Mihoko Sakurai, second from right, with other Keio Sylff fellows and Tokyo Foundation directors

“Sustaining Life during the Early Stages of Disaster Relief with a Frugal Information System: Learning from the Great East Japan Earthquake” was co-authored by Mihoko Sakurai, a Sylff fellow at Keio University in 2013–14, and points to the need for municipal governments to build disaster-resilient communication systems.

This paper, based on field research into the ICT systems of local governments, notes that power outages and the resultant loss of communication and processing capability severely constrained recovery efforts in many municipalities, hampering attempts by supporting organizations to collect and share information.

A “frugal information system” built around cell phones, placing minimal stress on already burdened systems, is suggested as a solution to handle the early stages of disaster relief.

Sakurai is now assistant professor at the Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance and has been selected to receive a special Research Fellowship for Young Scientists from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science starting in April 2014.

In June 2012, Sakurai published “Municipal Government ICT in 3.11 Crisis: Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Crisis” in Berkman Center Research Publication No. 2012-14. This was a structured field survey of ICT divisions in 13 municipalities devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which revealed a lack of ICT business continuity plans, the importance a comprehensive data backup policy, and the importance of securing power and network supply.

In addition to these articles in English, she has also co-authored a book in Japanese pointing to the importance of enhancing ICT networks among municipalities. The third anniversary of the 9.0-magnitude Tohoku quake is soon approaching. We hope that Sakurai’s research will help mitigate damage and facilitate rescue and recovery efforts following future natural disasters, in whatever country they may occur.

SYLFF SUPPORT PROGRAMS

The Tokyo Foundation announced the re-launch of “Sylff Leadership Initiatives (SLI)” and “Sylff Fellows Forum for Global Dialogue” (starting in 2015). Four fellows were selected as SLI recipients, and the report of the first recipient's seminar can be read here. In addition, 22 Sylff Research Abroad awardees were named in 2013. All awardees and the reports (by fiscal year) can be read here. We look forward to receiving your applications in 2014!

SYLFF WORLDWIDE

The University of Athens celebrated the 20th anniversary and Jadavpur University celebrated “10 Glorious Years” of their respective Sylff programs in 2013.

Many Sylff fellows sent news of their activities: Jory Vinikour was nominated for a Grammy Award; a Sylff Chamber Music Seminar Concert was held in Vienna; Julia Zulus participated in Rainbow 21 International Suntory Hall Debut Concert in Tokyo; Jordan Matsudaira was appointed senior economist in the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) for US President Barack Obama; Bryan Matthew Thompson delivered a presentation at the Third International Conference on Government Performance Management and Leadership at Waseda University in Tokyo; Itamar Zorman made his recital debut in Tokyo; and the Ateneo de Manila University has made a call for donations and a relief campaign is being promoted by Sherilyn Siy Tan for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The Tokyo Foundation offers its deepest condolences to the people in the Philippines over the devastating loss of life and property from this super typhoon.

SYLFF@TOKYO

We were delighted to welcome many members of the Sylff community to our office in Tokyo this year. On July 10, the Tokyo Foundation hosted the first-ever gathering of Sylff fellows and SSC members at our office; 20 Sylff fellows and SSC members attended the gathering. Articles detailing the visits can be accessed by clicking on the names/links below. We hope to welcome many more visitors in 2014, so please be sure to contact us when you have plans to visit Tokyo!

Ilona Dubra (Sylff fellow, University of Latvia), Warren Ang (Sylff fellow, INSEAD), David Panzl (assistant professor, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna), Liu Yajun (Sylff fellow, Nanjing University), Masaaki Higashijima,(Sylff fellow, Waseda University), Yuki Kakiuchi (conductor), Takehiro Kurosaki (deputy director, Pacific Islands Centre).

In December 2014, the Tokyo Foundation will host the Sylff Administrators Meeting in Tokyo. Details will be announced shortly.

Wishing You Peace and Joy in the New Year!

(on the back row from left to right) Tomoko, Takashi Suzuki(Director), Akiko

(on the middle row) Eriko, Tetsuya

(on the front row) Yumi, Yoko, Keita, Mari Suzuki(Director)

Dear Sylff fellows,

I would like to call your attention to the fact that the next application deadline for Sylff Research Abroad (SRA) awards is SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014.

SRA awards support academic research related to fellows' doctoral dissertation, conducted as a non-degree student in a foreign country. From 2013, this program has been widened, so that the proposed research can be conducted at any organization in a foreign country.　The Tokyo Foundation provides a maximum of US$5,000 for each successful applicant.

You will find details of the program on the Sylff website.
→ https://www.sylff.org/support_programs/sra.
The list of past SRA awardees and their reports are also available on the following page.
→ https://www.sylff.org/support_programs/sra/awardees-reports

If you are a doctoral candidate, I encourage you to make the most of this opportunity to enrich your research activities.

If you have any questions, please email the SRA coordinator at leadership@tkfd.or.jp with the subject line “SRA.” We look forward to receiving your applications!

In addition to the donation drive spearheaded by the Ateneo de Manila University for the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan (called Yolanda in the Philippines), a relief campaign is being promoted by Sherilyn Siy Tan, a Sylff fellow who completed her master’s at Ateneo in 2007.

She has recently been granted a Sylff Leadership Initiatives (SLI) award to organize a community conference to discuss the possibility of promoting food donation to improve food security for those in need in the Philippines. The devastating typhoon struck while she was preparing her SLI project. Second Harvests Japan & Asia, with whom she is organizing the conference, are responding to the needs of the survivors by distributing food and water.

The Tokyo Foundation supports Sherilyn’s efforts to promote the relief campaign undertaken by Second Harvests Japan & Asia. You, too, can pitch in by making donation online.

Further details are posted at http://www.foodbank.asia/our-program/typhoon-in-the-philippines.

The Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines is calling for donations for victims of Typhoon Haiyan (called Yolanda in the Philippines). Devastation caused by one of the most powerful storms to ever hit land has been daunting. The Tokyo Foundation supports Ateneo’s initiatives to help the survivors. More information is available on their website: http://www.admu.edu.ph/news/call-donations-victims-typhoon-yolanda.