TOKYO - When Japan's March 2011 tsunami swept away tens of thousands of cars in Ishinomaki, many survivors later relocated to temporary housing found themselves cut off from hospitals, shops and other essential services -- inspiring a car lending program that marks its 15th anniversary this year.
The program was launched in October 2011 by Takehiko Yoshizawa, 47, a Hyogo Prefecture native who traveled to Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture as a volunteer following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan earlier that year.
Witnessing the hardships of people who had lost their cars in the disaster, Yoshizawa devised a plan to collect donated vehicles and lend them to victims free of charge. The initiative later grew into the nationwide Japan Car Sharing Association.
The tsunami destroyed an estimated 60,000 vehicles in Ishinomaki alone.
Following the disaster, many evacuees in the city were moved into temporary housing built in isolated areas with limited access to public transportation.
"So many people were struggling to get from place to place," recalled Hisayo Aizawa, 69, an Ishinomaki resident whose home and family shop, along with the family's four cars, were taken by the tsunami.
After borrowing a vehicle from the association, Aizawa began helping elderly neighbors travel to hospitals, grocery stores and other destinations. Encouraged by the appreciation she received, she later joined the association as a staff member.
The organization has so far provided more than 2,300 vehicles donated by auto industry groups, companies and individuals, responding to more than 10,000 requests across 35 disasters.
But demand continues to outpace supply.
Following devastating torrential rains and mudslides on the southwestern island of Kyushu in 2025, the association received more than 2,500 requests for vehicles but was able to meet only around 30 percent of them.
The association currently operates about 600 vehicles nationwide.
"That's nowhere near enough," Yoshizawa said. "We would need more than 4,000 vehicles after a catastrophe like the March 2011 disaster."
The group is urging drivers to donate vehicles when they surrender their licenses. It has also arranged for local governments to use some of its cars for public services during normal times and return them when disasters strike.
The association now has seven branches across Japan, some maintaining vehicles ready for deployment anywhere in the country. But the costs associated with owning large numbers of vehicles, including taxes, remain a burden.
In January, the association signed an agreement with the Japan Association of City Mayors to help secure parking space and office facilities when disasters occur.
"Cars are essential for daily life in rural areas, but there is no system for assessing the damage done to them after disasters." Yoshizawa said.
When lending vehicles, association staff also tell recipients about the donors behind them, hoping the stories attached to each car will encourage people rebuilding their lives after disasters.
"Each vehicle has its own story," Yoshizawa said. "We will expand our program to help disaster victims."
For more information on the donation of vehicles and other inquiries, contact the Japan Car Sharing Association at 050-5482-3178.
