After the tsunami had washed away most patient’s prescriptions, pharmacists in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, received special permission to distribute the stocks left at pharmacies, especially drugs for evacuees with chronic diseases. Confusion was avoided through the cooperation of various pharmacies. They also helped sort out the chaos at evacuation centers in Otsuchi by gathering prescriptions every day and delivering the drugs the following day. This reduced the waiting time for treatment and medicine preparation, and also facilitated inventory control. The program reviews the vital support role of pharmacists at the time of a major disaster.