Chairman Sasakawa

January 17 marked the 15th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, in which more than 6,000 people died. In the aftermath of the quake, foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa had helped organize a wide range of local aid work, and so as part of the memorial activities, a local newspaper, the Kobe Shimbun published an interview with him.

During the interview, Chairman Sasakawa pointed out the urgent need to develop a system in which donations could be distributed quickly and accountably. In addition to the obvious benefit to the recipients, he commented that this would help to ensure donor satisfaction, and thus promote future contributions on the part of the private sector.

He also expanded on the idea of planting trees at various urban sites, including schools and shrines, to strengthen earthquake damage resistance.

Interviewer Yasuko Isobe

The interview covered topics from private-sector aid for quake victims, to The Nippon Foundation's grantmaking philosophy and activities.

In addition to grants totaling 300 million yen by the Nippon Foundation and motorboat racing industry, and 7.1 billion yen raised in a special race held to benefit the victims, a wide range of more concrete activities were organized in the aftermath of the earthquake. These included organizing the many volunteers who flocked to the region, and cooperative efforts undertaken in conjunction with organizations from Osaka.

The Hanshin-Awaji Community Fund was also established in the year following the earthquake to support activities by volunteer groups and community-development organizations.

Planting trees at a middle school in Yokohama to protect against quake damage

In light of his own experiences at the earthquake site, Chairman Sasakawa pointed to the pressing need for “a 'choreographer' to organize volunteers from across the country,” to make volunteer action as effective as possible. “The private sector differs from the public sector, which requires careful, impartial screening,” he noted. “But one challenge faced by the private sector is to focus on speed. In this vein, we must not be overly particular about making the most efficient use of the funds.”

The Kobe Shimbun

Chairman Sasakawa discussed the absence of injury among the 20,000 people evacuated to the Iwasaki residence during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, which killed more than 140,000 people. That site was surrounded by a broad-leaf evergreen forest, and he expressed his wish “to plant similar groves at schools and shrines that are currently designated as evacuation points for major disasters.”


Foundation plans call for planting trees at 50 locations across Japan during the coming five years. The first tree-planting event was held last November at a middle school in Yokohama, with students taking part. A similar planting is planned for two shrines in Saitama Prefecture this April. Chairman Sasakawa also commented, “I believe true community development must be led by the private sector, with the government learning from these efforts,” he said. “That's the ideal for civil society.”