During the second half of 1992 the membership of Japa Vietnam reached 200 people. New projects were reaching our office, but also funds were increasing. Since that time about 10 volunteers started to help in the daily activities of Japa Vietnam.

In 1993, after establishing the Akimi Fund we strengthened our relationship with the provincial hospital of Cao Bang, North of Hanoi. The needs of the hospital were urgent, but we could not afford the expense. Following the advice of some Japanese medical organizations working in Vietnam we applied to the International Volunteer Savings of the Ministry of Posts and Communications, but our efforts failed.

From 1993 to 1997 Mr. Yokoi Akira, a cameraman from Hokkaido, joined the Japa Vietnam groups going, yearly, to Vietnam and started the Hokkaido branch of Japa Vietnam. Mr. Yokoi organized photo exhibitions of Vietnam in Hokkaido and, together, we printed 2 sets of original postcards on Vietnam. A group of photographers and journalists from Hokkaido invited Dao Hoa Nu, representative of Vietnam Association of Women Photograph Artists, to hold photo exhibits in Hokkaido.

In the same year 1993, Miss Okuya Shizue from Hakodate (Hokkaido) volunteered to go to Vietnam and Japa Vietnam held a simple ceremony, seeing her off to Vietnam. She remained in Hanoi till 1999, teaching the Japanese language and became one of our best links in Vietnam.

From the end of July 1999, many regions in Vietnam were badly hit by strong rains and fearful floods. Binh Thuan, a region very familiar to us, was heavily affected and as a result of an emergency move we were able to send to Vietnam over 1,800,000 Yen. Too short a sum for so much destruction!