Church Sends Aid to Japan Following Destructive Typhoon

A presentation ceremony was held on July 28, 2020, at the Hitachi Omiya City Hall for the donated vehicles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The donation of trucks is part of the Church’s continuous support for the damage caused by Typhoon No.19. It will be used to reconstruct the affected areas.

On October 12, 2019, the typhoon landed on the Izu peninsula across the plains of the Kanto region with 90 people dead and missing. Nine people were unknown, 4,008 houses were completely destroyed, and 70,341 houses were flooded.

The Hitachi Omiya City also had 2 deaths and 1 missing with many buildings damaged due to the flooding of the Naka River and Kuji River.

Shortly after the disaster, Latter-day Saints in the area quickly gathered and formed a volunteer group to help their neighbors who are in need of help.

The Disaster Ibaraki Network Conference was then formed where the government, the social welfare councils, the Church, and other volunteers gather and collaborate on disaster and reconstruction measures in the Ibaraki prefecture.

According to the Church, the additional support was given after a request from the Hitachi Omiya City Council of Social Welfare was received by the Church leaders. The Area Presidency then visited the disaster area and acknowledged the need for additional support for the reconstruction. The donation was then made on February 2020.

On the day of the presentation ceremony, Mayor Sadayuki Suzuki, Bishop Noriichi Uchida of Mito Ward, and the media were present. During the ceremony, Mayor Suzuki said “At the time of the flood, many elderly people were troubled with the means of carrying disaster trash. Light trucks were very useful in the event of a disaster. I am very grateful that it will be of great help to me. I would like to make effective use of it.”