I know of some Japanese churches from the Toyko area that made more than 1000 of those “rice balls” and delivered them up north, along with water and other food, in trucks the church members had rented themselves. I believe they’ve done at least two such supply runs since 3/17; haven’t read an update today.
Every group is pitching in, even the various yakuza, they are just not making that big of a fuss about it.
The problem is not a lack of aid, there’s transportation bottlenecks. There are only so many undamaged roads and helicopters available. Once more are open, more aid will get through, more volunteers will be accepted, and the cleanup will commence in earnest.
Japan disaster relief now getting through to most survivorsTwo vital things have improved for more than 250,000 evacuees still living in makeshift shelters a week after the Japan earthquake: supplies are getting through, and the weather has warmed up for now.
...The resilient character of the Japanese people has been on international display for the past week as this nation struggles to regroup from the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that erased communities and gave a blow to the economy. For many evacuees, there is now nowhere to go, and Prime Minister Naoto Kan has warned that "life in the emergency refuge centers will continue for some time yet."