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The Youth-Exchange Project with Asia-Oceania and North America

- Kizuna (bond) Project –

DECEMBER 01ST – 15TH 2012

REPORT BY: CHRISTINA HAGA

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH PACIFIC (LAUCALA CAMPUS)

THE SOLOMON ISLANDS KIZUNA BOND TEAM PARTICIPANTSTHE SOLOMON ISLANDS KIZUNA BOND TEAM PARTICIPANTSTHE SOLOMON ISLANDS KIZUNA BOND TEAM PARTICIPANTSTHE SOLOMON ISLANDS KIZUNA BOND TEAM PARTICIPANTS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely acknowledge the Japanese Government and the

people of Japan for the initiating and financing this Kizuna Bond Project 2012. A sincere

gratitude to Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond Project Team Co-coordinator the amazing Mrs. Mika

Kusakabe for tirelessly making sure everyone is fine and well during the whole two weeks

program. Also a sincere gratitude to Mrs. Emiko Kajikawa my mother in Japan, for housing me

during the home stay program. To our astounding Supervisor Mrs. Prettia Boso, a heartfelt

gratitude to you for being there for us the Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond Project Team every step

of the way before and during the Kizuna Bond Project. Last but not least, huge thank-you to all

the twenty-two Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond participants whom have made the trip so much

educational, exciting and fun and have became family during the Kizuna Bond Project program.

Lastly, huge thank-you to anyone whom I have missed out but deserve to be mentioned here.

ARIGATOO GOZAIMASU.

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1.0 GREAT EAST EARTHQUAKE

On 11th March 2011 an Earthquake with intensity of 7 hit Japan. The Earthquake was later

referred to as the Great East Japan Earthquake. The damage the Great East Earthquake had on

Japan has been so severe. The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered powerful Tsunami waves

that reached heights of up to 40.5 meters in Iwate Prefecture and travelled 10km inland. People’s

life have been lost, homes, buildings, infrastructures were damaged and destroyed following the

Great East Japan Earthquake. Following this Great East Japan Earthquake was the rumor that the

vast media has been spreading the food and products from Japan are poisonous with nuclear

radiation.

Thus, to clear the dreadful false rumors and strengthened the bond between Japan and fourteen

Pacific Islands countries the Kizuna (Bond) Project has been initiated during the Sixth Pacific

Leaders Meeting (PALM6) held in Naha, Okinawa on the 26th May 2012.

Solomon Islands is one of the Pacific Islands countries which signed this initiative, so twenty-

two delegation of young ambassadors represented Solomon Islands from 01st – 15th December

2012 on the Kizuna Bond Project. Fortunately, I was one of the twenty-two young ambassadors

representing Solomon Islands during this Kizuna Bond Project. To make the trip more

educational, enjoyable and challenging is that I was appointed as one student leader to help the

Supervisor Mrs. Prettia Boso.

1.1 KIZUNA BOND PROJECT SOLOMON ISLANDS YOUNG AMBASSODARS

The participants during Kizuna Bond Project are:

STUDENT LEADER GROUP 1- CHRISTINA HAGA

1. Anthony Tarasisio

2. Hazel Teika

3. Loviness Reggie

4. Sharon Riropo

5. Mary Toata

STUDENT LEADER GROUP 2- ELLA WAIRIU

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1. Donation Felea

2. Christina Muria

3. Lizma Narasia

4. Jeremy Tesua

5. Jermaine Akaramo

STUDENT LEADER GROUP 3- YOUNG JIN CHOI

1. Mariko Hoala

2. Theresa Mclusky

3. Monica Longanimala

4. Cynthia Baripapa

STUDENT LEADER GROUP 4- MICHAEL MAENA

1. Sunila Prakash

2. Meria Paza

3. Nancy Defe

4. Solomon Kuku

2.0 DAY ONE DURING KIZUNA BOND PROJECT

The first day (2nd December 2012) experience during the Kizuna Bond Project was the in-depth

lecture on The Great East Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster which held in Hotel Route Inn

YUUKI conference room. The lecture was mainly focused on the Post-Disaster Situation and

Recovery Progress. Lecturer Yoshichika KUBO gave the in depth lecture and by the end of the

lecture that day all the Kizuna Bond Project participants have learned in-depth knowledge about

the 3.11 Earthquake, about the 3.11 Tsunami, Affected Areas, Disaster Recovery, Fukushima

Nuclear Plants and about the visits we, all the participants will have on the next few days.

2.1 FIRST WEEK EXPERIENCES DURING THE KIZUNA BOND PROJECT

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The Solomon Islands Team Kizuna Bond Project had experienced so much during the first week

in Japan and been to so many places. From 2nd – 3rd December Team Solomon had been to Study

Tour at Life Safety Learning Center in Honjo where we learned how to confront and deal when

natural disasters occurred. The Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond Project Team also attended the

Disaster Education Program & Exchange at JICA Ichigaya with some Japan University Students.

I have been privileged and honored to be the Master of Ceremony during this exchange program.

2.2 HIROSHIMA EXPERINCES (4th - 10th December 2012)

On 4th of December 2012 all Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond Project Team caught a flight to

Hiroshima. Afternoon of the same day we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. What

I have learned from the visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial that, Hiroshima city citizens are

people with great spirit of moving forward. Despite the fact that Hiroshima city has been

severely destroyed on August 6th 1945 when America dropped the first ever Atomic Bomb in

Hiroshima city, the city today I’ am glad

to say one of the very beautiful cities in the world with the kindest people I have ever met. Today

many years passed and Hiroshima has rebuilded itself from the dreadful event which destroyed

its city, its population and inhabitants.

2. 3 HIROSHIMA HOME STAY

As part of the Kizuna Bond Project, we all the participants have been allocated to individual

families for us to experience real Japanese lifestyle. On Friday 7th December, all of us Solomon

Islands participants have been sent to spent weekend with our host families. One Solomon

Islands Kizuna Bond Project participant Mary Toata and I spent the weekend with Emiko

Kajikawa in Furuehigashimachi Hiroshima Nishi-ku. Mrs. Kajikawa is one of the very kindest

and busiest woman in Hiroshima. This is due to the fact that she is currently managing three

hospitals which left to her by her late husband. Even though her every day schedule is always

busy, this particular weekend that Mary and I spent with her, she made an exception for us. Japan

as a very developed country and even though very advanced in terms of technology in private

modern homes, people still respect their Tatami mats and shoes and are not to be worn when in

rooms with Tatami mats. This experience has showed me that Japan is one very advanced

technological country that holds on to their culture despite its technological advancement today.

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3.0 VISIT PROGRAM TO DISASTER AREAS

On Monday 10th December 2012, all of us the Solomon Islands caught a flight back to Haneda

Airport from Hiroshima airport. On arrival to Haneda airport we travelled for a few hours in the

bus to the disaster areas in Yuki-city. Upon arrival in Yuki-city, I’ am a bit disappointed because

I have not seen any sign of damage at all and was hoping during the whole trip to actually

witnessed the effect of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The disappointment continue the next

day 11th December when we were told that the damage that the Great East Japan Earthquake had

in Yuki-city did not have severe damage like other prefectures in Japan. We were told later that

the damage was small in Yuki-city and the damage we saw were small cracks in cements of

houses. What I have learned from this experience is that even though the effect of the Great East

Japan Earthquake is not severe in Yuki-city the people of Yuki-city are now equipping

themselves for future inevitable natural disasters.

Also, we the Solomon Islands Kizuna Bond Team have been to the Tomato farm where we

tested the Tomatoes in the farm to be radiation free. We have been to where the Tomatoes are

planted and tested the radiation using a device to test the level of radiation and the level of

radiation was very low. Therefore, I have learned that the rumors that the vast media has been

spreading to the International world with regards to the products of Japan to be harmful is not

true.

4.0 OVERALL EXPERINCE

My personal overall experiences gained and lessons learned from this trip are so great. I have

learned so much from this Kizuna Bond Project. I have learned that Japan is a very

technologically advanced country where people still keep their cultures and are so respectful,

kind and loving with very high spirits of looking forward even though the country is prone to

natural disasters. In addition, after this trip, I’ am confident to say that products made and

produced in Japan is a very safe for human consumption and use. Also, Japan is a very beautiful

and safe country in the world to be studying and living as tourists and residents.