhabitants can enjoy the day’s catch and engage in conversationimage courtesy of atelier tekuto general view of the fisherman’s cottageimage courtesy of atelier tekuto interior view of the ‘bahrain hut’image courtesy of atelier tekuto small separated slats of wood are used to build up the walls of the hutimage courtesy of atelier tekuto toyo ito: home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishiimage courtesy of atelier tekuto toyo ito presenting the typology of bahrain fishing huts for which the home-for-all version is based-offimage © designboom toyo ito presenting the ‘home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishi’ at BODW 2013image © designboom name: home-for-all for fishermen in kamaishilocation: kamaishi city japanbuilding use: meeting placesite area: main house 45.06 square meters; fisherman’s cottage 11.36 square meters; fisherman’s cottage 3.43 square metersstructure: wooddesign: toyo ito & associates ma design officestructural design: atsushi satoexecution management: home builders + atelier tiangong peoplephotography: atelier tiangong people After leading the Arrows to a Semi Final appearance as a flyhalf in their inaugural MLR campaign Malcolm switched to fullback in 2020 to accommodate the arrival of fellow New Zealand native Tayler Adams In 21 games for the Arrows Malcolm scored 212 points with a remarkable 86% goal kicking accuracy Toronto General Manager Mark Winokur issued a statement on social media: “Sam Malcolm has been a great player and a consummate professional throughout his two years with the Toronto Arrows he’ll be missed both on and off the pitch and we respect every player for the decisions they make “We’ll have some exciting signings to announce in the coming days that follow our dedicated strategy and we urge our fans to stay tuned as we continue preparations for the 2021 season “Sammy will always be an Arrow in spirit and we wish him all the best as he begins a new chapter of his career in Japan.” People look at a grounded cargo ship on a pier in Kamaishi port in Kamaishi The March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated the area there have been relatively few documented reports of thievery in the devastated coastal cities of northeastern Japan That's in contrast to widespread looting that has been reported after natural disasters in other countries where the black tide killed at least 600 people threw an ocean freighter onto the wharf and blew open thousands of houses and shops There have been media reports of limited looting elsewhere: an ATM pried open One of the soggy wallets that have been brought into the Kamaishi police department following the tsunami that some money or bicycles were stolen from the house or shops We confirmed it's not washed away by the tsunami but somebody else did it," says Hironori Kodashima He's standing in front of the temporary police station wearing a plain blue worksuit because his uniform was washed away "But the number is less than 10 so far," he says That's fewer than 10 reports in a city that was home to 40,000 people a woman walks into the police station holding a soggy wallet we get a lot because lots of wallets are washed away My translator and I want to find out if local people have heard about any burglaries after the tsunami I remember some of the Hurricane Katrina survivors in New Orleans who hauled off liquor bottles But Japanese speak of their culture of shame which frowns on committing an act that would disgrace one's family about half of the 15 people we talk to over the course of the day say they haven't heard of any looting The other half say they've heard of other people's homes or shops being broken into Some say they heard there was a lot of stealing in the seaside village of Unosumai The scene is even worse than in Kamaishi: utter obliteration The contents of happy homes litter the gray sand: a broken teacup The only sound in this wasteland is a ghostly announcement by the local government for free hot baths It's the same story as in Kamaishi: People have heard vaguely about burglars The only actual sighting here was by my translator She says she saw two young men carry some toilet paper and other items out of a shattered drug store when she was here about a week ago the we have one concrete crime report: Tetsuhiko Kikuchi says someone stole some food from his apartment the day after the tsunami he came to check on his place and found some valuables missing "The necklaces and watches — all small stuff," he says They're patrolling their own neighborhoods There's a rumor circulating that the thieves are gaikokujin — foreigners Pernicious rumors in the aftermath of great disasters in this country have a historic precedent rumors that foreigners were poisoning wells and committing arson and robbery led to the mass murders of Koreans by Japanese mobs If anyone would know whether there are thieves about the ubiquitous blue-jacketed volunteer firemen who patrol the city every night a stern 67-year-old retired city councilman "We have received information that there are foreigners walking around committing crimes." He raises his eyebrows skeptically Become an NPR sponsor Related article › A Japanese Rugby Legend and Tōhoku’s Stadium of Hope (Photo courtesy of Rugby World Cup organizing committee.) Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world 2019 at 12:42 AM ESTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.At one end of the city of Kamaishi is a cemetery that is a grim reminder of that horrible day -- March 11 On the other is a gleaming new stadium built in an area that was submerged by deadly waves eight years ago in which Japan will proudly host matches for this year’s Rugby World Cup It symbolizes what the region has overcome since the tsunami ravaged Japan’s northeast coast Kamaishi is one of 12 Japanese cities that will host the Rugby World Cup in 2019 If today the city is famous for its love of the oval ball it is nevertheless the steel industry that has made his fame throughout the country Discovery of this small town which propelled Japan into the industrial revolution Located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the small town of Kamaishi has long remained a simple fishing village . Under the direction of the Nanbu clan, it did not at all attract the attention of the local lord who preferred more strategic cities like Morioka or Hachinoche where the wealth of the time was accumulating However, everything changed for Kamaishi at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868) and this small town which was not predestined to shine on a national scale quickly became the base of an entire industrial movement With the discovery of magnetite in the 18th century Lord Nanbu's interest turned to the small fishing village Seeing an economic interest for the whole region the lord then began the exploitation of iron and in 1857 ordered the construction of the first Western-style factory in the country mechanical mining is revolutionizing Japanese industrial production Tons of iron are then produced in Kamaishi which decides to invest in numerous local infrastructures from 1874: railway lines the small fishing village is transformed and takes the lead Kamaiship will thus prosper for almost a century until the Second World War causes the decline of its industry already weakened by successive natural disasters The 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan Port of Kamaishi Wikimedia Magnetites Pixabay The soil of Kamaishi rich in magnetites Flick/ kahokkurii Match in 2016 between the Kamaishi team and another team from the Iwate area Flick/Tatsumine Close   the Kamaishi steel industry made a new start: it took up sport now sponsors the Kamaishi rugby team which achieves very good results and wins the national championships from 1978 to 1984 And although today the Nippon Steel Corporation has moved from Iwate Prefecture to Tokyo the local rugby team is still thriving and is among the top national teams Although today Kamaishi's industry has lost its luster it is still possible to admire the remnants of its glorious past In operation from 1858 to 1894, the Hashino mines formed an industrial complex 3.5 km long. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015, it is one of the few sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution (1868-1912) that has survived to the present day You can still see the blast furnaces that were used to transform iron the railways used to transport minerals and of course the rest of the mines that made Kamaishi famous this mining complex still preserves its blast furnaces the Ohashi mines are quite remote from Kamaishi And although we do not recommend that you make it a crucial stopover in your stay in the surroundings they can very well be the subject of a playful break during a walk in the forest See also: The silver mines of Iwami Ginzan this museum traces the history of the steel industry of Kamaishi it also helps to understand the processes used to extract iron from magnetites and details all the steps necessary for its transformation Practical information : admission 500 yen (€3.80) The exterior of the Kamaishi Iron Museum tripadvisor The museum exhibits many period objects Tripadvisor Kamaishi Museum tripadvisor Close   More information on the 2019 World Cup and rugby in Japan: Discover Kamaishi and its region by renting a car! National Holidays in Japan places great importance on its public holidays Stone Lanterns in Japan: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Design Punk Rock in Japan: A thriving subculture of rebellion and precision a rebellious undercurrent has been pulsing through the veins of Japanese society since the 1970s Travelling in Japan: a comprehensive guide Japanese Food and Drink Books on Japan Japanese Movies Japanese Language Japanese History Before you Travel View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers steel city","entityTaxonomy":{"content_category":{"13":"To Know"}},"userUid":0}); Location Please select your country on the list below: Today's print edition Home Delivery the Allied forces launched naval bombardments on a city in Iwate Prefecture in the final stages of the Pacific War wiping it out in attacks that killed at least 773 people memories of the most devastating attacks on the Tohoku region are fading as the number of survivors dwindle But the city of Kamaishi hopes to keep their stories and the lessons learned alive through its annual exhibition on the attacks.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “Naval bombardments on Kamaishi,” an exhibition held at a city-run museum through Aug features about 60 exhibits including photographs short descriptions of historic events and illustrated storyboards to visualize the experiences of war victims In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Sports | Aug 27 shows Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on the site of a school that was destroyed by a devastating tsunami in 2011 stands on the former grounds of an elementary school and a junior high school (Naohiko Hatta/Kyodo News via AP)AP | Kyodo News fans watch as rugby players of Kamaishi Seawaves and Yamaha Jubilo play during an opening match at new Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi Japan opened a new stadium for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on the site of a school that was destroyed by a devastating tsunami in 2011 About 6,500 fans turned out Sunday for a memorial match in the small coastal city of Kamaishi to honor the victims of the tsunami (Yusuke Ogata/Kyodo News via AP)AP | Kyodo News rugby funs queue up to enter Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium to watch a memorial rugby match between the Kamaishi Seawaves and Yamaha Jubilo in Kamaishi Japan opened the new stadium Sunday for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on the site of a school that was destroyed by a devastating tsunami in 2011 The stadium will host two matches in next year's World Cup which will be played at 12 venues around Japan plays tag rugby with children before a memorial match between Yamaha and the Kamaishi Seawaves at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi "I'm very grateful that I'm able to be involved in the reconstruction of the town," Yamaha's star fullback Goromaru said fans queue up to enter Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium to watch a memorial rugby match between the Kamaishi Seawaves and Yamaha Jubilo in Kamaishi Yamaha Jubilo's Kira Tomokazu carries the ball during a memorial rugby match against Kamaishi Seawaves at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi The teams faced off in a memorial match in the small coastal city of Kamaishi to honor victims of the deadliest disaster in Japan's recent history.Koji Ueda / AP | AP is lifted to receive a high ball during a memorial match against the Kamaishi Seawaves at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi Japan opened the new stadium for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on the site of a school that was destroyed by a devastating tsunami in 2011 Show CaptionsHide Captions Japan — Japan opened a new stadium last Sunday for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on the site of a school that was destroyed by a devastating tsunami in 2011 Two Japanese teams faced off in a memorial match in the small coastal city of Kamaishi to honor victims of the deadliest disaster in Japan’s recent history The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will host two matches in next year’s World Cup and the decision to build a stadium and hold World Cup matches here has been a boost to the fishing community of about 35,000 people “People in Kamaishi were able to regain their hope through rugby,” said junior high school principal Kenji Sasaki The 2011 tsunami killed more than 18,000 people along Japan’s northeast coast Another 10,000 temporary seats will be added for the two World Cup matches in September and October of 2019 About 6,500 people turned out for the match between the Kamaishi Seawaves and Yamaha Jubilo “I’m very grateful that I’m able to be involved in the reconstruction of the town,” Yamaha’s star fullback Ayumu Goromaru said Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection The full project is expected to cost about $165,000 All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project Sign up for daily and breaking news headlines Manage Subscriptions Volume 3 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frsut.2024.1337097 This article is part of the Research Topic"Affiliative nomads" in the age of mobilitiesView all articles This study analyzed a social problem-solving workation in Kamaishi focusing on the “hitohada nugu” experience a cross-boundary and other-oriented contribution and relationship-building experience The results of interviews with stakeholders of the work experience including company managers and participants intermediaries in the host local community as well as a questionnaire survey of all participants indicated that employees who participated in the program learned and grew through their inexperience in Kamaishi which was different from their work experience the local community and companies that plan and operate the program face a dilemma in explaining the effects of the workation on the company's business As companies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation rate of remote work by companies declines workations are expected to create value in companies while creating a related population The Japan Tourism Agency classifies workations into the following categories: welfare type These findings indicate that the acceptance of work in large urban companies is crucial for creating a related population This study aims to clarify how the “Hitohada nugu” experience builds participants' attachment to the organization and region and their learning and growth “Hitohada nugu” is a Japanese expression “Hitohada nugu” is an expression derived from the action of rolling up the sleeves of a kimono when doing heavy lifting and refers to enthusiastic help for others or to a friendly agreement to participate in a project This study shows the benefits and dilemmas of a problem-solving work experience program that contributes to the community from the perspective of the “Hitohada nugu” experience and how it should be designed practitioners of this local problem-solving workation will play a significant role In the context of tourism, digital nomads can also be viewed as leisure-time activities with relatively long stays (Reichenberger, 2018) or as culture-driven travelers (Bertola et al., 2022) who are attracted to the creative aspects of a city or region. In other words, digital nomads are a lifestyle that is both a work style and a tourism behavior (Cook, 2020; Hannonen, 2020) After the expansion of COVID-19 in 2020, there is even more focus on digital nomads as a new work style and tourism target as teleworking becomes more widespread and tourism is reexamined (Thompson, 2019; Almeida and Belezas, 2022; Cook, 2022; Voll et al., 2022; Hannonen et al., 2023) followed by freelancers (17%) and startup founders (16%) a group that can also be called “Digital Nomadic Employees (DNE)” will be the majority of digital nomads In Japan, practices have been promoted since the late 2010s, focusing on workcations as part of efforts to attract local businesses, promote migration, or reform corporate work styles (Matsushita, 2019; Tanaka and Ishiyama, 2020). Tanaka and Ishiyama (2020) define workcations as “flexible leave systems and ways of working that embed a sense of extraordinary leisure into everyday work which individuals value and choose to do independently.” They classify the stakeholders into four categories: (1) companies that introduce the system (2) employees and individuals who use the system (3) communities and governments that accept the users and (4) private businesses related to workcation On the other hand, workation has also become an approach that aims to enhance employee creativity, learning, and reflection, reflecting the desire of regions to increase the related population and companies with business and training programs (Matsushita, 2021, 2022; Yoshida, 2021) Matsushita (2022) points out that in the Japanese region, Digital Nomadic Employees confirm their sense of self-efficacy and review their careers through cross-border experiences in multiple jobs. Persol Research and Consulting (2023b) distinguished between individual and group workations and surveyed the effects felt during workation 40% of group workation participants mentioned job efficacy as a benefit whereas 36.3% of individual workation participants and 20.6% of tourist groups did so lower than the tourist group at 60% and individual workation participants at 50.7% ~50% felt an increase in their happiness at work and ~40% felt an increase in their work engagement group workation affects talent development and organizational development workation can be viewed as an organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) performed by Digital Nomadic Employees OCB refers to employees' contributions that support a broader social and psychological environment within the organization beyond role requirements and contractually rewarded job outcomes (Youssef and Luthans, 2007; Organ, 1988) While these studies have mainly focused on in-organization behavior it is conceivable that actions outside the organization or in the community could also become a subject with the spread of remote work and workation Grant (2013) pointed out that among the behavioral principles of Giver he also noted that self-sacrificing Givers perform the worst and the other orientation improves performance an other-oriented Giver can be said to be a “Hitohada nugu” person This study focuses on the “Hitohada nugu” experience and the host local community and intermediaries Analyzing this aspect will be necessary for the region to accept and function as affiliative nomads This study uses Kamaishi City in Iwate Prefecture as a case study to demonstrate how workation as a “Hitohada nugu” experience can lead to an attachment to the region Kamaishi City is located on the coast of Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan Known as “the city of iron and fish” Kamaishi has developed around the steel and fishing industries Although the city was severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 The population was ~37,000 in 2012 but has decreased to ~30,000 by 2023 With ~40% of the population being over 65 years old the city faces challenges such as a declining regional industry deteriorating transportation and various services Kamaishi has initiated workation programs targeted at companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area enabling comparatively longer stays than typical tourism brings not only economic benefits to the area through local consumption but also fosters a sense of attachment to Kamaishi and creates long-term engagement with the region corporate workation is anticipated as a content for long-term stays At the heart of these workation initiatives is Kamaishi Destination Management Company (DMC) Kamaishi DMC is dedicated to realizing the vision of “Kamaishi Open Field Museum” proposed by the city since 2016 “Kamaishi Open Field Museum” is a tourism concept that views the entire town as a “museum without a roof” offering experiential programs that introduce the daily life and work of local farmers as well as sharing their stories of recovery from the disaster Since being selected in 2018 as the first Japanese location for the Green Destinations' “Top 100 Sustainable Destinations,” Kamaishi has been chosen for four consecutive years leading Japan's efforts in sustainable tourism Kamaishi DMC targets “corporations in the Tokyo metropolitan area” and offers programs themed around disaster prevention education and the city's reconstruction process and due to the lack of facilities such as hot springs the DMC provides programs that allow participants to experience local industries such as fishing and forestry The program content includes learning from the “Kamaishi incident” during the Great East Japan Earthquake organizational development training (examining how the management of schools ensured 100% survival of children and students during the tsunami) reconstruction and town development training (learning about town development from disaster to recovery) and a microplastics program (observing microplastics from seawater collected during a fishing boat experience in collaboration with fishermen and Iwate University) According to an interview with a representative of Kamaishi DMC the corporate workation intake for fiscal year 2021 included 12 instances and a total local consumption of approximately 4.4 million yen and a total local consumption of ~4.2 million yen The satisfaction level of corporate workation participants exceeded 90% providing a high value workation experience these programs have achieved certain results the DMC always considers the economic benefits to the region such as guiding participants to local accommodations and restaurants and the interest from local stakeholders is increasing Kamaishi DMC is now working to transition from workations that approach businesses from the region to those that are mindful of mutual interaction between the region and businesses The corporate version of workcations that Kamaishi has been offering provides learning opportunities for participants from urban areas to understand Kamaishi a region characterized by earthquake reconstruction and other aspects of community development forestry and fisheries industry due to the aging population and low birthrate as companies are becoming more interested in regional revitalization and business opportunities in rural areas Kamaishi DMC is working on creating programs that combine visiting companies' solutions with regional characteristics providing workations that are beneficial for both companies and the region The target of this research is the workation initiative conducted in Kamaishi City by Kamaishi DMC starting from 2023. This workation initiative offers a 4-day workation program to corporations, conducted three times with the following objectives and contents (Table 1) Human Resource Management (HR) personnel recruited workation participants within the company and four employees participated in each session participants received several pre-visit lectures about Kamaishi from HR and online sessions with local coordinators before visiting the site they are scheduled to propose solutions to the administration or local businesses and action plans a questionnaire about (1) workation experience (2) attachment to the region and their own company and (3) expectations and anxieties about whether their skills and experiences can adapt to social issues in the region were conducted for a total of eight participants The questionnaire used a four-point scale: “strongly agree,” “somewhat agree,” “do not agree much,” and “do not agree at all.” Before implementation responses were obtained from all eight participants in the first and second sessions responses were obtained from seven participants four in the first session and three in the second session There is also a possibility that the intentions and experiences of the participants and the company's HRM do not align semi-structured interviews of 30 min to an hour were conducted with two HR personnel who planned and accompanied the workation about the company's HR challenges and their intentions for participating in the workation initiative In parallel, semi-structured interviews of 30 min to 1 h were conducted until no more new information was available (Coffey and Atkinson, 1996) One could also be that the intentions and experiences of the participants and those of the company's HRM did not match interviews were conducted with the two HR managers who planned and accompanied the project about their company's HR issues and intentions for participating in the workcation project The second is about the design process of the workation program that is the subject of this study based on the workation program design process to date with the two project managers and coordinators of the DMC The third was with two government officials receiving the program about the value and challenges of accepting workation in the community seven out of the eight participants had experience with 2–4 workations while one employee was participating in a workation for the first time “very satisfied,” five were “somewhat satisfied,” and one was “not very satisfied.” Regarding the need for learning and growth five indicated “a great need,” and three felt “some needs.” This shows that while job satisfaction is not low many employees feel a need for learning and growth the employees did not have a particularly strong attachment to their own company: one responded with “very attached,” six with “somewhat attached,” and one with “not very attached.” On the other hand due to the lectures they had attended prior to the workation seven participants (87.5%) expressed a “solid” interest in Kamaishi and all were “very willing” to solve the region's problems through the workation When asked about engaging in activities that were new to them for resolving regional issues 6 (75%) were “very willing” to try while responses were mixed regarding the desire to utilize their existing job experience Five participants mentioned interacting and collaborating with local people because of the workation program and one associated it with personal health and refreshment indicating a greater emphasis on interaction with local people than solving the problems themselves This shows that participants are more interested in using workations to engage in new activities through interaction with locals rather than applying their existing skills and experience to solve social issues Post-program surveys showed a balanced number of “somewhat agree” and “not very agree” regarding contributions to solving regional issues indicating a lack of strong feeling that progress was made when asked if they were able to engage in activities they had not experienced before five answered “very much so,” and two “somewhat.” Likewise when asked if the activity led to their learning and growth five said “very much so,” and two “somewhat,” shows that they were indeed connecting new experiences to their personal development Interviews with HR personnel revealed a significant issue: there was a sense of distance between the products they developed in the small car division and society “We're always in Aichi Prefecture thinking about various things based on what we can find on the internet or we're not sure if that's really the cause and it has taken shape as part of our business.. so I hope this activity will allow us to hear what they think and what they want from mobility.” the goal is to combine solving regional issues with their own business rather than improving work productivity or teamwork employees aim to understand how their business is perceived in society and how it can contribute regardless of the department to which they belong This understanding is seen as a key objective with the hope that it will lead to increased attachment to the company and a desire for learning and growth “The department and the projects they are involved in vary but overall we've been focused on gasoline cars relying solely on that makes it difficult to maintain profits.. There's also anxiety that we must adopt new things such as hybrids and electric vehicles so there's a part of us that participates to challenge ourselves to new things.” The interviews also highlighted a dilemma concerning the effectiveness of workation programs centered on social problem-solving within the company the company expects returns such as new business development It is challenging to launch a new business within a few days of conducting workation on mobility in rural areas “Whether it has shown its usefulness to the organization is not yet clear Different departments have different expectations; some want visible results while others believe that it's educational just to find out if there's something that can be done.” some managers seek short-term benefits from workation whereas others focus on the long-term benefits it may trigger Some even consider the realization that certain issues cannot be immediately resolved as a benefit employee growth through interactions with locals and crossing borders is of utmost importance and direct returns such as new business ventures are not the primary focus for HR personnel to deploy it within the company they face the dilemma of having to explain the aforementioned returns and elements such as creating shared value (CSV) when initiating projects and reporting outcomes The interviews with the hosts in the region indicated a shared sense of working together to address local issues which cannot be achieved through one-shot visits or tourism I am currently the only one in charge of public transportation in the government and there are challenges in public transportation due to a declining birthrate and aging population.. I just became in charge in December 2021.. This is important for administrations in relatively small regions where departments may change over the years or one person may be in charge of several areas It also leads to concerns about excessive expectations for the host community especially for the residents who receive hearings from workation participants (In Kamaishi) earthquake reconstruction is a story so far but mobility is a more immediate and pressing issue as a resident and a local government official there is a concern that directly interviewing residents may lead to excessive expectations that something will be solved immediately (government official in charge of the local community) the participants belong to the development department of a small car and need to gain specialized knowledge or experience in local mobility The workation project's purpose is to tackle issues that they are not usually involved in their work although they share the common theme of mobility Close communication with local residents through interviews and exchanges is essential for the participants' cross-boundary learning and experience in this problem-solving workation it is suggested that it is crucial for the host community to explain and control the issues so that short-term concrete solutions are not overly expected The pandemic that started in 2020 led to a decline in tourism where an aging population and various social challenges persist there is a high expectation for workations focused on generating related populations and solving social issues Since 2020, with the broader adoption of telework and the reassessment of tourism practices, there has been increased attention to digital nomads and co-working spaces (Hannonen et al., 2023; Vogl and Micek, 2023). Matsushita (2022) explored the potential of workations as Digital Nomadic Employees not tourists but as part-time local talents This study has provided insights into the program design of value-creation workations based on cooperation between regions and companies Workation programs that blend solutions from visiting companies with local characteristics can benefit companies and the region attracting “affiliative nomads” who may contribute to the area but are neither tourists nor residents The post-program realization of self-learning and growth demonstrated in this study comes not from leveraging one's skills or enduring challenging field experiences but from interactions with locals and engaging in new These can be described not as “quantum leap experiences” but as commitments to regional issues or “Hitohada nugu' experiences this study shows that “Hitohada nugu” experiences in workations can function for personnel development in management this study suggests that for “affiliative nomads” to function effectively pre-participation content within the participating companies and a link between the region and the outside world by providing prior information about Kamaishi and interactions with Kamaishi DMC as a receiver participants' interest in Kamaishi and motivation to solve regional issues can be increased connecting deeply into the region through business layers and managing the influx to some extent as a response to over-tourism can contribute to the proper scaling and area allocation of “affiliative nomads” and the cultivation of regional branding Thus, this study has shown that “Hitohada nugu” experiences are a critical concept that can attract and function for “affiliative nomads”. In this sense, this study contributes to advanced concepts such as New Locals (Hannonen et al., 2023) and Half Tourist (Almeida and Belezas, 2022) which analyze the impact on tourism and local economies of digital nomads who stay for relatively long periods The project has contributed to advancing these concepts to the social design of the local community two limitations of this study should be noted The first is the effectiveness of workation programs for international digital nomads This research focused on companies and employees already associated with Tohoku and Kamaishi it needs to sufficiently demonstrate the effectiveness of workation programs for digital nomads from overseas with no previous connection to Japan or Kamaishi As the number of digital nomads and visits to Japan increases how they can function as “affiliative nomads” in the region is an important discussion point future research will investigate the global mobility research discourse and how such mobility is accepted locally this study could not thoroughly examine how “Hitohada nugu” experiences impact regional social issues and company personnel development While the study showed that challenging oneself with new experiences and interactions with local residents is effective for individual learning and growth the impact of “Hitohada nugu” experiences on regional social issues the influence on other employees within the company a more thorough analysis of “Hitohada nugu” experiences is required The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements Written informed consent from the (patients/participants OR patients/participants legal guardian/next of kin) was not required to participate in this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research This is a product of research that the Kansai University Fund financially supported for Supporting Young Scholars 2023 “Research on Team Unity and Attachment in Hybrid Work,” and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP 23K11662 The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher “The rise of half-tourists and their impact on the tourism strategies of peripheral territories,” in Tourism Entrepreneurship in Portugal and Spain Google Scholar ‘Becoming mainstream': the professionalisation and corporatisation of digital nomadism Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Sharing meaning across occupational communities: the transformation of understanding on a production floor Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar “Cultural and creative industries as activators and attractors for contemporary culture-driven nomadism,” in Cultural Leadership in Transition Tourism: Developing Innovative and Sustainable Models (New York Google Scholar The freedom trap: digital nomads and the use of disciplining practices to manage work/leisure boundaries Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Breaking the contract: digital nomads and the state Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar The Research Act: A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar and sustainability of tourism destinations Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Natural Experiments in the Social Sciences: A Design-Based Approach Google Scholar to generate better theory: a rejoinder to eisenhardt Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Conflict and learning ininter-organizational online communities: Negotiating knowledge claims Google Scholar Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success; [Why Helping Others Drives Our Success] Google Scholar In search of a digital nomad: defining the phenomenon Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar A supplier side view of digital nomadism: the case of destination Gran Canaria Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar “The emergence of the digital nomad: a review and analysis of the opportunities and risks of digital nomadism,” in The Flexible Workplace: Coworking and Other Modern Workplace Transformations (New York Effects of sports workcation on workers' health and psychosocial outcomes Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Japan Tourism Agency (2021). 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Keita Matsushita, a2VpdGEtbUBrYW5zYWktdS5hYy5qcA== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish set to kick off in Japan on September 20 this year is the first not to be held in a traditional rugby powerhouse nation It will also be the global launchpad for a new venue in the city of Kamaishi that is almost certain to be the subject of widespread attention Kamaishi in northeastern Iwate Prefecture had a population of 33,414 The capacity of the newly constructed Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium is a slender 16,000 Both figures are the lowest of Japan’s 12 World Cup host venues The Great East Japan Earthquake that hit Japan’s northeastern Tōhoku region on March 11 The disaster’s tsunami engulfed Kamaishi which counted 973 victims among its population The town’s World Cup stadium has been built on the sites of the former Unosumai Elementary School and Kamaishi Higashi Junior High School both of which were destroyed by the full force of the massive waves The Unosumai district itself lost 586 residents So why hold the World Cup on this disaster-hit site The 16,000-capacity Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium its World Cup-standard goal posts are the tallest in Japan Kamaishi was once home to one of Japan’s top rugby teams Nippon Steel Kamaishi won the All-Japan Rugby Championship seven times running Fishing boat flags called furaiki that are synonymous with this port town would fly high in Japan’s National Stadium as 60,000 spectators packed the stands each year for the annual showdown in Tokyo The Kamaishi players were dubbed the “northern iron men,” and the town itself became known nationwide as the “City of Iron” or “Rugby Town.” The unbroken run of victories for Nippon Steel Kamaishi came to an end in 1985 The company’s rugby division was suffering in parallel with the shrinking local steel industry Nippon Steel announced that it could no longer manage the team alone and in 2001 it was reorganized into a community-based club that has continued to this day as the Kamaishi Seawaves the team has become a symbol not just of Kamaishi disaster-stricken Tōhoku region as a whole relief supplies started pouring into Kamaishi from all over the world and cold-weather protection that continued to roll in overwhelmed the exhausted locals who had just had their lives shattered and basic lifelines severed The players of the Kamaishi Seawaves then leaped into action The well-trained athletes had no trouble hoisting two or three heavy cardboard boxes at a time off truck beds and delivering them to collection points or carrying the sick and elderly out in their arms or by piggyback from hospitals and care facilities with no functioning elevators In June 2012 hailing visited Kamaishi and worked as volunteers alongside local Kamaishi Seawave players to remove mud and timber Worried about the impact of the badly damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor one embassy in Tokyo sent a vehicle to remove its citizens on the team from harm’s way “These people are always helping us,” reasoned the players “so now it’s our turn to help them.” the locals stopped expressing their gratitude whose entire community had been pushed to the borderline between life and death by the 3/11 waves were now telling their local team to be a standard-bearer for the town’s recovery people were beginning to think that Kamaishi could play a part in hosting the World Cup but by the time the tournament would be held It would be wonderful to let visitors from around the world see a revitalized Kamaishi and to thank them for the support they had offered to the stricken town feeling that that local reconstruction should come first but there were more than a few believers in the idea that their tsunami-hit home deserved its dreams One man who attended a Kamaishi town meeting in June 2012 offered locals his passionate encouragement a Kobelco Steelers player who had been a regular foe of the Nippon Steel team went on to become captain and coach of Japan’s national team but had also lived through the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe in 1995 The celebrity visitor put it this way: “They say the World Cup will bring hundreds of billions of yen worth of economic benefit the people of this town will live with a dream and a goal and more local residents began to voice support for bringing the World Cup to town when Japan was announced as the next host nation on March 2 national headlines trumpeted that Kamaishi would be one of the 12 host cities The city’s older students threw themselves into their foreign language studies while youngsters at kindergartens and grade schools started world map and national flag familiarization junior high school students from Kamaishi started travelling to New Zealand which had suffered a major earthquake a month before the 3/11 disaster During their stay in the three-time World Cup-winning nation the young emissaries exchanged stories about what they had been through and their hopes for the future a junior high school group was sent to England to watch the Rugby World Cup There they saw Japan achieve three great wins in the tournament but were equally impressed by the way fans from all over the world celebrated together regardless of how their teams performed The Kamaishi youngsters resolved to do everything they could to make the Japan tournament a rousing success four years later Kamaishi’s youth had turned their eyes to the world and launched into action The appetite for recovery had merged with high hopes for the World Cup and it had become normal for people to “live with a goal,” as Hirao had predicted the former fly-half passed away in 2016 at the age of 53 before seeing the World Cup take place in the Tōhoku venue.) Hirao Seiji (left) who led Nippon Steel Kamaishi to seven straight championships The two rugby legends came together to back Kamaishi’s bid to become a World Cup host city the inaugural match was played at the new Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium to commemorate its completion junior high schoolers—young players who had been raised in Kamaishi and who bore its undeniable scars—competed energetically on the field They were followed by old boys from Nippon Steel Kamaishi and the Kobelco Steelers who had competed at the top of their league back in the day and now shared having survived a major disaster at home All seemed to enjoy chasing the ball around the field together once again Horaguchi Rui—a high-school student who had been a third-grader in 2011—gave a speech in Japanese and English expressing her feelings for her hometown and the community’s gratitude for the support it had received from around the globe Her words represented how residents were moving past the heavy hours the second-division Kamaishi Seawaves put up a brave fight against first-division Yamaha Jubilo despite their lower league status they livened up the celebratory match with four tries and an admirable display of tenacity as colorful furaiki fluttered proudly around the new stadium The Kamaishi Seawaves take on Yamaha Jubilo in the inaugural game played at Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium Kamaishi will only host two World Cup matches—Fiji vs This is fewer games than will be held in any other host city But you are unlikely to hear many complaints from locals Local children are already starting to bone up on the Fiji national anthem Kamaishi is certainly not going to be the venue attracting the most spectators this year And if you ponder which game will be remembered as the most thrilling of the tournament But Kamaishi will undoubtedly play host to its four teams with a special warmth that ensures they enjoy their stay and leave happy It will be a win for Kamaishi if some of the players from the 20 participating nations and their fans are heard making comments like “We played in a lot of places in Japan but Kamaishi was the best” or “We only saw Kamaishi on the news but it would’ve been great to play there”after the tournament is over (Originally written in Japanese by Ōtomo Nobuhiko Banner photo: A flotilla of furaiki fishing boat flags that previously flew over Japan’s National Stadium flutter at the grand opening of the Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium All photos © Ōtomo Nobuhiko except where otherwise noted.) Listen NowSaveShareWorkers at the Tsuda Shoten fish plant in Kamaishi About 10 percent of the workers are non-Japanese “interns” who come through a special government program.Adrian Ma/MarketplaceInside Tsuda Shoten — a fish processing plant in Kamaishi connected by networks of chutes and rollers that shuttle tons of fish around the building she’s standing near a conveyor belt as a batch of silvery mackerel stream by Thanh has worked at the company for about two years Thanh is one of about 250,000 workers participating in what’s known as Japan’s Technical Intern Training Program its purpose is to bring in folks from neighboring countries and teach them skills that they can apply when they return home after they’ve fulfilled their 3-5 year work contracts Asked why she came all the way to Japan for the job she responded in rudimentary Japanese: “I’d heard Japan is a wonderful country they are two out of the approximately 250,000 workers who are in Japan because of the country’s Technical Intern Training Program Although it’s billed as “technical training,” critics and even some government officials say that that diplomatic framing is merely a cover for its true purpose — to bring non-Japanese workers into a country where talk of immigration is political dynamite The shortage of willing and qualified workers is a familiar lament among businesses in the U.S., where the unemployment rate is around 3.7 percent. But the labor market in Japan, with its unemployment rate at 2.4 percent is under extraordinary pressure due to a combination of a declining birth rate a rapidly aging population (about 27 percent of people in Japan are over 60-years-old) and a general wariness of foreigners and immigrants there are around 110 job openings for every 100 job seekers) “interns” like Thanh — most of which hale from countries such as Vietnam and Thailand — aren’t your summer-break-coffee-getting variety They are full-time employees who are helping to plug worker shortages in a variety of Japanese industries including manufacturing Japanese workers have been difficult to find which today make up roughly 10 percent of his factory staff who owns a fish processing company in Kamaishi Japan began hiring foreign interns after having trouble finding enough Japanese workers His business is one of more than 35,000 that employ interns Since the government established the intern program in the early 1990s according to the Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) a government-funded agency set up last year to oversee the program “It’s a warped way of trying to get laborers to come to Japan,” said Ippei Torii a labor activist who runs a nonprofit in Tokyo called the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan “The system itself is structurally wrong,” Torii said interns are contractually bound to employers for periods as long as 3 to 5 years and they are almost never allowed to switch jobs many interns have gone into debt in order to join the program or have paid large deposits to brokering agencies in their home countries which would be forfeited if they left their jobs these factors prevent workers from leaving internships and you have what he describes as a form of indentured servitude Torii says his office gets texts or calls from interns with complaints ranging from wage theft and harsh working conditions to physical abuse at the hands of employers There is some data to support that assertion A 2016 investigation of over a thousand companies that host interns found 70 percent of them in violation of some labor or safety law “My impression is that those who are critical of the program … tend to exaggerate the problems,” said Kazuyuki Kinbara it is the mission of his newly created agency to weed them out While some observers question whether oversight from OTIT with little more than 300 staffers and a mandate to perform onsite inspections of participating employers just once every three years nobody is forcing people to Japan as interns came to Japan expecting to work in concrete construction he says he was put to work doing radiation cleanup at various sites that were affected by the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown many interns willingly pay a small fortune to brokers in their home countries to help them get a spot in the program the number of foreign interns working in Japan has grown more than 75 percent (from 143,308 in 2011 to 251,721 in 2017 according to data from Japan’s Ministry of Justice) who came here from Vietnam a couple of years ago said he paid the equivalent of over $8,000 for a chance to make good money in concrete construction Cong and other interns were tasked with doing radiation cleanup at sites affected by the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant he said his employer never explained to them what they were doing who said that as an intern at a garment factory in Japan “Had we known it was related to radioactive stuff said she signed on to intern at a garment factory with hopes of earning money for her two children the working conditions gradually became unbearable she was forced to work 14-hour days assembling clothes for brands such as Theory fashion label that is owned by a Japanese parent company (Theory did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.) She said her salary was between 120,000 to 130,000 yen per month — the equivalent of about $1,000 to $1,100 in American dollars Tuyet Mai and Cong left their internships and sought refuge at a shelter for displaced interns in Koriyama both say they want to stay and find new internships because the money they can earn in Japan will be better than it would be back home they don’t want to see the program abolished And neither does the Japanese government. Currently, lawmakers are considering doubling the length of time that interns can stay Sign up for the Marketplace newsletter to get the day’s biggest business stories straight to your inbox every weekday evening Japan may not have an established rugby tradition When you zone-in on isolated pockets of the country a city of barely over 30,000 people on Iwate’s Sanriku rias coast is an unlikely candidate for a Japanese rugby stronghold though the events of last eight years – since the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 – have put that argument beyond doubt Rugby wove its way into the fabric of Kamaishi’s culture back in 1959 when an association of workers founded the Fuji Iron & Steel Kamaishi Rugby Club (now Kamaishi Seawaves RFC) the club won the first of an unprecedented seven back-to-back All-Japan Rugby Football Championships earning them a nickname as fierce as their reputation: “The Northern Iron Men.” In hindsight the nickname now stands out as a symbol of the infallible resolve the locals would show in the wake of the 2011 disaster The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit on Friday March 11 The disaster wrought destruction across much of the region with Iwate Prefecture being one of the most adversely affected areas Kamaishi City was all but flattened – 30% of homes were either damaged or destroyed 60% of businesses were completely inundated The proceeding eight years have been a cumulative recovery effort by the local and national governments to restore the area to its former glory it is set to continue long into the future One of the foundational pillars of the recovery in Kamaishi is the city’s love of rugby. In December 2011, just nine months after the disaster, the city’s Reconstruction Master Plan included a bid for Kamaishi to be a Rugby World Cup 2019 host city It was a valiant effort to unify and raise the spirits of the affected populous On November 2, 2017, on a truly momentous occasion for the locals, Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium was officially announced as a Rugby World Cup 2019 venue (just three months after construction began) I visited the stadium during the KAMAISHI KIDS TRY tag rugby and cultural exchange event in August 2019 – one month before the 16,000-seater amphitheatre hosts its first Rugby World Cup encounter The first thing that struck me was the isolation; it really is in the middle of nowhere Constructed on the former site of two destroyed schools on the city’s outskirts steep-sided hills surmounted by a dense coniferous forest The second thing to draw my gaze was the unique concave roof sweeping above the seats of the main stand The inspiration for the design came from the image of a bird’s wing combined with the mainsail of a sailboat A stadium representative tells me: “[The design] marks the huge strides we’ve taken since the earthquake and the fresh start we envisioned in our recovery.” In spite of the stadium’s relatively diminutive size the design and location combine to offer a fine setting for watching live rugby The prevailing belief in Kamaishi is that the essence of a recovery effort is imbedded in human decency and cooperation During his speech at the KAMAISHI KIDS TRY event Mayor Noda of Kamaishi describes it as a “great honor” for Kamaishi to host the Rugby World Cup while maintaining “the importance on human and international relations in the efforts to recovery.” The organization’s representative director echoes this sentiment: “Through sports we like to encourage cultural and personal exchange at all levels it’s fitting that Japan’s first game at the Recovery Memorial Stadium was against one of their closest rugby relatives is of Fijian descent; as are several other current and former Brave Blossom players) Mayor Noda referred to the game as a “successful test-run” for the stadium which will stage two World Cup matches this autumn – Fiji vs Russia on September 25 and Namibia vs Canada on October 13 Kamaishi will also have a dedicated FanZone during the competition, and they are expecting more visits from traveling teams and fans. All these factors combined are expected to inject over 8 billion yen into the local economy. While the past cannot be undone, it’s a cheering thought, that people who stood defiant in the face of adversity, through a shared passion for the sport, can reap the rewards of their solidarity. The collective feeling in Kamaishi is no longer one of despair, but one of genuine hope. A sentiment that was beautifully articulated by a young tsunami survivor during her powerful speech at the stadium’s 2018 opening ceremony: “I love Kamaishi and I love rugby… [the stadium] is an important place where I’ll be reunited with friends after our long separation… it carries our gratitude and we’ll sail towards the future.” 2017 3:56 PM EDTA magnitude 6.1 hit off the coast of Japan east of Fukushima and Kamaishi on Wednesday recorded the earthquake near Japan at 11:37 a.m The agency’s website also showed that 41 people responded saying they felt the earthquake along Japan’s eastern coast No further details have been released on the earthquake. However, USGS estimates few economic losses and little to no fatalities will come of the earthquake The earthquake off Japan’s coast comes as Mexico is still recovering from two deadly earthquakes less than two weeks apart The latest earthquake causes buildings to collapse and killed over 200 people Contact us at letters@time.com The story of Japanese rugby city Kamaishi provides a humbling backdrop to a World Cup powered by steel found in the Iwate Prefecture on Japan’s east coast and home to around 35,000 people is known throughout Japan for two reasons – steel and rugby Steel production has thrived here since the 19th century when the first modern blast furnace was built at the Hashino smelting facility It is thanks to this history with steel that the town’s association with rugby began grabbed headlines in Japan in the 1970s and 80s by winning an incredible seven consecutive national championships The city’s story – particularly in the past decade – has gained even greater relevance with the biggest competition in world rugby set to roll into Japan As 20 nations prepare to compete for the World Cup steel will be crucial in the structure of the venues as well as helping rugby fans move between them Fans will utilise Japan’s 16,976km of steel railway to travel between the stadiums taking advantage of one of the world’s fastest trains which can reach speeds of up to 360kph largely on high-strength steel rails Several of the magnificent World Cup venues are reliant on steel which has Japan’s biggest retractable roof containing 12,500 tonnes of steel or the Sapporo Dome with its 53,000m2 roof made entirely from stainless steel and retractable pitch The largest stadium in use is the International Stadium in Yokohama Its enormous steel roof has been specially designed to reduce the effect of wind on the playing area and to prevent noise pollution Even the official tournament goalposts are reinforced with stainless steel bolts and sockets Japan was an ideal choice to host the World Cup as 11 of the 12 tournament stadiums were already in existence The tournament’s only purpose-built venue is in Kamaishi the story of which has captured hearts across the world It was devastated by tsunamis in both 1896 and 1933 another tsunami caused thousands of deaths and city-wide destruction Building a rugby stadium was the perfect project to symbolise a courageous local fightback and city planners were challenged to have the stadium ready to host two games during the 2019 Rugby World Cup was planned on the former site of two schools that were destroyed by the tsunami remarkably finishing just over a year later The steel-supported design beautifully integrates the breathtaking surroundings with the Unosumai River on one side and mountains dominating the other Builders returned in 2019 to install temporary seats in time for the two World Cup fixtures later this year meaning 16,000 people will be able to attend each game which houses the facilities and a viewing terrace is a combination of steel framing and a large canopy that symbolises setting sail into the future – a new start towards recovery The World Cup 2019 deadline didn’t always seem realistic but the city-wide project has defied the odds England’s Rugby World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson described the efforts as “almost beyond human in terms of power” no one could have imagined a stadium would be here bringing supporters from around the world.” With almost 1,000 people in Kamaishi still working in the steel industry today their support was a key asset in the wake of the disaster Nippon Steel’s facilities were opened to help store relief supplies This was sent via trucks from the firm’s headquarters in Tokyo and a large bathing facility was opened at the wire rod mill for disaster victims Many steel workers volunteered at refuge centres and joined makeshift fire brigades Some spent several hours travelling by foot and bicycle to collect and move equipment others helped to move rubble to aid the search for missing persons Despite everything that the city has faced a full crowd cheered on the opening game at the stadium in August 2018 and everything is on track for the iconic moment of hosting a Rugby World Cup game World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: “The stadium stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the people of Kamaishi and will act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come.” with recovery from the tsunami still in its infancy the real victory is the hope it gives to residents for their future in a city that’s as tough as the steel it is famous for worldsteel or any third party contracted to write on worldsteel's behalf shall not be liable nor held responsible for the content of the material published in our website which is strictly based on the information provided by the companies The information contained in this website does not imply that worldsteel or any third party contracted by worldsteel has endorsed or approved it and it reflects solely the views of the company providing the information worldsteel shall not be held liable for any damages or losses resulting from the access or use of the content published in our website The 2019 Rugby World Cup stadium under construction in northeastern Japan's Kamaishi which suffered major damage in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster Kamaishi Unosumai Recovery Memorial Stadium in Iwate Prefecture is the only new venue for the World Cup The stadium will host two games during the tournament -- Fiji versus Uruguay on Sept 25 and Africa 1 against the winner of the repechage on Oct currently in the second tier of Japanese professional rugby will play a match on the opening day of the stadium The ground will also host the Top League game between Coca-Cola Red Sparks and Canon Eagles on Oct A special edition train designed for the upcoming Rugby World Cup was unveiled to reporters at Kamaishi Station in Iwate Prefecture on Tuesday in the build-up to the tournament kicking off across Japan in September and dubbed the "Scrum Iwate Fifteen," features 35 local PR mascot characters from within Iwate Prefecture wearing the red and white stripes of Japan's national rugby team Kamaishi is one of the World Cup's 12 host cities A tourist from Tochigi Prefecture to the south said that while she had only just learned of the train during her travels she thinks it will "get people excited" for Asia's first Rugby World Cup Some Rugby World Cup host cities unhappy with tight security rules Rugby: World Cup trophy arrives in Japan, to tour host cities The head of World Cup promotion for the city of Kamaishi said he hopes the train "rouses even more excitement for the Rugby World Cup all over Iwate." will see 20 teams playing across 12 cities stretching from Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido to Kyushu in the southwest hopes to use the World Cup to showcase its recovery from the earthquake and tsunami disaster that devastated the city in 2011 The newly built Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will host two group-stage matches during the World Cup -- Fiji vs Uruguay on Sept the Brave Blossoms will face Fiji in Kamaishi on July 27 in their first match of the Pacific Nations Cup Uruguay delivered the first shock of the Rugby World Cup on Wednesday beating a disjointed and error-prone Fiji 30-27 in Kamaishi With the Pacific Islanders running out an almost completely new starting lineup after a brief four-day turnaround between this match and their first against Australia the game against the 19th-ranked Uruguayans was always going to be a trap (Santiago Arata of Uruguay makes a break to score his side's first try during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group D game between Fiji and Uruguay at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium on September 25 2019 in Kamaishi.)[Getty/Kyodo]   Uruguay rode a three-try first half at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium and were helped a great deal by Fiji's kickers shooting themselves in the foot the South Americans eventually holding on to claim only their third win at a Rugby World Cup "This is a victory that is something that comes from what we have been doing in the four years of preparation and it has borne fruit," said Uruguay coach Esteban Meneses "This victory allows us to make a big step forward." The win was Uruguay's first against a Pacific Island nation and they also set a record for the most points scored in one World Cup match bettering the 27 they scored against Spain in 1999 "We thought this was our only chance in the tournament and we wanted to make history today and we were confident we would be able to make history," said jubilant Uruguayan captain Juan Manuel Gaminara (Juan Manuel Cat of Uruguay dives to score his side's third try.)[Getty/Kyodo]   Fiji coach John McKee credited Uruguay for putting together a game plan that was perfect for a boil over "Great credit for Uruguay with their commitment and how they worked in the game they obviously worked very hard for each other and they got what was quite a historic result," the Kiwi said Uruguay really capitalized on errors and three tries from our mistakes and then we were chasing the game which put us under a lot of pressure." In front of 14,025 people in a region of northeastern Japan devastated in the March 11 Uruguay took advantage of dropped balls and a general lack of urgency from the clearly fatigued Fijians answering Fiji hooker Mesulame Dolokoto's unconverted opener off a nice line out play with Felipe Berchesi cashing the two extra points (Josh Matavesi of Fiji kicks a conversion.)[Getty/Kyodo]   Fiji immediately responded with their second Eroni Mawi barreling over from close range with Josh Matavesi converting to give the men in white a 12-7 lead Manuel Diana and Juan Manuel Cat crossed with Berchesi converting both and adding a penalty to give the South Americans a 24-12 lead going into the sheds McKee likely delivered a stern halftime message about his team's tournament being on the line but it was not enough to overcome the plucky Uruguayans Api Ratuniyarawa scored one try and Nikola Matawalu two an unfortunate number for Fiji considering the final margin was just three Uruguay now face a similar challenge to what Fiji just dealt with -- a four-day turnaround -- but this win has perhaps given them the lift for Georgia that Fiji lacked give our best," said starting fullback Gaston Mieres Georgia is a good squad so we are going to have to work Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report By MASAKAZU HIGASHINO/ Senior Staff Writer Iwate Prefecture—Tuvi Mahe was so busy preparing for the Kamaishi Seawaves’ season opener that he may have been the last person on the rugby team to learn about a disaster that hit his home country a staff member and interpreter for the team based in this coastal city in Iwate Prefecture A massive underwater volcanic eruption and tsunami struck Tonga on Jan 15 while Mahe was making travel arrangements and interpreting for Japanese and foreign players and staff in Mie Prefecture in western Japan The team was set to play the Mie Honda Heat on Jan Mahe finally got a chance to send a message through a social networking site to his older brother who lives in Tongatapu He asked if a tsunami had hit the area and if the family was safe She told him that she was talking with her older sister on the phone when she heard a loud explosion-like sound Mahe and his wife have called their families several times every day They have tried to gain as much information as possible through TV and the internet “It appears that the (area) was hit by high tsunami and is covered with volcanic ashes,” Mahe said Mahe came to Japan in 2000 and played rugby at Daito Bunka University and on corporate teams including the Munakata Sanix Blues in the Top League and the Kamaishi Seawaves in the Top Challenge League He retired as a player in 2019 and joined the staff of the Seawaves The team shot a video message for Tonga and posted it on the internet after a practice in Kamaishi on Jan Mahe in his native language says in the video that the Seawaves as well as Kamaishi residents are praying for the recovery of Tonga from the disaster Kamaishi suffered catastrophic damage from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami It was named a host city for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and became globally known as a symbol of recovery and inspiration within the rugby world The Seawaves will travel to Tokyo for a game against the Hino Red Dolphins at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Jan The team plans to raise money for Tonga at the venue and ask fans to support the cause Tongans are “big in both body and heart,” Mahe said “But many of them must be in need and are struggling with uncertainty but I want to shore up support to bring their smiles back.” 2 newspapers founded in 3/11 aftermath print final editions 3/11 survivors evacuate to high ground following Tonga eruption Tidal surges hit Japan’s Pacific coast after Tonga eruption Shock waves blamed for high tidal surge after Tonga eruption Significant tsunami damage feared in Tonga Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Iwate Prefecture--This northern city that was heavily damaged by the 2011 tsunami is now looking to generate renewable energy by harnessing the power of the sea A local breakwater rebuilt after sustaining damage in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake will become the site for the new wave power project in order to revitalize the local community at this time,” said Junichi Ogasawara a project coordinator at the Kamaishi Otsuchi Industrial Research Development and Training Center Officials hope their idea will eventually become a model for other fishing ports and remote islands nationwide “Though only a small amount of power can be produced with this method its completion will allow remote islets outside Japan to rely on the method,” Ogasawara said The project is being spearheaded by a business called Marine Energy Co. including a marine engineering firm and an electrical work company in Kamaishi The plan is to set up equipment measuring 10 meters long and 15 meters wide on the breakwater at the mouth of Kamaishi Bay When the waves move up and down vertically and diagonally That air will rotate a turbine generator to produce electricity Artificial intelligence will predict and control the strength of the waves so that the generator operates efficiently The annual output target is 333,000 kilowatt hours enough to cover the energy consumption of 83 ordinary households The relatively small volume of power will be kept and used locally at harbor facilities systems that monitor stationary nets and other devices related to fishing The generator will be able to provide power to other sources elsewhere during emergencies The Environment Ministry commissioned the effort to contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions A total of 400 million yen ($3.6 million) will be allocated toward installing a single generator for technical development and verification tests Five power-generating units will eventually be introduced under the plan The central government selected Kamaishi in 2015 as an experimental field for maritime renewable energy production and the city has since committed to conducting oceanic tests for wave power electricity generation A device that floated on the sea was being used for tests until fiscal 2018 but it could not be put into practical use due to costs and safety reasons the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology from the University of Tokyo and another organization focused on generating electricity from wave power They have experimented with creating energy from waves through a blowhole dug into the bedrock in Echizen and plan to test a similar system on this barrier at the mouth of the bay The four companies in Kamaishi will confirm the equipment’s design and safety before it is put into practical use The generator unit will be put in place in June next year to run for periods of nine months at a time Project officials hope to reduce expenses and improve the equipment’s performance by 2025 so it can be mass-produced The idea is to have other municipalities and fishing ports with seawalls incorporate the system across the country by 2030 Blurring site of solar power generation raises costs to public Japan seeks to double ratio of renewable power by fiscal 2030 Kawasaki Heavy builds world’s first tanker for liquid hydrogen Japan to ease regulations to boost renewable energy output Japan embracing ammonia power to achieve 2050 zero CO2 target Solar power eclipses nuclear energy in terms of costs No reproduction or republication without written permission.