(Problem)The Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11th 2011. However, compared with the Great Hanshin Earthquake (1995), volunteer aid workers have been fewer.(Insight)Many want to volunteer, but cannot find any media that supplies accurate information for volunteers. Consequently, there has been mismatching of volunteers and needs, and lost opportunities. (Goal)To construct a link between people who need the volunteers and those who want to participate as volunteers, by providing accurate information.(Core Idea)If we were to create a single new volunteer website, the reach would be limited.Major media and bloggers must supply accurate volunteer information.

Therefore we constructed a database (Open API) of the latest volunteer information that anyone could use to publish on their own initiative or create mashup content.As a result, we have facilitated the creation of diverse and multiple media that will supply potential volunteers with the very latest information.

1. The launch of Japan Volunteer Information Station (VIS) as an "information volunteer" that gathers information from wire services, ad agencies, media, universities and NPOs and supplies accurate information for potential volunteers (March 15). ･ VIS is comprised of journalists, bloggers, programmers, media planners, PR planners, creative directors, consultants, researchers and students.2. The construction of the VIS database of volunteer information (March 25).･ The database is constantly updated by student volunteers and made available via an Open API.

3. Press releases and briefing sessions to call for cooperation from the media, bloggers and mashup content creators to produce and publish content using the VIS database (March 29).･ "Information Volunteers" who donate time and effort to supply accurate information also fulfill a vital volunteer role.

4. Gallery of mashups of volunteer information and establishment of a "real world" VIS center in Sendai (April 23).

･ Sendai VIS Center provides detailed "on site" information.

1. VIS activities were introduced in major TV, newspapers, internet news and social media.

・Estimated value of media exposure in NTV, the Asahi Shimbun and Yahoo news: approximately 12 million dollars.2. VIS data was adopted by the Tasukeai Japan Project (in cooperation with the Japanese Cabinet Secretariat's Disaster Volunteer Coordination Office).3. Major portal sites that use the VIS database to deliver volunteer information include:・Yahoo (http://shinsai.yahoo.co.jp/)・goo (http://busshi.311.goo.ne.jp/)・msn (http://eastjapaneq.jp.msn.com/volunteer/)・nifty (http://www.nifty.com/navi/cs/volunteer/list/1.htm)・sinsai.info (http://www.sinsai.info/)4. In the first 8 days of operation, the Sendai VIS Center was utilised by 3,700 people.