More than 100 people have died and many are still missing in the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, struck by the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on January 1.  AAR Japan [Association for Aid and Relief, Japan] is sending emergency support teams to the affected areas and is also cooperating with companies to deliver emergency toilets and other relief supplies.

From the affected areas, we received the following message: “The water supply has been cut off for a long time and sanitary conditions are deteriorating.  Emergency toilets are urgently needed.”  After consulting with companies which support AAR, Montbell Inc. (Osaka City) donated 2,000 sets of portable toilets and 20 sets of toilet tents.  With the help of volunteers from EntreX Incorporated, we were able to deliver the toilets to welfare facilities for the disabled in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture on the 7th.

Excelsior, Inc. (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) has released 16,000 portable toilets with ponchos called “Mt.Fuji Toilet Mini”, 3,000 “Mt.Fuji Toilet Large”, and 3,000 units of the portable toilet with poncho, together with those procured by AAR, approximately 20,000 units were delivered to Ishikawa Prefecture in cooperation with the Japan Association of City Mayors.
Felissimo Corporation (Kobe City) also donated body wiping sheets, waterless shampoo, water tanks (foldable), and waterless mouthwash.

These products are very difficult to obtain immediately after such a disaster strikes, so the cooperation of companies is very important.  AAR will continue to provide relief supplies to the affected areas with the help of companies, in addition to providing soup kitchens at evacuation centers and support to facilities for the disabled and elderly.