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Trainee: Shoko (woman/ age 38 at the time/ limited use of upper body due to dysfunction)
Staff: Ms. Kumai (participated in the interview to assist Shoko)
What were you making?
Shoko: I was making a vest for myself. I had just finished it.
Were you injured?
Shoko: No.
Kumai: Shoko was by the stairs at the time of the earthquake. She had just come out of a certain room in our building and gone by the stairs to reach the bathroom on the other side.
Shoko: I was washing my hands. I went out into the hall with soap still on my hands.
Kumai: I had the people who were in the rooms hide under desks. After the earthquake was over, I noticed Shoko wasn’t there. Then when I opened the door, I found her by the stairs with another woman (an employee of the building). I saw that and shuddered. It was thanks to this other woman with her that Shoko didn’t fall down the stairs.