Ties that Bind: The National and Transnational in Japanese American Memorialization of 3/11

On March 11, 2011, the Tōhoku region of Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, which subsequently triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor. This triple disaster, known commonly as “3.11” in Japan, left over 20,000 people dead or missing, destroyed coastal towns, and forced hundreds of thousands to relocate temporarily or permanently. Outside of Japan, Japanese expats watched coverage of these events with horror. For some the disaster rekindled and reinforced their affinities for the Japanese nation, sparking volunteer, aid, and commemorative efforts. This reflects the findings of disaster scholars who have shown that disasters have often been used to reify the nation and national identity. This paper explores how that reification can occur outside of the geographic boundaries of the nation by examining the memorial activities of the Chicago-based “Kizuna Project” from 2011-2021. Ultimately, I argue that while transnational disaster memorialization can reify national identities, it also opens space for new and surprising connections, complicating our understanding of the relationship between disaster memory and state power.