Tohoku communities hit by the earthquake and tsunami last month are gradually embarking on the road to recovery, with some finally able to call on volunteers outside the region for help thanks to restored infrastructure.
But while these areas will need all the aid they can get to rebuild, some say inexperienced helpers should take extra care to avoid becoming a hindrance to local residents.
"One should be aware of what the locals need and what they don't need," Kiyotaka Akazawa, a representative of NPO Youth Vision, told The Japan Times. The not-for-profit group, set up in 1996, has consulted nearly 120 volunteer centers in universities across Japan.