The Japan Creative Centre hosted a send-off for Singaporean students heading to Iwate Prefecture, featuring reflections from Rikuzentakata’s recovery from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
The send-off session for the World Tsunami Awareness Day High School Student Summit was held at the Japan Creative Centre (JCC) on 23 September 2026, ahead of this year’s summit in Iwate Prefecture. The yearly summit serves as a platform for students around the world to learn about and discuss the threats of tsunamis and the importance of emergency preparedness.
Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi opened the event and welcomed representative student groups from 2025 and 2026, listening to research on Singapore’s emergency preparedness from the group heading to Japan this year, as well as learnings and takeaways from last year’s attending group.
Mr Murakami Kiyoshi, Chief Executive Officer of Rikuzentakata Agency in Iwate Prefecture, joined online from Japan to share the city’s recovery journey following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and its ongoing disaster prevention efforts. He expressed his excitement to welcome the students at the summit in October.
The event concluded with a networking session bringing together guests from Singapore’s disaster relief and emergency preparedness sector, JET alumni from the Tohoku region, and Japanese organisations connected to Tohoku, for lively conversation across the two communities.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic students will represent Singapore at the 2026 World Tsunami Awareness Day High School Student Summit in Iwate Prefecture.
Source: Embassy of Japan in Singapore
