Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Japan.
Even three weeks after the massive 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami devastated the nation’s northeast, Japan’s Meteorological Agency continues to advise people to remain on alert for powerful aftershocks and potential tsunami waves.

On Friday, April 1, as officials confirmed over 28,000 fatalities and missing persons, the nation’s largest-ever search operation was launched in a cooperative endeavor by the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) who are working to find more than 16,000 people who remain unaccounted for.

Some 7,000 US military and 18,000 SDF personnel have embarked in more than 100 aircraft and 60 naval vessels to complete the 3-day mission. For survivors, there is still an emotional toll, with many who blame themselves for the loss of loved ones, and others distressed by their desperate situations.

Psychotherapists are thus cautioning that increasing numbers of people are displaying signs of mental crisis.

In hope-giving news, support for survivors has continued, with the nation’s young 19-year-old golf champion Ryo Ishikawa recently vowing to give all of his 2011 tournament money to the disaster victims.

Expressing her sorrowful prayers and love, Supreme Master Ching Hai has donated US$80,000 in aid while requesting that our Association members, including doctors and nurses, please go render assistance and to even print more copies of her book "The Dogs in My Life," to give them for
comforting their hearts.

Saying that extra expenses would be reimbursed, she asked that they bring urgent necessities such as medicine to the victims, especially the vulnerable elderly and young together.

With contributions from our international Association members, the sum of donations amounts to more than US$172,000.

Immediately after the disasters, our Association’s relief teams from Japan and Formosa (Taiwan) began relief operations in the worst-hit areas, and have been joined by members from South Korea.
On March 25, they visited a senior citizen’s home in Karakuwa, Kesennuma City of Miyagi Prefecture to convey Supreme Master Ching Hai’s love and offer them comfort.

Seventy-year-old Ms. Ayako Murakami, who is responsible for the residents' care, expressed the need for rice, miso and vinegar. After preparing relief goods in Tokyo, the relief team returned to deliver the requested vegan supplies, along with other daily necessities as well as 12 sets of
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s #1 international bestseller, “The Dogs in My Life.” The elderly thanked Master profusely for her care and help.

Ms. Ayako Murakami, Shibitachi House for Elders of Karakuwa-cho, Kesennuma City, (F): Thank you very much, Supreme Master Ching Hai. I am heartily grateful for your kindness.

Correspondent (F): And, we brought again the picture story books written by the Supreme Master Ching Hai. We are afraid that children were also hurt and suffered emotional trauma, but this book will heal their hearts. Please give them to the children.

Ms. Ayako Murakami (F):  Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you very much for showing your deep consideration in various ways.

VOICE: In updates at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, although debris prevented workers from checking radiation levels at reactor No. 4, radioactive substances were detected in groundwater near the turbine buildings of the other five reactors. This finding raised fears of a more widespread effect to drinking water.

Residents forced from the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the plant are now facing even longer-term evacuation. On Friday, Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano said, “There's no doubt, judging from the situation, that the evacuation order cannot be lifted in a few days or a few months.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) advised further expansion of the evacuation zone, having detected radioactive iodine particles at twice the agency’s evacuation level at Iitate village, 40 kilometers away from the plant.

However, based on its own assessment of expert advice and proposals,the Japanese government did not decide that any new evacuations were necessary. According to Japan’s Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency, its measuring standards differ from those of IAEA.

Meanwhile, both the Japanese government and the IAEA are keeping a close watch on the situation, and the UN atomic agency reported on Friday that, based on soil sample measurements at Iitate village, the level of radiation was going down.

After 180 workers working one day in high radiation conditions had gone without devices that monitor exposure, it was discovered that only 320 of an original 5,000 monitors were left intact following the disaster. Low priority work may thus be postponed to ensure that all on-site personnel have such devices.

Meanwhile, a mother of one of the so-called "Fukushima 50," which is the group of around 300 total technicians, soldiers, and firemen working to restore the plant’s stability in rotating shifts of 50, made it clear that these workers are aware of the risks they encounter as she stated, “My son
and his colleagues have discussed it at length and they have committed themselves to die if necessary in the long-term.”

Supreme Master Ching Hai shared the following message about the workers at Fukushima nuclear plant.

Our sincere appreciation, all Japanese and international help working to ease the situation in Japan. We also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her wholehearted assistance to the afflicted, as well as our Association members for their dedicated efforts. We pray for the protection
of the Japanese people and the world’s increased benevolence toward all beings to stabilize our ecosphere.