Peace Winds in Japan
Peace Winds was established first in Japan in 1996, and it has become a leader in the field of humanitarian assistance as well as one of the country’s most capable disaster responders.
In addition to its international work, Peace Winds Japan conducts a wide range of domestic activities in Japan, from disaster responses to initiatives such as no-kill animal shelters and local community revitalization projects. The following are some of the key activities.
Peace Winds’ ARROWS disaster response team includes 20 full-time doctors, nurses, search-and-rescue experts, and logisticians as well as search dogs, helicopters, and ships. Teams are deployed on several hours’ notice for disasters throughout Japan as well as internationally. They have responded to dozens of disasters in Japan and around the world over the last three decades.
When the relief phase of a disaster is over, ARROWS team members are often replaced by other Peace Winds staff who manage long-term community recovery programs for years to come. And when they are not actively deployed for responses, our team members run disaster preparedness programs. This includes organizing drills and training sessions about how to best prepare as well as community-centered activities where adults and children can come together to share their knowledge and experience in creative ways.
Current Responses in Japan
A Peace Winds team is stationed in Suzu on the eastern half of Japan’s Noto Peninsula, where it has been leading long-term recovery programming since the 2024 New Year’s Day Earthquake. As evacuees rebuild and adjust to life in short-term housing, Peace Winds is running an activity center for children, hosting community events and conducting wellness checks for seniors, and leading physical and mental wellness activities for residents of all ages.
Peace Winds also aided survivors of the devastating 2025 fires in Ofunato and Oita, providing emergency medical care, distributing relief supplies, and helping manage evacuation centers.
Each year, tens of thousands of stray and abandoned pets are euthanized in Japan. In response, Peace Winds launched its “Peace Wanko” project – Japanese for “Peace Doggy” – creating the country’s first-ever system of no-kill animal shelters, advocating for rescue pets, and finding loving homes for dogs in need. It followed this in 2025 with the creation of a “Peace Nyanko” (“Peace Kitty”) initiative for rescue cats.
A sister organization of Peace Winds, the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) is a trans-national disaster aid alliance that works to facilitate cooperation between governments, private companies, and NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Power of Change is a medical ship that allows Peace Winds responders to more easily reach survivors, treat patients, and deliver supplies after disasters. This is especially crucial for island nations in the Asia-Pacific when roads and other means of ground transportation are damaged or destroyed.
Peace Crafts SAGA is a regional project to nurture and revitalize the culture of traditional handicrafts in Saga on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Peace Winds supports local artists through an online store, grants for small businesses, and a program that allows customers to support both artists and local nonprofits with a tax-deductible purchase.
The Peace Warabe initiative provides educational and leadership workshops, social events, mentorship programs, and study-abroad opportunities for orphaned and disadvantaged children and teens in Japan.
