Japan’s community-level training and investment in disaster preparedness have made it one of the world’s most resilient societies, yet both Tokyo and Washington when it stepped in to help were somewhat overmastered by the “triple disaster” of an earthquake, tsunami, and damaged nuclear power plant. Lessons learned highlight the difficulty and time sensitivity of complex emergencies as well as added layers of challenge when outside parties assist. Every disaster will have its own challenges, so collaborative planning and training as well as adaptability are essential. The experience in Japan can help embassies and governments discern their future needs. It also shows the need for agencies to understand each other’s capabilities at both the domestic and international levels