In the midst of the aftermath of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that has devastated northern Japan, thousands of people are feared missing. Listed below are a number of resources to aid people in locating their loved ones who may have been displaced.

 

Bilingual Phone Services

Little Tokyo Service Center: LTSC’s bilingual Social Services staff can be reached by calling (213) 473-3035

 

Nikkei Helpline:

Volunteers are available primarily for Japanese-speakers at (213) 473-1633 or 1-800-NIKKEI-1

Ryugakusei Hotline:

Similar to Nikkei Helpline but is for Japanese students in Los Angeles. Call (213) 473-1630 or 1631

 

Web-based phone message boards: Confirm the safety of relatives and friends by phone number

E-Mobile’s Emergency Message Board: http://dengon.emnet.ne.jp/en/service.do

Willcom: http://dengon.willcom-inc.com/dengon/Top.do’language=E

NTT Docomo: http://dengon.docomo.ne.jp/Etop.cgi’es=0

Softbank: http://dengon.softbank.ne.jp/pc-e1.jsp

KDDI: http://dengon.ezweb.ne.jp/E/service.do

NTT: https://www.web171.jp/top.php (No English, land lines)

 

Websites, search by name:

Google: http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en

International Committee of the Red Cross: http://www.icrc.org/familylinks

Up-to-date information from the Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet:

http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/kikikanri/jisin/20110311miyagi/index.html

 

English:

http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html

 

Twitter:

Noriyuki Shikata, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Relations, Director of Global Communications at Prime Minister’s Office of Japan: http://twitter.com/#!/norishikata

Steve Herman, Voice of America Bureau Chief/Correspondent: http://twitter.com/#!/W7VOA