“A lot of fear permeates the culture here: fear of natural disasters, fear of war, fear of the virus,” Eric Takamoto with Asian Access says.

“Amid this turmoil, people are searching; we even see the younger generation reaching out and trying to find answers.”

God is also moving the hearts of Japanese women. Eric’s wife Sue began Nozomi Project, a faith-based social enterprise, after Japan’s triple disaster in 2011. One woman began working at Nozomi, turning broken pottery into pieces of jewelry.

She heard about Christ and His redemption time and time again. But the Gospel didn’t take root until more than a decade later.

Nozomi means ‘hope’ in Japanese.
(Photo courtesy of Nozomi Project)

Last year, the woman had to quit her job at Nozomi when diagnosed with breast cancer. “She ended up with a lot of depression and mental illness and has been in and out of hospitals,” Sue Takamoto says.

“One of our teammates and Eric and I had the privilege of baptizing her in her bed the day before she went into the hospital for three months. We couldn’t see her at all because of COVID. We could [only] text her and send her Bible verses and things,” Sue continues.

Finally, when she was discharged from the hospital, “she came out of there [a] changed woman, she has hope. God has done this healing.”

The story doesn’t end there. “She has a testimony of reaching out to the nursing staff in the hospital and the patients sharing her room and giving them hope with prayer,” Eric adds.

Pray the Lord will continue breaking spiritual strongholds in Japan. Pray more Japanese women will discover how only Christ can heal their brokenness and give them hope.

“In Japan, there’s a mentality of [toughness] – ‘I’m okay; I’m going to grit my teeth and get through this [ordeal].’ People have been doing this for 11 years, but the memories don’t just heal themselves,” Sue says.

“Pray God would do special work; that people will be open to God and the Holy Spirit to bring healing.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of dep377/Pixabay.

“Eric and I were in bed; two of our teenage kids were still awake. First, there was one earthquake, [and] we realized, ‘Oh, this is not good’ and 30 seconds later, the whole house started shaking,” Sue Takamoto of Asian Access says.

“It was probably the worst earthquake I’ve ever experienced since we’ve lived here in Ishinomaki.”

The midweek earthquake emptied bookcases and rearranged displays in Sue and Eric Takamoto’s home.
(Photo courtesy of Sue and Eric Takamoto)

The most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history struck the same area in 2011, followed by a tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

This week’s earthquake “brings back all the tragedies they faced 11 years ago. We just came off the anniversary of the [2011 disaster] on March 11,” Eric Takamoto says.

“You see a lot of trauma coming back; many people are in a state of panic.”

Through Nozomi Project, a faith-based social enterprise, Sue teaches Japanese women how to make jewelry from broken pottery. The process carries powerful lessons about hope and redemption through Christ.

“We want to walk with the people in this community, whatever comes. We carry with us the presence of Jesus, [and] that is so powerful. Because He’s with us, He’s with them, too,” Sue Takamoto says.

Sue began Nozomi Project after the 2011 Triple Disaster. Nozomi means ‘hope’ in Japanese.

“There was broken pottery everywhere in the wake of this tsunami, and God gave us a vision for starting a business for women using that broken pottery. We’re making beautiful accessories and jewelry pieces,” she says.

Check out Nozomi Project here. Pray for wisdom for believers helping 2011 survivors work through traumatic memories. Pray these conversations lead people to faith in Christ.

The map in the header image shows areas affected by Wednesday’s earthquake.
(Screenshot courtesy of Sue and Eric Takamoto)