News & Events

Six full years since the Great East Japan Earthquake Struck

Mar. 11, 2017

March 11 has come around again. We would once again like to express our condolences to all the people who incurred unprecedented loss or are still living as evacuees or otherwise compelled to endure hardship as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the catastrophe at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. In the wake of the disaster, Meiji University instituted the "Support Center for Earthquake Reconstruction" and took action on tasks such as providing support to the affected persons and districts for reconstruction and preventing the disaster from fading from memory.

This was the situation when the Kumamoto Earthquake struck in April 2016. It did immense damage centered on Kumamoto Prefecture. Our hearts go out to all those who were affected by it. After it struck, the President of Meiji University visited the Kumamoto Prefecture Parent’s Association to express his condolences. For its part, the Support Center for Earthquake Reconstruction has been engaged in various activities, such as holding an on-campus photo exhibition, providing support for activities led by students from Kumamoto, and assisting events held by the Kumamoto chapter of the Alumni Association.

In the disaster-affected districts, progress is gradually being made on agenda such as the preparation of new housing tracts, construction of housing, construction of sea walls, improvement of ports and harbors, and resumption of railway service. Nevertheless, many people are still struggling with inconveniences and emotional scars that have not completely healed. Moreover, the seriousness of the catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is only being further underscored as more of the facts about it become clear.

Meiji University realizes the importance of providing support to the people and districts affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Kumamoto Earthquake, and of preventing these disasters from being forgotten. This is why we always fly the school flags at half-staff on March 11.

March 11, 2017
Meiji University