THE SENKEN [Vol.14] - A perspective from Japan’s top apparel companies- Oikawa Denim Builds Social Business from Disaster

Kesennuma, a major fishing port in the Tohoku region, suffered great damage as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Located in this city was a consignment factory named Oikawa Denim which manufactured sewn products. While the factory was able to escape damage due to its highland location, a tsunami wave of over 20 meters destroyed the product warehouse, washing away 10,000 pairs of denim jeans that had been waiting to be shipped. No staff or their families were hurt in the disaster, but the house of company president Hideko Oikawa was completely destroyed. Moreover, rubble had blocked traffic from passing the local bridge, cutting the area off from the inland and turning the factory into a temporary emergency shelter for surrounding citizens.