Tension and Change in Disaster Recovery on the Noto Peninsula

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JAPAN Forward launched its "Ignite" series of essays in English to directly share Japanese students' voices with their global peers. University student Keigo Konno is one. As part of the US-Japan Council's TOMODACHI Initiative, Konno and other participants traveled to the region devastated by the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake on March 14-15, 2026. There, they examined the challenges of disaster recovery efforts.

The TOMODACHI Initiative is a private-public partnership between the US Embassy Tokyo and the US-Japan Council that was launched in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. It focuses on developing next-generation leaders in Japan and the United States. This particular Noto Peninsula project was organized by the TOMODACHI Regional Representative of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region, Shiori Sata, and funding was provided by Prudential and Amazon.

Konno's essay is the third submission among participants in the 2026 Noto Peninsula project. He considers the relationship between "moving in the same direction" and embracing value differences among those invested in the region's recovery from a devastating January 2024 earthquake. Reflecting on how human connections form and evolve, he also considers how this applies to allow diversity within a sense of community in a broader context.

There is much to consider in what he shares, so let's listen.

Forty-Second in the Series, 'Ignite'

By Keigo Konno,
Essay on the TOMODACHI Initiative Noto Peninsula Project

I studied abroad at the University of Kentucky as an exchange student from Nagoya University during 2022–2023, and during that time, I participated in the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program as a member of its 9th cohort. One of the key reasons I was drawn to this program was the breadth of connections it offers.

Beyond relationships with peers in the same cohort, the program fosters connections with alumni across different years, participants from other TOMODACHI programs, and networks that extend beyond national borders. Being part of a community where individuals with diverse backgrounds and values continue to intersect was deeply appealing to me.

For the Noto project, I was involved as part of the organizing team. This project was designed in light of TOMODACHI’s origins following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with the aim of witnessing the current state of the Noto region several years after the disaster. Rather than simply observing a disaster-affected area, the experience also encouraged reflection on how human connections are formed and how they evolve over time.

*This commemorative photo with all staff who supported the project was taken In front of the Tsuzumi Gate of JR Kanazawa Station.*

A Counterintuitive Revelation

One of the most memorable experiences during the visit was hearing from Ms Makiko Doshita of the Shiroyone Senmaida Aikokai, who manages the terraced rice fields in Wajima City. What struck me most was her description of the period immediately after the disaster as “like heaven.” At first, this felt counterintuitive.

However, her explanation revealed a deeper perspective. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, people were united, facing the same direction, and naturally supporting one another.

This shared sense of purpose created a strong sense of connection. At the same time, she explained that the period that followed was, in many ways, even more difficult. As recovery progressed, differences in perspectives between local communities and government authorities began to surface, and people no longer moved in the same direction.

This experience led me to reflect on the relationship between moving in the same direction and embracing differences in values. In moments of crisis, a shared direction can create a powerful sense of solidarity. However, if such uniformity continues over time, it may lead to rigidity or stagnation. Ms Doshita herself once left her hometown but later chose to return after gaining a new appreciation for local agricultural practices, reflecting the importance of encountering difference before reconnecting with familiarity.

More broadly, groups composed of individuals with similar backgrounds may feel more confident but do not always achieve the highest outcomes, while diverse groups ー despite uncertainty and friction ー can generate greater value. In this sense, differences can be both a source of creativity and a source of division. This made me realize that the question of how much sameness or difference is desirable cannot be answered simply.

Exploring Sameness and Difference

Through this experience, I came to recognize that “connection” is not merely about people being linked, but something dynamic that includes tension and change. In extreme situations such as disasters, people may come together through a shared sense of urgency, creating strong bonds. Yet over time, as different perspectives emerge, those relationships begin to shift. The question then becomes how relationships can be maintained ー or redefined ー as they evolve.

*On this spot, a hotel that collapsed in the earthquake has been demolished. The site is now an empty lot. Near Nanao Beach, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. (©Keigo Konno)*

Looking ahead, I want to continue exploring how to balance “sameness” and “difference” within communities, especially in situations where people are already under significant strain. While external involvement can play an important role, it may also create asymmetries between those who provide support and those who receive it, potentially leading to new burdens. In such situations, how can truly equal relationships be built?

I do not yet have a clear answer. However, the questions I gained through this experience in Noto are beginning to shape the themes I want to engage with moving forward. Starting from the idea of human connection, I hope to continue exploring how relationships can be built and sustained in ways that embrace both shared purpose and meaningful difference.

About the Author:

Nagoya University graduate Keigo Konno was one of the TOMODACHI alumni who helped organize the US-Japan Council's 2026 TOMODACHI Initiative's Noto Peninsula project. Previously, as a ninth-generation alumnus of the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program in 2022-2023, he studied at the University of Kentucky as an exchange student.