As part of the FC Tokyo Players' Association activities, we visited Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture from Dec 11 (Thu) to Dec 12 (Fri), 2025.

This time, with the cooperation of Iwaki FC, we arranged an opportunity to visit disaster heritage sites (Ukedo Elementary School) and the restricted return zones in Okuma Town on Dec 11 (Wed), to learn about the situation at the time of the disaster and the current state of reconstruction.
Also, on Dec 12 (Fri), we will visit Tomioka Elementary School. The exchange with Tomioka Elementary School has been conducted since 2019, and this will be the 7th time (in 2020 and 2021, exchanges were only online or through letters of encouragement).

□Dec 11 (Thu)
Accompanied by the Iwaki FC front staff, we visited the tsunami-affected ruins of Ukedo Elementary School, where we observed the conditions at the time of the disaster and learned about the situation back then.
Afterwards, by seeing the restricted return zone in Okuma Town and the area around Futaba Station with our own eyes and experiencing it firsthand, we gained insights that cannot be obtained through classroom learning alone, and were able to understand the current state of reconstruction.

□Dec 12 (Fri)

We interacted with about 80 students from 1st to 6th grade at Tomioka Town Tomioka Elementary School.

The participating players planned recreational games and mini-games the day before, creating a time full of smiles.

Also, sharing the players' association's commitment to continue such reconstruction support and to keep the memory of the disaster alive, Kiichi YAJIMA, a player belonging to Fukushima United FC who visited this school as the players' association president during the 2019 reconstruction support activities, participated together this time as well.

□Participating Players
Kota TOKIWA, Wataru GOTO, Taiyo YAMAGUCHI
Kiichi YAJIMA (Fukushima United FC) also participating

□Player Comments (Excerpt)
・Kota Tokiwa
What I felt when I came to Fukushima this time is that, honestly, I didn't know much about the earthquake disaster, the damage situation, or what is happening now. I felt that I was truly lacking in knowledge. To grow as a person, I strongly believe I need to pay more attention to society, take action on issues, and continue learning.
As a professional soccer player, I believe it is meaningless to just "know" this reality and end there. How to convey this experience is what becomes important.
I heard a story that the students of Ukedo Elementary School evacuated by crossing Mt. Ohirayama in the dark while it was snowing. Even I, who was a second grader in Tokyo at the time, felt that the earthquake was "an incredibly large earthquake." I still remember feeling relieved when I saw my parents' faces after running back home. I think there were children in Fukushima who could not see their families for a night in the darkness and cold. I was very surprised by the mental strength that did not make me feel they were children who had such experiences.
I believe that true recovery means the people who lived there return, and the community is once again filled with smiles like before the earthquake. In that sense, I feel that recovery still takes time. Using this experience, I want to prepare for disasters that could happen at any time, think about what I should do, and leverage my position as an FC Tokyo player to promote greater awareness of earthquake preparedness.

・Wataru GOTO
This was my second visit, and I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in Fukushima Prefecture. Seeing and feeling the vivid scenes of disaster at Ukedo Elementary School made me realize the extent of the damage and weighed heavily on my heart. In particular, witnessing the reality that even after more than 10 years, there are still areas and people who cannot return home was truly heartbreaking.
However, the local people and everyone from Tomioka Elementary School, whom we interacted with through soccer and other activities, were cheerful and lively, and I felt it was a great place. Above all, interacting with the children was very enjoyable!
I want to continue this experience not just as a "good memory," but to maintain a sense of urgency in daily life and keep engaging in activities.

・Taiyo YAMAGUCHI
Visiting the area in Fukushima Prefecture affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, I felt the harsh reality firsthand, which was completely different from what I had seen in videos.
Even though time has passed since the earthquake disaster, seeing with my own eyes that there are still people suffering and areas that cannot be accessed truly tightened my heart.
As a soccer player right now, I can only bring joy on the pitch. That is why I want to give my best performance on the field and be able to bring courage and smiles to people, even if just a little. Then, when many people come to know me and I gain influence, I want to use this experience to communicate to society and be able to help in some way.
I will do my best to share what I felt and learned from this visit not just for myself, but to many people, creating opportunities for many to become aware of the current situation.