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03
Jun 2025

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Delivery Trucks Given New Life as Disaster Relief Kitchen Vehicles

On May 16, five delivery trucks were donated to Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) by PALLINE, a logistics company within the Pal System Group. The trucks, which have completed their service with Pal System, will be refurbished and converted into mobile food banks under PBV’s “FOOBOUR” project. FOOBOUR operates as an unmanned mobile food bank during normal times, providing food support to single-parent households and other vulnerable groups. During natural disasters, these vehicles transform into mobile kitchens, delivering meals, food supplies, and daily necessities to affected areas. The project is already operational in the Noto Peninsula, where a devastating earthquake struck earlier this year. PBV aims to deploy 100 FOOBOUR […]

29
May 2025

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RE-Gait Rehabilitation Begins in Lviv

This spring, a new chapter in Ukraine’s medical recovery began as the UNBROKEN Rehabilitation Center in Lviv launched its first RE-Gait-supported rehabilitation sessions. The robotic walking assist devices, developed in Japan and delivered through the collaboration between Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) and UNBROKEN, are already making a real difference in the lives of war-affected patients. Over the past weeks, six patients began rehabilitation using RE-Gait. Four of them have already completed their course. Most are recovering from traumatic brain injuries, often accompanied by partial paralysis that makes walking difficult or impossible. One of the first patients, Vitalii, suffered a brain injury during the war that left him with left-sided […]

07
May 2025

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Everyday Life Under Air Raids: How Life in Ukraine Has Changed Over the Years of War

Every trip back home to Ukraine is a reminder of how much people’s lives have changed over the past three years. War has become part of everyday reality, transforming not only cities but the very rhythm of life. The first thing that catches the eye is the damaged buildings. Traces of explosions, broken windows boarded up with plywood, and shattered storefronts are no longer exceptions — they have become part of the landscape. Many people have not returned to their apartments — some cannot afford to restore their homes, while others no longer feel safe living there. At the same time, some buildings have been repaired. For example, the Nikolskiy […]

01
May 2025

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PBV staff visits UNBROKEN in Lviv and delivers Re-gait devices

Following Dr. Koloshynska’s visit to Japan, two Re-Gait packages were delivered to the National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv. PBV staff, Sofiia travelled with the doctor and the shipments and made a visit to the UNBROKEN hospitals and met with the team in early April. Since the beginning of the full-scale attacks in Ukraine in February 2022, the city of Lviv has hosted 237,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from other regions of Ukraine (as of October 2024). To date, the city continues to serve as an important humanitarian hub and the First Medical Union, a group of medical institutions in the city, collaborate under the UNBROKEN project to provide medical services […]

01
May 2025

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Noto Earthquake: Shelter Closure Brings Mixed Emotions

Seventeen months have passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck. On April 13th, the last evacuation center in Wajima City closed, marking the end of PBV’s on-site shelter management support. During our operations, we collaborated with numerous individuals and organizations, working alongside local residents to operate the evacuation centers. Sixteen months on from the earthquake and eight months after the heavy rains, many people remain displaced from their homes, having endured two major disasters. While those living in evacuation centers have gradually transitioned to temporary housing as units became available, the housing crisis is far from over. Many face ongoing challenges and uncertainties. Some are unsure about the extent of […]

23
Apr 2025

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Practical Training and Exchange with Doctors in Fukuyama City

The second training session was held on April 3rd at a hospital in Fukuyama City that specializes in patients with brain stroke. The hospital offers a wide range of rehabilitation services that patients need for full recovery and restart their independent daily lives. One brain stroke patient volunteered to cooperate with the project, and Dr. Koloshynska had the opportunity to analyze the patient’s condition and discuss it with the physical therapist at the hospital to select the most suitable rehabilitation mode for the patient. She also observed how RE-Gait is integrated into the rehabilitation program, as well as other facilities the hospital offers. The patient also shared his experience with […]

15
Apr 2025

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Bridging Healing and Hope: Ukrainian Rehabilitation Project Integrates Technology and Lessons from Hiroshima’s History

On April 2nd, Dr. KOLOSHYNSKA visited a rehabilitation clinic in central Hiroshima for her first training session. The clinic has used RE-Gait for patients with walking disabilities due to injuries. A clinic staff explained the device’s basic functions and put it on her leg so that she could experience how the device works on the patients. The doctor tried different modes that the device offers and walked in the same way as rehabilitation patients do at the clinic. She tried each mode on her to see how it could improve the patients’ walking conditions. She also put RE-Gait on a PBV staff to grasp how to use it effectively with […]

10
Apr 2025

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Walking Again: PBV Delivers Rehabilitation Robots to Ukraine

Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has provided material support to hospitals in Ukraine and assisted cancer patients evacuating from Ukraine to neighboring countries. Three years have passed since the beginning of the attacks, and unfortunately, the war has yet to end, forcing many Ukrainian citizens to live under extraordinary circumstances. The Ukrainian medical project “UNBROKEN,” supported by PBV, is based in a group of hospitals in Lviv and includes a complex medical facility with a surgical ward for treating lacerations and burns, a rehabilitation center, and a mental health center to help overcome trauma, all of which are available to care […]

01
Apr 2025

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PBV Embarks on a New Journey as a Public Interest Incorporated Association

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) is set to transition from a General Incorporated Association to a Public Interest Incorporated Association as of April 1, 2025. This transition marks a significant step forward in PBV’s mission to provide professional disaster relief services. We appreciate continued support as we enter this new phase as a public interest corporation. With the recognition as a “Public Interest Incorporated Association,” Japan-based donors to the organization can now enjoy tax-related benefits, including donation tax deductions. Individual Donors in Japan:  By filing a tax return, individuals can receive deductions on income tax, resident tax (depending on their location), and inheritance tax. The required “Donation Receipt Certificate” will […]

28
Mar 2025

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Moving to Japan this April? One Crucial Step before You Settle in: Disaster Preparedness 

For those starting a new chapter in Japan this spring, whether for study or work, we share your excitement! We know you’re looking forward to incredible experiences and discoveries. Ensuring your safety will allow you to fully enjoy all that Japan has to offer. It’s a common misconception that some areas of Japan are immune to natural disasters. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. While earthquakes and tsunamis are well-known, storms and floods are actually more frequent, impacting many communities every year. In fact, experts have found that over 90% of municipalities in Japan experienced floods between 1993 and 2018. While we can’t prevent natural disasters, we can prepare.　Take action today […]

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