Fukushima village receives many book donations after tsunami

Teachers sort out books that were donated by well-wishers from across the country in this picture taken at "Hon no Mori Lounge" in Iitate, Fukushima Prefecture. (Mainichi)

The village, which hosts only one bookstore run by the village office, launched the book donation campaign in May 2010 to provide its children with greater opportunities to read illustrated books. Ten days after the campaign started, the village received more than 10,000 books.

Even after the March 11 disaster this year, the village continued to receive books, on top of relief money for quake and tsunami victims. The donated books were distributed to some 750 children in the village, with each receiving three books, as well as to local elementary schools. Another 3,000 books went to kindergartens and welfare facilities in Fukushima Prefecture.

"We'd like to use the (remaining) books and relief money for children so that they can recover their strength when they return to this village," said Kaname Hirose, 64, superintendent of the Iitate Municipal Board of Education.

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