Dean's Message
March 29, 2011

Dear Yale SOM graduates,

The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on Friday, March 11, caused concern around the world. At SOM, our sympathies went out to those directly affected. We also quickly thought of our team of students and faculty traveling near Tokyo at that moment, as well as our alumni in the area and the families and friends of other SOM community members.

Shortly after we received news of the earthquake, I wrote to our Japanese alumni conveying the support and sympathy of the Yale SOM community. In return, I received an outpouring of responses, many detailing the ways in which our alumni, like many of the Japanese people, dealt with the difficult time they were facing.

I thought people would be interested in some of those emails, which I have excerpted below.

Obviously, this is an ongoing story, and the school will continue to respond. Students are currently developing a plan to provide both financial and moral support to people in Japan.

Sharon M. Oster
Dean and Frederic D. Wolfe Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship

Responses from Yale SOM Alumni

Takeshi Iwanaga '00 
Friday, March 11

Fortunately, I and my family, wife and two sons, are all safe and sound. My homeland was heavily struck by this severe earthquake, but we are sure we can get over this tragedy. Your kind consideration and friendship we can count on helps us summon up our courage to face this hardship. 

David Seu '90
Friday, March 11

I am at my office still and my home is out of electricity/water/gas so my wife and the kids are at their friends. The kids are having a slumber party of sorts.

The major cities are still intact so the economic impact will not be that severe but the real worry now is the nuclear power plants. 

Saburo Yoshida '10
Friday, March 11

The transportation system in Tokyo all stopped and people have to walk back home. One of my colleagues walked more than seven hours to get home. The road is jammed with traffic and it took my wife six hours to drive just five miles to pick up my daughter at school and she is still driving to get home. I'm still at my company organizing plans for the safe opening of the branches throughout Japan.

Within this short window of time, I have received numbers of emails of support and encouragement from the members of SOM. This is one of the times that you feel the bond and appreciate that you're part of SOM. 

Ryo Hagiwara '03
Friday, March 11

My family and I are all OK. Probably you know from the news, the trains and highways have been closed since the quake. Many office workers had difficulties finding the way back home. Though it took me two hours, I walked back home. It was a little scary for a pedestrian; no traffic or road lights were working.

The small quakes still continue. We hope no big one comes again. 

Toru Saito '85
Friday, March 11

I and my family are all safe. My SOM '85 classmate, Tats Kandori, is also fine. I live in the Tokyo area. Though trains had stopped overnight, there were no casualties in Tokyo. But 800 miles north from Tokyo, the Sendai area is suffering tsunami and fire as you may have seen on TV or internet. 

Toshiki Migihashi '93
Friday, March 11

All of my family is safe and OK, and now I have to consider what I could do for those still in trouble.

My Yale cap helped my daughter identify me among the crowd rushing to school to pick up children… 

Naomi Hirose '83
Friday, March 11

My company, Tokyo Electric Power, has lost one third of our generating power. I have been in the office since the earthquake and will have to be so for some time. 

Kosei Terami '05
Friday, March 11

My family and I are safe in Tokyo. So far everything is okay for us but we'd appreciate if you could pray for others who are hurt. 

Yoshihiko Shigenari '87
Friday, March 11

Situation in Tokyo is recovering from yesterday's chaos. Sad to see and hear news from Sendai and north of Tokyo. People are helping each other and also appreciate kind words from our friends in other parts of world. 

Yoshihiko Ohashi '92
Sunday, March 13

Class of '92 based in Tokyo are safe.

However, due to the explosion at the nuclear power plant, there is radioactivity risk increasing, electricity supply has been affected, and there will be power outages on a scheduled basis for the time being. Japanese automakers announced they would stop production on the 14th, but they may continue it due to supply issues and power supply issues.

The Japanese economy will be damaged but we are committed to overcome it together with community and government. That is what I learned from SOM. 

Tomonaga Tejima '05
Sunday, March 13

Fortunately, all of my family is safe. I was working in Osaka where less damage is reported. Also, SOM classmates in our class are okay.

We thought our nation is well prepared for earthquakes but it seems we can do less for such an unexpected big tsunami. I'm now responsible for all Asia and Middle East pharmaceutical business of a company called Otsuka Pharmaceutical. We have so many disasters and instability in the area. Most recently, the uprising in Egypt affected our factory operation. While we are enjoying the market growth of the regions, we need to be well prepared for such unexpected events. 

Takehito Yamaoka ’86
Monday, March 14

The epicenter was approximately 750 kilometers to the northeast from our head office. However, many of our group members, their families, and customers were affected in the area. We have three of our branch offices destroyed, and still have 24 people missing. We will continue our information gathering and keep on learning how we can help the survivors.

Masayuki Komatsu '84
Wednesday, March 16

The quake hit the Pacific coast with the biggest tsunami in the history of Japan. My home town Rikuzentakata was entirely washed away with no houses, buildings, or working infrastructure left. However, fortunately most of the people in my small town were found to be safe and surviving today. Almost all cities, towns, and villages are totally disappeared, or wiped out.

Not only did the quake and tsunami cause big casualities and loss of assets but the nuclear power plant meltdown is an unexpected concern. Many are struggling to live everyday under the harsh and rough circumstances without any sufficient food, water, blanket, toilets, and communication tools. 

Masaki Tsumagari '98
Friday, March 18

Unfortunately, turmoil still continues due to natural causes and human factors. However Japan will start its reconstruction and development once the whole situation is subdued. Many practitioners have already started working in those severely damaged regions-like my cousin, a policeman, and my wife's (Maki Ito Tsumagari '94) cousin, an ER doctor.

Today, I participated in preparing a shipment of relief materials to damaged regions at my son's school. As many fellow parents work for the U.S. military, those goods are sent directly to the victims' camps though transportation/logistics is the biggest concern now.

I understand that even prudent investors might need to reduce their exposure to Japan for the time being. But I'd like to assure my fellow investors that Japan again will be an attractive investment in the near future thanks to those ordinary people who show strong performance. 

Takeshi Iwanaga '00
Thursday, March 24

I have been dispatched to Sendai-city, 100 kilometers north of Fukushima, as a part of recovery operations of the gas supply. Yesterday, the gas supply was partly resumed and some customers enjoyed a hot bath and warm meals for the first time since the quake. We can not estimate how long it will take to get back to as it was. However, I am sure everything is going in the right direction.

Your support, materially or mentally, is greatly appreciated. 

Mitsuaki Hirano '99
Thursday, March 24

I (as well as many people around me) feel that the overseas media is reporting matters with too much sensation. The situation in the Tohoku region is a true disaster, exactly or maybe worse than as reported by the media. Given the current situation, i.e., a shortage of supplies as well as the cold weather, they desperately need all the help that can be provided. The situation in Tokyo and other parts of Japan is not as bad.

I worked from home for Tuesday and Wednesday last week mainly due to the lack of public transportation caused by electricity shortages. However, I have been coming to the office since Thursday last week and so have the people around me.