Support Activities and Response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

The Keio community have united their efforts through University-organized initiatives to provide maximum support for all victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Some of these initiatives are listed below.

Through the “Minami Sanriku Support Project”, Keio University students and faculty work together with local people in grassroots, needs-based volunteer activities and engage in education and research while rebuilding Minami Sanriku in Miyagi prefecture, which sustained tremendous damage in the earthquake and tsunami. In the summer of 2011, a charter bus from Hiyoshi to Minami Sanriku made 10 round trips, carrying over 260 students, faculty, and staff to the disaster area to participate in volunteer work. Keio conducted the project again in the fall of 2011. In Spring 2012, volunteers split into four groups for a total of approximately 60 student participants. Through these efforts, volunteers were able to expand multiple activities on the ground in Minami Sanriku.

• [Juku] No. 273 (P.6) "Minami Sanriku Support Project" What I learned volunteering. (Japanese Only) （PDF/2.9MB）
• 2011/12/22 Comprehensive Literature Subject "Human Dignity": Yamamoto Toshio Memorial Literature Fund Open Symposium "The Tohoku Earthquake and Human Dignity" (Japanese Only)（PDF/1.4MB）
• 2011/12/21　Debriefing Session and Symposium "Minami Sanriku: Thinking about Reconstruction Assistance" Held (Japanese Only)
• 2011/08/31　President Seike Visits Minami Sanriku (Japanese Only)
• 2011/08/22　Keio University "Minami Sanriku Support Project" -Students Currently Volunteering in Minami Sanriku (Japanese Only)

The Keio Rengō Mita-kai, the Keio Alumni Association made up of Juku-in (graduates of Keio University), cooperated with the Keio University Student Government, an autonomous organization of university students, to collect donations from March 17 to July 31, 2011. A total of 190 million yen was donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

• 2011/08/19　Appreciation for the cooperation to the Keio University Tohoku-Pacific Earthquake Relief Fund

From March 17 to May 3, 2011, Keio University Hospital dispatched nine different "Keio University Medical Assistance Teams"to Kesennuma, Miyagi; Rikuzentakata, Iwate; and Soma, Fukushima, to extend medical support after the Great East Japan Earthquake. A total of 29 Keio medical professionals--doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and logistical staff--participated in these teams.

• 2011/09/29　Tokyo Governor Presents Certificate of Appreciation to Commend Medical Rescue Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake (Japanese Only)

• 2011/04/18　Social Contribution Activities Related to the Great East Japan Earthquake at SFC (Japanese Only)

We created the "Keio University Special Scholarship for Students Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake" to provide financial support for students who find it financially difficult to continue their studies due to the earthquake. We will continue to provide financial support through this scholarship in the 2012 academic year. Due to the 25th graduation anniversary contributions of the 128th Mita-Kai, we are able to expand the scope of the scholarship to include not only tuition but all academic fees.

• 2012/03/14 2012 Academic Year (Spring Semester) “Keio University Special Scholarship for Students Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake” / “128th Mita-Kai Special Scholarship for Students Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake”(Japanese Only)

In order to continue to provide financial support to prospective undergraduate and graduate students in the 2013 academic year (Fall Admission), Keio University has taken special measures in response to the disaster situation, such as providing exemptions from entrance examination fees (test fees) and admission fees.

• 2013/04/05　To Prospective Students for the 2013 Academic Year (Fall Admission) Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake: Procedures for Receiving Special Measures (Japanese Only)

Keio University is enforcing a variety of power saving measures in response to the electrical power situation following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Moreover, we have posted graphs indicating power usage on all Keio campuses on the Keio University website.

• 2011/04/17　Energy Conservation at Keio University After April 2012 (Japanese Only)

Keio is conducting research activities, including those listed below, in connection with restoration and reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

• Introduction of Research Activities (Related to the Great East Japan Earthquake) (Japanese Only)
• 2011/06/28　Keio Academic Symposium "Towards Rebuilding and Revitalizing East Japan After the Disaster" Held (Japanese Only)

Keio University responded on campus directly after the disaster in the following manner.

• We confirmed the safety of all current Keio students whose address or whose guarantor's address was located in the Tohoku (northeastern Japan) region, and we collected information on the safety and whereabouts of any students who may have been in the Tohoku region for extracurricular activities or other reasons.
• We confirmed the status of damage on each campus and at affiliated schools.
• We secured the safety of students unable to return home and allowed them to stay indoors at each campus or affiliated school, providing water and emergency provisions as needed.
• We opened up part of the South Building on Mita campus to the public to provide shelter for individuals unable to return home.
• We canceled the graduation ceremonies for both the undergraduate and graduate schools, instead implementing conferment ceremonies where representative students were awarded their degrees. Live video of the ceremonies were broadcasted online for other graduating students to see.
• We postponed the undergraduate and graduate school entrance ceremonies. The undergraduate ceremony was held on May 1, while the graduate school ceremony was held simultaneously with the September entrance ceremony.
• For more information concerning the Great East Japan Earthquake, please see the link below (itemized in chronological order until April 19, 2011)
• Keio University Response (Related to the Great East Japan Earthquake) [March-April 2011]