Abstract: Natural disasters occur when the destructive forces of natural events, such as
earthquakes, flood, and volcanoes, overwhelm the capacities of communities. In the
winter of 2011, Japan, a model for disaster-preparedness, was shaken by one of the
largest earthquakes on record, a ten-story tsunami, and a nuclear emergency on par with
Chernobyl. In the acute stages of the disaster, the Japanese government officially asked
for help from a number of countries. During this time period, international collaboration
played a key role in providing help to survivors in the form of medical assistance, food
aid, and psychosocial support. As provision of aid evolved into capacity building,
national and local Japanese government agencies, in partnership with local grassroots
non-profits, assumed most responsibilities, and international organizations transitioned
into new roles. This paper will present a study of the collaboration facilitated by a global non-profit humanitarian organization between international faculty and local partners in
Japan.