Hundreds orphaned by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami remain vulnerable two years later because of insufficient government support.
Last June, the Diet passed legislation to help disaster-affected children and women, but details are hazy.
Instead of waiting for the government to take action, the private sector has taken the initiative. The nonprofit group Ashinaga, which provides educational and psychological support for orphans worldwide, began soliciting donations two days after the disaster and has collected more than ¥5 billion since.