No. 34, Aug. 2011CPIJ Newsletter
The Great East Japan Earthquake

The City Planning Institute of Japan

INITIATIVES BY THE CITY PLANNING INSTITUTE
OF JAPAN IN RESPONSE TO THE GREAT EAST
JAPAN EARTHQUAKE DISASTER
Takayuki Kishii
President of the City Planning Institute of Japan
Professor, Civil Engineering Department
College of Science and Technology, Nihon University

to gain a comprehensive understanding ofheads of the seven construction-related

the scale of the damage. Reports on thisacademic societies have made joint

On March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake

series of activities have been presented inappeals and recommendations to theof magnitude 9.0 struck at 2:46 p.m.,an emergency briefing held on May 27.

Japanese government and provided

Introduction

triggering massive tsunami waves that

A month after the catastrophe hit,

information to the general public throughdevastated eastern Japan. The death toll

the Japanese government set up anorganizations such as the construction-

has surpassed 10,500, with close to 9,000

advisory panel under the name ofaffiliated groups’ coordinating committee

still unaccounted for. We would like to

the Reconstruc tion Design Council

in response to disaster and the Science

express our condolence and sympathy toin Response to the Great East Japan

Council of Japan.

those who lost their lives, those who fell

Earthquake to discuss and make

The project committee has also held

victim to the disaster and those who still

recommendations on a framework foreight consecutive informal discussions

live in an evacuation shelter.

reconstruction to formulate guidelines

beginning on May 9 with exper ts in

The City Planning Institute of Japanfor the reconstruction of areas devastated

relevant areas who may play critical roles(hereinafter CPIJ) decided immediatelyby the Great East Japan Earthquake.

in formulating reconstruction plans. I

after the disaster to set up a special

The prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi andwould like to take this opportunity tocommittee. A preparatory task force has

Fu k u s h i m a h a v e a l s o u n d e r t a k e n

express my deepest gratitude to those of

been launched subsequently. Meanwhile,rebuilding effor ts. In the meantime,

you who took time off your busy schedule

the CPIJ received 73 suggestions from its
members after a request for proposals
went out. On April 22, the CPIJ board
approved the special committee’s agenda
and organization framework.
In addition, the CPIJ, the Japan Societyof Civil Engineers and the Japanese
Geotechnical Society have jointly
conducted a preliminary field survey fromMarch 27 to April 6. The CPIJ, working in

Activities undertaken by the CPIJ since March 11
March 14 Held an extraordinary session of the board meeting over the web
Approved a go-ahead to set up a special committee on disaster prevention andreconstruction issues
March 22 Held the first preparatory meeting of the special committee on disaster prevention
and reconstruction issues
March 25 Sent out a request for proposals on reconstruction assistanceMarch 29 Held the second preparatory meeting of the special committee on disasterprevention and reconstruction issues
April 1–7 Dispatched the first joint survey team in partnership with the Japan Society of Civil
April 4

Engineers and the Japanese Geotechnical Society
Held the third preparatory meeting of the special committee on disaster prevention

April 15

Held the fourth preparatory meeting of the special committee on disaster prevention andconcert with the Japan Society of Civil
Engineers, has also dispatched anotherand reconstruction issues

team (the second survey team) to theregion from April 29 to May 7 to survey
eastern Japan for infrastructure rebuilding.
Meanwhile, the special committee’s core
members are traversing the ravaged areas

April 22
April 29
–May 2reconstruction issues
A board meeting approved the specifics for the special committee on disaster prevention andreconstruction issues (among other things, organization and committee members)
Field survey

1The Special Committee on Disaster Prevention and Reconstruction Issues

to make your valuable contributions.
Adviser

We received the messages of sympathy
from overseas urban planning groups[Subcommittee 1]

in countries and regions such as Korea,

Steering Committee

Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. On behalf

The Reconstruction Subcommittee

Member:of CPIJ I would like to express to all of

President, Vice President and Managing Director in Charge

countries my deepest gratitude for yourSpcecial Commitee Chair, Vice Chair[Subcommittee 2]
The Disaster Prevention Subcommittee

Subcommittee Chairperson

warm concern and support. We sincerely

Head of Tohoku Branchhope further collaboration.

Standing Committee Delegates[Subcommittee 3]

We will work with a broad spectrum of

The Social System Subcommitteeorganizations to formulate reconstructionplans for the ravaged cities and to help

Social Liaison

with the early implementation of those

Task Force

Researchers andWorking-Level People
Network

Information
Provisionplans. Along with our members, the CPIJ
will continue to do its utmost in providing

Other
Academic
Societies

cooperation and support.

CPIJ Members
Devastated Areas

Japan&
Overseas

Fig 1. Organization Structure for CPIJ Special Committee on Disaster Prevention and Reconstruction

Initiatives Undertakenby the CPIJ

Issuescan be implemented immediately based

information on the national, prefecturalon the past studies and experience.

and municipal governments’ actions in― Build a network of experts to support
reconstruction.

the reconstruction process, and perform
process among Hanshin-Awaji, Chuetsu

meeting over the web on March 14 and― Urge young researchers and students
to participate in damage surveys andgave a go-ahead to set up a special

reconstruction assistance.

assess reconstruction process following

committee on disaster prevention and― Conduct studies and make proposals
on how to make urban designs safer fromthe recent disasterreconstruction issues. Mr. Haruhiko Goto,
the Vice Chairman, immediately took thethe view point of the history of civilization.

provide regional support and public

In response to the Great East Japan
Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the CPIJ
held an extraordinary session of its board

lead to convene preparatory meetings.

a comparative study on reconstructionand eastern Japan regions to analyze and2) A system to coordinate municipalities,
relation collaboration

Four preparatory meetings have been held

(3) Subjects of Discussion

to discuss topics that included the special

Set up three subcommittees:― Establish local bases for reconstruction
assistance in collaboration with relevant

committee’s chairperson and operation.

reconstruction subcommittee, disaster-

entities, the Architectural Institute of

The CPIJ, through the special committee

prevention subcommittee and social

Japan and the Japan Society of Urban andon disaster prevention and reconstruction

system subcommittee. Assign each

Regional Planners, among others

issues, has promptly set up a support

subcommittee specific topics of discussion

system to help the ravaged regions recoverand activities. In addition, in order to make

─ These bases shall be open to anyone
who wishes to participate and must be

and rebuild from the Great East Japanthe activities of these subcommittees

constructed as platforms to attract a wide

Earthquake. Efforts are also underway totransparent, provide information

range of information – such platforms withstudy how to apply the lessons learned on

as needed and document ac tivities

human resources and wisdoms will attract

urban and town designs in preparation forundertaken (archive).

locals with reconstruction-assistancehighly probable and potentially imminent

needs; CPIJ members shall disseminate

seismic activities in the Tokai, Tonankai andsuch information

Nankai regions.
(1) Organizational structure

Action Policies for
the ThreeSubcommittees

─ There are needs for the experts working
on site and the local governments to share
information and for the construction of

The special committee shown in Fig.1 will

[Subcommittee 1]

a platform that functions effectively as acarry out missions for the next three years.

The Reconstruction Subcommittee

place for gathering and discussing new

Propose recommendations and provide

information - jointly construct a base with

(2) Basic policies

assistance for rebuilding municipalities

the Architectural Institute of Japan and― Promptly ascertain the damage and theextent of damage.

1) Build a system to support reconstruction

the Japan Society of Urban and Regionalplans

Planners at Kitakami City, where NPOs

― Propose ideas for reconstruction that

― Gather and accurately analyze

throughout Iwate prefecture have jointly2set up an office under the name of Iwate

characteristics and lessons learned from

[Subcommittee 3]

Coalition Reconstruction Center; andthe Great Hanshin Earthquake and the

The Social System Subcommittee

use this base to strengthen the network

Chuetsu Earthquake.

The subcommittee 3 is tasked with

with Miyagi and Fukushima so as to build

Specifically, the subcommittee isstudying Japan’s social system. In contrast

a Tohoku Town-building Platform toto undertake its first mission from thewith the subcommittee 1 (reconstruction),serve as a center for providing regional

viewpoint of what disaster-preventing

whose missions cover the threeassistance and gathering information

capacity and safety must be incorporated

prefectures in the Tohoku region, and the(personal proposal)

into the reconstruction plans following

subcommittee 2 (disaster prevention),

the Great East Japan Earthquake and towhose missions cover large urban centers,[Subcommittee 2]

solve the challenge of restoring economic

this subcommittee is in charge of an issue

The Disaster Prevention Subcommittee

activities and housing while preventingthat is not related to a certain area orEarthquakes registering an intensity of

the recurrence of similar devastations.

size, but to determine what is required toreorganize Japan’s social system to enable

7 on the Japanese seismic scale have hit

Second, the subcommittee is to carry

Japan times over the last 16 years, causing

out its mission from the viewpoint of

massive devastation. The 1995 Great

how to apply the lessons learned from

The methodology to accomplish

Hanshin Earthquake was characterized

the Great East Japan Earthquake to thethis task can be divided into six subject

as an active fault-line urban epicentral

urban designs for the Tokai, Tonankai andareas: (1) lifeline; (2) medical; (3) logistic;

earthquake, the 2004 Great Chuetsu

Nankai regions that have been designated(4) transportation infrastructure; (5)Earthquake an active fault-line ruralfor reinforcement or promotion of seismic

community; and (6) regional land use.

epicentral earthquake, and the 2011 Great

designs. Protection from tsunami is a

The subcommittee will identify theEast Japan Earthquake an ocean-trenchsafety issue that needs to be addressed tomethodology to reorganize Japan’s social

coastal tsunami disaster.

ensure safety for the eastern Japan region

system based on five approaches: (1)it to deal with large-scale disasters.

The disaster prevention subcommittee

as it tries to recover from the devastation.

determine the targets of evaluation for

is tasked with the following missions:

It is also a very urgent issue that thethe subject area; (2) long-term disaster-first to learn from the damage caused

western Japan region needs to confront.

prevention and disaster-mitigation

by tsunami in the Great East Japan

Third, safety measures for a potential

m e a s u re s fo r t h e s u b j e c t a re a ; ( 3 )Earthquake, to identify urban and regional

epicentral earthquake in Tokyo need toemergency measures in times of disastersafety issues in the field of urban planningbe addressed. Various safety measures

for the subject area, (4) “hard” plans andand to propose approaches to safety inare required. There is a need to study thesystems for the subject areas (2) and (3);urban planning; and second to come up

concept of implementing multi-layeredand (5) “soft” plans and systems for thewith and propose approaches to safety

safety measures for large urban centers

subject areas (2) and (3).

in urban planning based on regional

and take specific actions.

3

PRELIMINARY SURVEY REPORT OF CPIJ
ON AREAS DEVASTATED BY THE GREAT EAST
JAPAN EARTHQUAKE
Takayuki Kishii

Professor, Nihon University

Eiichi Itoigawa

Professor, University of Tsukuba

Eiji Hato

Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo

Preliminary Survey
Team’s Objectives
and Itinerary(2) Survey Itinerary

and Onagawa-cho, Iwate Prefecture:

The survey took place over a seven-day

R ikuzentak ada-shi, O funato -shi,

period from April 1 to 7. A synopsis of theK a m a i s h i - s h i , O t s u c h i - c h o, a n dsurvey team’s activities is as follows.

Rikuchuyamada-cho,)(1) Survey Objectives

April 1:

April 5:After launching the special committee on

Tr a v e l e d f r o m To k y o t o S e n d a i ;Meeting with mayors of Rikuzentakada,disaster prevention and reconstruction

conducted an on-the-ground survey of

Kesennuma and Minamisanriku-cho;issues, the City Planning Institute of Japanthe damaged Ishinomaki urban area;

conducted an on-the-ground survey(CPIJ) along with the Japan Society of Civil

surveyed the cave-in site in Sendai-shi

of the stricken urban areas (Iwate

Engineers and the Japanese Geotechnical

April 2:Prefecture: Rikuzentakada-shi andSociety jointly dispatched a preliminary

Ae r i a l s u r ve y ( f ro m t h e S e n n a n

Kesennuma-shi, and Minamisanriku-

survey team. The survey team included

area to the Southern Sanriku area);shi)

three CPIJ members, who jointly authoredconducted an on-the-ground survey

April 6:this paper.

of the stricken urban areas (Fukushima

Conducted an on-the-ground survey

Although the structural and groundPrefecture: Shinchi-machi, Miyagiof the stricken urban areas (Miyagi

damage caused by the seismic motion

Prefecture: Yamamoto-cho, Watari-cho,Prefecture: Onagawa-cho, Ishinomaki-in the recent earthquake cannot be

Iwanuma-shi, Natori-shi, Ishinomaki-

shi, Higashi Matsushima-shi, Iwate

overlooked, they are overshadowed byshi, Onagawa-cho and Minamisanriku-

Prefecture: Fudai Village, Tanohata

the massive destruction created by thecho)Village, Miyako-shi and the Taro area oftsunami waves that followed. In thisApril 3:

Miyako-shi)

aspect, the Great East Japan Earthquake

Exchanged views with the chief ofApril 7:is different from other powerful quakes,

Tohoku Region Improvement Bureau;

Press conference; traveled from Sendaisuch as the Great Hanshin Earthquake,exchanged views with the Ministry

to Tokyo

Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake and Niigata

of Land, infrastructure, Transport

Chuetsu-Oki Ear thquake, which left

and Tourism survey team, East Japan

only damage caused by seismic motion.

Railway Company and East Nippon

Therefore, in the preliminary survey, we

Expressway Company Limited;

took an overhead view to survey the

conducted an on-the-ground survey

damage done by the tsunami wavesof the stricken urban areas (Miyagi

Tsunami-related damage in the urban

to coastal urban areas from Iwate toPrefecture: Natori-shi, the area aroundareas may be largely classified by their

Fukushima Prefectures. Our objectives

Sendai Airport and the Nanakitagawa

nature into two categories. One is thewere to compare the damage with thosearea)

damage to the plains centered on thefrom the past earthquakes and to identify

April 4:

expansive Sendai Plain south of Sendai-

the characteristics of tsunami-caused

Conducted an on-the-groundshi (the Sennan area). The other is thedamage sustained by urban and village

survey of the stricken urban areas

extensive and devastating destruction toareas.

(Miyagi Prefecture: Ishinomaki-shi

the urban and village areas on relatively

4

Overview of Urban Area
Damagenarrow strips of flat land located along

hillside or the high floor of a reinforced

deeply indented coastlines (ria coast).

concrete building.

Buildings in urban areas located on highFr o m t h e a i r, h o w e v e r, s o m egrounds or hills survived the seismic

homestead woodlands and buildings

motion largely unscathed structurally. The

within such woodlands appeared to haveravages brought by the recent earthquake

escaped unscathed even though theappear to be attributable primarily tosurrounding urban area and rice paddies

tsunami waves that followed.

suffered devastating damage from thetsunami. Photo 1 shows some of these(1) Urban-area Damage in the Sennan Area

homestead woodlands. Nevertheless,

The Sennan area is made up of mostly

on-the-ground surveys found that mostswamps that are used as rice paddies.

of these structures have been rendered

Pockets of homestead woodland that

unusable by debris even though theyremained appeared to have been

suffered little structural damage. Sporadic

developed into residential and otherpockets of urban areas also escaped

uses. Quite a few urban areas appear

heavy damage. Field sur veys of theto have been built on what used to behomestead woodlands and structures

rice paddies. The Yuriage area of Natori-

that survived showed that the elevation

shi in Miyagi Prefecture, the Arahamaof these homestead woodlands is slightly

distric t in Sendai-shi’s Wak bayashi

higher than that of their surrounding

Ward and Shinchi-machi in Soma-gun,areas. While old villages were build with

Fukushima Prefecture also have similar

topographical conditions taken into

plains, where tsunami waves either

consideration, new residential housing

breached or overflowed seawalls/tide-

may have been developed without such

water control forests or river levees. In

a consideration. A quantitative analysis

some urban areas, the tsunami waves

is probably warranted of the correlation

advanced far into the interior of the plain

between the geographical conditions ofand caused extensive damage (Photosuch areas and tsunami-related damage.

1). In coastal urban areas, most wooden

The coastlines of such areas stood out

structures were washed away except

as they tend to have tide-water control

for their foundations. Even some steel-forests of a substantial width. The contrast

frame buildings were left with severely

could not have been greater as areas withbent pillars and beams. Only reinforced

relatively inadequate tide-water control

co n c re te s t r u c t u re s re t a i n e d t h e i rforests suffered devastating damage.

exterior facades. The damage suggests

Parts of urban areas that escaped seriousthat seawalls and other embankments

damage were protected by multiple

failed to sufficiently reduce the heightlayers of defense, including, amongand speed of tsunami waves. Even forother things, seawalls, tide-water control

reinforced concrete structures, whateverforests, reinforced concrete buildings, rice

existed inside these buildings were

paddies and roads on embankment (incleanly washed away, leaving only thesome areas), which may have helped tomain structures. Some of these buildings

blunt the force of tsunami (Photo 5). Suchwere even filled with a massive amount ofa strategy may be adopted by the plainsdebris (Photos 2 and 3). In Onagawa-cho,area to defend against tsunami waves.

even some reinforced concrete buildings

In the Sennan area, tsunami waves

toppled over. Tsunami waves inflictedtraveled several kilometers inland, leaving

heavy damage to seawalls at many

debris up to the East Sendai Toll Road

places and knocked or washed away the(an embanked road), which runs in thetrees in tide-water control forests andnorth-south direction. However, no debris

pine trees off their roots (Photo 4). Most

washed up to the west side of the road,harbors suffered heavy damage to theirsuggesting the embanked road played aport facilities. Survival appeared unlikely

large role in reducing damage.

unless one evacuated to the nearby
5

Photo 1 Aerial view of the coastal green-beltarea near the Abukuma River

Photo 2 Aerial view of the stricken Yuriage areaof Natori City

Photo 3 Devastation in the Yuriage area of
Natori City

Photo 4 Tide-water forests in Yamamoto Town,
Miyagi Prefecture

Photo 5 Urban area on the right bank of the
Nanakitagawa that escaped serious damage

(2) Urban-area damage in Sanriku Area

seen in cities such as Ofunato, Kamaishi

designated for tsunami evacuation were

The Sanriku area is typified by its deeply

and Kuji. The Kuji port was protected bylost to the quake-triggered tsunami

indented ria coastline. Its urban area andthree layers of defense: breakwaters at

waves, and some shelters that protectedvillages commingled with the harbor andthe bay entrance, further breakwaters andthe evacuees from tsunami waves had noport facilities on narrow strips of land. Itseawalls, limiting the extent of Its damage

stockpiles of provisions to support those

has long been a harbor, with costal fisheryto only the harbor area and flooding up

who lost their homes. The capacity toand aquafarming as its major industry.

to National Highway 45. In any case, there

accommodate and care for evacuees after

Tsunami waves that rolled into the inlets

is a strong need for further surveys anda disaster is also one of the issues thatconverged into a small area, exerting an

studies.

need to be addressed.

external force with enhanced destructive

In addition, large-scale fires broke

power that devastated many urban areas

out in the urban areas of cities such as

and villages. The type of destruction,

Kesennuma, Rikuchuyamada-cho andhowever, varied from one urban area

Otsuchi-cho. The main source of thoseto another. In areas such as Shizunai infires likely was the petroleum that leaked

Minamisanriku-cho, Rikuzentakada-shi,from the storage tanks in the port area

Otsuchi-cho and Rikuchuyamada-cho,that were washed away and became

the urban area’s framework, outline anddamaged when crushed by debris. The

functions were almost completely wiped

petroleum mixed with debris caught onout. In other areas such as Kesennuma-shi,

fire when it came in contact with some

Ofunato-shi, Kamaishi-shi and Miyako-

sort of fire source, creating widespreadshi, the harbor and its surrounding

fires in the urban areas. Some buildings

neighborhood were heavily damaged,

survived structurally intact but showed

but the framework of the central urban

signs of fire even though there wasarea survived. Topographically, someno evidence of fire in the surrounding

urban areas are located on a steep slope

neighborhood. This suggests that firewith no available flatland, and some areprevention in tsunami shelters is an

on a slightly gentler slope with potentially

issue that warrants study. The Sanriku

available flatland.

region, which has been hit by quite a few

Particularly, in towns where tsunami

tsunamis in the past, was well prepared forwaves destroyed the entire urban area,tsunamis before the disaster hit. Shelters

all wooden structures, except theirwere set up for potential tsunamis.

foundations, were washed away, andGovernment offices, schools, hospitals

everything, except reinforced concrete

and welfare facilities, among other publicbuildings and little debris, was gone fromand utility buildings, were deliberately

the port area. The devastation in thesebuilt on high grounds. Such buildings

areas, compared with that sustained byprovided shelters for evacuees. Such

the Sennan area, indicates a far more

efforts in preparing for potential disasters

destructive tsunami surge (Photos 6 andactually worked in this disaster despite

7). On the other hand, tsunami left athe massive destruction. Nevertheless,massive amount of debris in urban areas

some interviews have revealed that

where the harbor and the surrounding

evacuees in some older urban areas hadneighborhood (mostly residential houses

difficulty reaching the shelters on theand seafood processing plants) wereneighboring hillside areas because ofheavily damaged but the central urban

traffic congestion and other issues onarea’s framework survived (Photos 8

streets that have not been adequately

and 9). The differences in the level ofmaintained for the purpose of evacuation.

destruction by tsunami waves suggest

Each local area, thus, needs to determinethat the destructive force of tsunami

where to set up its tsunami shelters andmay be mitigated by factors such as thestreet networks that lead to these shelters

direction of tsunami, the existence of an

according to the urban area’s topographyisland or peninsula in front of the harbor- which dictates where tsunami waves will

entrance, the topography of an urban

inflict damage - and how the residents’area and the presence of breakwaters, as

will evacuate. In addition, some shelters
6

Photo 6 Aerial view of the Shizunai district ofMinamisanriku-cho

Photo 7 Devastation in the Shizunai district ofMinamisanriku Twon

Photo 8 Aerial view of the ravaged areas in
Kesennuma City

Photo 9 Devastation in Kesennuma City

Summary: Characteristics
of Damage

The city of Ishinomak i in Miyagi

number of missing, another characteristic

Prefecture posted the highest numberof this disaster, is hampering efforts toof dead and missing. The tsunami waves

remove the debris left by the disaster.

Tsunami waves were the chief cause ofdestroyed much of Ishinomak i-shi,

The Senan area, on the other hand,damage in this disaster. The damage wasincluding its harbor-area manufacturing

suffered no serious damage to its urbanvery widespread, covering prefectures

facilities, its hinterland residential

center, which is located relatively inland.

from Aomori to Chiba. Mid- and small-sizearea and its central shipping district.

However, its coastal plains, which consist

cities along the Pacific coast sustained

The ratio of the number of victims toof mostly farmlands and some residential

catastrophic damage (75% of the tsunami-

the pre-disaster population was the

housing, were heavily damaged.

ravaged cities in the Tohoku region had ahighest in Rikuzentakada-shi, Otsuchi-

Given the varied situation across the

population of no more than 50,000, withcho and Onagawa-cho, among otherravaged urban areas, reconstruction

most of them having a population size

municipalities. Tsunami waves reachedplans must be drawn up individuallyof between 10,000 and 30,000). Anotheran estimated 15 meters or higher in somefor each area based on the damage

characteristic is the very large number ofareas. A large number of people remainsustained, natural conditions, industrial

cities that sustained damage.

unaccounted for at present. The large

infrastructures and communities.

THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE:FEATURES OF THE DAMAGE AND
RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS
Hitoshi Nakamura
Project Researcher, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

Kimihiro Hino
Senior Research Engineer, Building Research Institutethe fault is estimated to be about 450 km

damage along the coast of the Pacificin length and about 200 km in width, andOcean, especially in the area from the(1) Summary

the slip on the fault is estimated to haveTohoku District to the Kanto District.

At around 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011,

been up to about 20 to 30 m.

In addition, the Fukushima Daiichi

Features of the Damage

the Great East Japan Earthquake occurredBecause of the earthquake, strong

Nuclear Power Plant lost the coolingoff the coast of the Sanriku area (38.1

shaking was observed in a wide area.

functions of its nuclear reactors, causing

degrees north latitude, 142.9 degrees east

For example, a strength of 7 on thea serious accident involving spills of large

longitude, about 130 km east-southeast ofJapanese seismic scale was registeredquantities of radioactive materials.

the Oshika Peninsula), with an epicenterin Kurihara City in Miyagi Prefecture,

Fo r t h e d i s a s te r s c a u s e d by t h edepth of about 24 km. The scale of theand a strength of over 6 was registeredearthquake, including the nuclear power

earthquake was as huge as a momentin M iyagi, Fukushima, I barak i, andplant accident, the government made amagnitude of MW 9.0, as estimated by the

Tochigi prefectures. A high tsunami was

Cabinet decision on April 1, 2011, to call it

Japan Meteorological Agency. The size ofalso observed, and it caused extensive

the Great East Japan Earthquake.

7

for the missing is not progressing in areas

people). In addition to these threearea of 561 km , about nine times larger

around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear

prefectures, Saitama, Niigata, and Gunma

than the land inside Tokyo’s Yamanote

Plant, the percentage of people missing isprefectures accepted many evacuees.

loop rail line, was flooded due to thevery high in some municipalities, such as

In these prefectures, there are many

Namie Town.

people who evacuated from Fukushima

In the Great East Japan Earthquake, an
2

1)

tsunami caused by the earthquake . In

Prefecture because of the nuclear plant

many municipalities in Miyagi Prefecture,

The National Police Agency announced

including Iwanuma City, more than 50

a breakdown of the victims found inpercent of the inhabitable land area

Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures

The government’s actions in response

was flooded. I n municipalities likeas of April 19. By age, victims older

to the nuclear accident, such as

Minamisanriku Town, the population

than age 60 account for 65 percent

evacuation instructions, is as follows 6):

in the flooded area accounted for over(excluding people of unknown age),In accordance with the provisions of the

80 percent of the total population (fig.

and the percentage of elderly victims

Nuclear Disaster Special Measures Act,

1). In coastal and plains areas on theis high compared with the proportion

the government issued an evacuation

Sendai Plain, the area below sea levelof elderly people in the population of

instruction to residents within a radius

was expanded from 3 km before thecoastal municipalities. For the causeo f 3 k m o f t h e Fu k u s h i m a D a i i c h i

2

2

2)

accident.

of death, drowning accounted for 92

Nuclear Power Plant and a “stay indoors”

On M arch 23 the Cabinet O ffice

percent, suggesting that many elderly

instruction to residents within a radius ofestimated that the resources directlypeople failed to escape the tsunami and

3 to 10 km. On the night of March 12, thed a m a g e d by t h e G re a t E a s t J a p a nfell victim to it. This figure is as high as

government extended the range of the

Earthquake, including social capital,

96 percent in Miyagi Prefecture. Victims

evacuation instruction to the area withinhousing, and private sector facilities,

who were crushed or suffocated, whicha radius of 20 km of the plant in response

amounts to 16 trillion to 25 trillion yen,accounted for more than 80 percent ofto the explosion in Unit 1. In addition, in

significantly greater than the 10 trillion

the victims of the Great Hanshin-Awaji

response to the explosion in Unit 3 on

yen in damages in the Great Hanshin-

Earthquake, accounted for 4 percent.

March 14, the government issued a “stayearthquake to 16 km afterward .

3)

Awaji Earthquake .
(2) Casualties and Evacuation

The number of evacuees reported asindoors” instruction to residents within aof May 11 is 115,098, from 18 prefectures,

radius of 20 to 30 km of the plant on thewhich is slightly decreasing after its

morning of March 15.

5)

Pe o p l e k i l l e d d i r e c t l y d u e t o t h epeak . However, regarding the number of

On April 21, the government specified

earthquake have been confirmed in 13

evacuees in places other than evacuation

the area within a radius of 20 km of the4)

prefectures from Hokkaido to Kanagawa .

shelters (living in their homes or friends’

plant as a “caution zone” in accordance

As of May 11, two months after thehomes), the government has little

with the Disaster Countermeasures Basicearthquake, the number of deaths stoodinformation. In addition, the number

Act and declared it a restricted area. In

at 14,807, of which 2,170 people haveof evacuees and the locations where

addition, on April 22, the government

yet to be identified, and the number ofthey will evacuate to are expected to

specified areas with high cumulative

individuals missing is 9,969 (Table 1). Inchange due to the second evacuation.

radiation doses that are farther thanparticular, damage in Miyagi, Iwate, andBy prefecture, evacuees to Iwate, Miyagi,

the 20-km-radius zone as a “planned

Fukushima prefectures was extremely

and Fukushima prefectures account forevacuation zone” and urged residents inheavy. Because the activity of searching

about 80 percent of all evacuees (94,199

this area to evacuate to another location
within about one month. At the same

Table 1. Numbers of casualties, housing damage, and evacuees by prefecture4), 5)

Prefecture

casualties

Housing damage(number of people)(number of units)
Complete
Partial
Minor

Dead
Iwate
Miyagi
Fukushima
Ibaraki
Chiba
Other

4,404
8,837
1,501
23
19
23

time, for areas other than the planned
evacuation zone within a radius of 20
Evacuees

Missing
3,269
5,963
733
1
2
1

Destruction Destruction Damage
17,1002,569
1,260
56,71812,28514,012
7,275
5,615
42,424
1,441
6,897
107,274
691
2,283
19,962569
2,777
79,1968

to 30 km, the “stay indoors” instruction
was lifted, and this area was specified

36,49433,207
24,498330
1,119
19,450t h e “e m e rg e n c y e v a c u a t i o n – re a d yzone” instead. Residents in this area are
required to prepare to shelter indoors
or to evacuate on their own in case of
emergency.

(3) Housing Damage, Liquefaction and
0

10

25

50km

Fire
Housing damage: For housing damage

A: Hirono Town B: 17,910 / C: ■that was confirmed as of May 11, there

D: 0 / E: 0 / F: 26 / G: 15% / H: 2% / I: 0%

were 83,794 houses completely destroyed,
Kuji City

36,875 / ●・△2 / 2 / 55 / 19% / 5% / 5%

32,426 houses par tially destroyed,and 264,128 houses damaged. Many

Noda Village
4,632 / ●・△
38 / 0 / 304 /
69% / 18% / 100%

Iwaizumi Town
10,804 / ●・△
7 / 0 / 177/ 11% / 1% / 0%

Fudai Village

Miyako City

municipalities, such as Otsuchi Town,
Natori City, and Iwanuma City, however,

59,442 / ●・△411 / 490 / 3,669 / 31% / 9% / 46%

3,088 / ■0/1/0/
36% / 10% / 0%

have yet to complete their investigations
and cannot announce precise numbers.

Yamada Town

18,625 / ●・△560 / 378 / 2,638 / 61% / 19% / 83%

Tanohata Village
3,843 / ■14 / 22 / 209 /
41% / 5% / 0%

There are also many municipalities that

Otsuchi Town

cannot conduct detailed investigations

15,277 / ●・△759 / 952 / Unknown / 78% / 17% / 100%

because they are included in the caution
Kamaishi City

39,578 / ●・△822 / 533 / 3,188 / 33% / 13% / 33%

Iwate
Prefecturezone around the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Plant, such as Futaba

Ofunato City
40,738 / ●・△
310 / 153 / 3,629 / 47% / 14% / 50%

Town, Okuma Town, and Naraha Town.

Rikuzentakada City
23,302 / ●・△
1,465 / 738 / 3,159 / 71% / 29% / 73%

While damage from the tsunami issignificantly large, structural damage due

Kesennuma City

73,494 / ●・△918 / 615 / 8,383 / 55% / 19% / 64%

to shaking and the complete and partial

Minamisanriku City 17,431 / ●・△

destruction of houses due to fire are509 / 664 / 3,877 / 83% / 27% / 100%

Onagawa Town

relatively low. Damage to nonresidential

Ishinomaki City

10,051 / ○466 / 690 / 3,021
80% / 30% / 50%

160,704 / ●・△2,964 / 2,770 / 28,000 / 70% / 30% / 73%

buildings is also great. In Otsuchi andMatsushima Town

Higashimatsushima City
42,908 / ○1,029 / 740 / 4,743
79% / 53% / 81%

15,089 / ○2 / 2 / 94 / 27% / 8% / 60%

M inamisanriku towns, all hospitals

Rifu Town

and clinics were in the flooded area. In

Shiogama City

response to such great tsunami damage,

34,000 / ○1 / 3 / 12 / 2% / 3% / 0%56,490 / ○21 / 1 / 358 / 33% / 40% / 61%

MiyagiPrefecture

the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,

Shichigahama City

20,419 / ○65 / 11 / Unknown/ 45% / 45% / 17%

Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) decided toreview building standards in the tsunami

Tagajo City

62,979 / ○184 / 4 / 350 / 27% / 32% / 39%

Sendai City

1,045,903 / ○680 / 180 / 3,190 / 5% / 0% / 0%[Legend]Natori City

73,140 / ○896 / 156 / Unknown / 17% / 38% / 11%*see Hirono-cho at the top of map for location of A-I
A: Name of municipality

Iwanuma City
44,198/ ○178 / 8 / Unknown / 18% / 62% / 7%

B: Total population (person)7)

Watari Town
34,846 / ●・△
250 / 23 / 2,051 / 40% / 57% / 13%△ Use district/ ▲ Non use district

Yamamoto Town
16,711 / ●・▲661 / 88 / 2,024 / 54% / 56% / 25%

Fukushima
Prefecture
30km○ Area division/ ● Non area division■ Outside of city planning area

Shinchi Town

C: City planning area status8)

Soma City

D: Number of fatalities (person)4)

8,218 / ●・△92 / 23 / 501 / 57% / 38% / 50%

20km

37,796 / ●・△414 / 55 / 4 / 28% / 32% / 0%

Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Minamisoma City 70,895 / ●・△Power Plant
534 / 404 / 4603 / 19% / 21% / 0%

Futaba Town

6,932 / ●・△
24 / 11 / 58 / 18% / 14% / 0%

Namie Town
20,908 / ●・△47 / 139 / 0
16% / 10% / 0%

Naraha Town
7,701 / ●・▲11 / 2 / 50
23% / 12% / 0%

E: Number of missing (person)4)
F: Number of houses totally destroyed4)
G: Population living in flooded area9) as percentage of
total population

Okuma Town

11,511 / ●・△37 / 7 / 30 / 10% / 7% / 0%

H: Flooded area10) as percentage of habitable area1)

Tomioka Town

I: Percentage of medical facilities in flooded area11)

15,996 / ●・△3 / 8 / 0 / 9% / 4% / 0%

Hirono Town

5,418 / ●・△2 / 1 / 98 / 26% / 13% / 0%

Iwaki City
342,198 / ○301 / 82 / Unknown / 10% / 4% / 5%

* Created by Hino using a map of flooding (as of April 18)
provided by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japanand with the cooperation of Mr. Norimitsu Ishii of the
Building Research Institute.

Figure 1 Tsunami-caused Flooding in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures (black shaded area)9risk zone through the Building Standards

on April 7 and April 11, were closed to
14)

Railway’s North Riasu Line, and Sanriku

Maintenance Promotion Program. In

traffic . To access the Sanriku coastal

Railway’s entire South Riasu Line.

addition, the Natural Disaster Victims

area, seriously damaged by the tsunami,

Aviation: Sendai Airport was severely

Relief Act was applied to the whole area

the government carried out Operation

damaged by the tsunami; the roof ofof seven prefectures—Aomori, Iwate,

Comb. First, (1) the vertical axis lines ofHanamaki Airport’s terminal building

Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, andthe Tohoku Expressway and Route 4 werecollapsed, but operations resumed on

Chiba—as well as some parts of Nagano

secured as emergency transportation

March 16; and Ibaraki Airport’s operations

and Niigata prefectures.

routes; and then (2) the horizontal lines

resumed on March 14. Regular flights

Liquefaction: There was damage tofrom the Tohoku Expressway and Route 4

were stopped for all three airports. At

residential land due to liquefaction into coastal areas were secured (11 routes

Sendai Airport, interim use of the runaway

Kitakami City in Iwate Prefecture, Tone

were secured on March 12, and 15 routes

for rescue planes became possible on

and Itako towns in Ibaraki Prefecture,on March 15). In parallel with the above

March 16 as a result of recovery efforts.

Kuki City in Saitama Prefecture, and 10

operations, (3) an effort to open RouteCommercial flights resumed on April

cities and six towns in Chiba Prefecture.

45 along the Pacific Ocean was made.

13. The government decided to operate

On May 2 the Cabinet Office revised

Because 97 percent of the route was open

Hanamaki Airport, Yamagata Airport, andthe criteria for damage certification

to traffic on March 18, the government

Fukushima Airport on a 24-hour basis for

related to soil damage so that grantscompleted Operation Comb and moved

relief efforts in the affected area.

are paid based on the Natural Disasteron to the emergency restoration step.

Victims Relief Act, and municipalities

Such quick restoration of routes was(5) Electricity, Gas, and Water Supplies

were notified of this decision . Because

attributable to antiseismic reinforcement

Electricity 16) : Immediately after thethere are still many households that domeasures after the Great Hanshin-Awaji

e a r t h q u a k e o c c u r re d, t h e re w a s a

not qualify to receive support even with

Earthquake as well as the cooperation of

blackout in 4.86 million households,

this revision, the Government of Chiba

local construction businesses based on

including all areas of Iwate, Akita, and12)

Prefecture, where 12,000 households in15)

the disaster agreement .

Miyagi prefectures, almost all areas

16 cities and towns sustained residential

For other routes, the Sanriku

of Aomori and Yamagata prefectures,

land damage, decided to incorporate its

Longitudinal Expressway, a route thatand part of Nakadori and Hamadori inown support fund into its supplementarydetours the areas flooded by the tsunami,

Fukushima Prefecture, within the Tohoku

budget and to subsidize up to 1 million

was mostly undamaged and played an

Electric Power Company’s service area.

yen for households that require housing

important role as a detour or emergency

In the Tokyo Electric Power Company

demolition and soil remediation .

transportation road. On the other hand,(TEPCO) service area, there was a blackout

Fire: The number of incidences of fire due

the Hokuriku Expressway, K anetsu

in a total of 4.05 million households,

to the earthquake is 344 nationwide as

Expressway, and directly controlled

including all areas of Ibaraki Prefectureof May 11 . By prefecture, the 194 fires

national roads on the Japan Sea side ofand part of the Kanto District. After that,in Miyagi are by far the largest number,the region played an important role asin TEPCO’s service area, electricity wasfollowed by 37 fires in Ibaraki, 34 in Tokyo,

detour routes.

restored in all regions by March 19. In theand 26 in Iwate. It is noteworthy that

Railways: Many railways, including thoseTohoku Electric Power Company’s service

the tsunami caused many fires in coastalin the Tokyo metropolitan area, werearea, the number of households without

areas, and the number of incidences

affected. Even on April 11, one monthelectricity was reduced to 160,000 byof fire in Tokyo is relatively large, evenafter the primary earthquake, all or part

April 6. However, immediately after thethough Tokyo is located far from theof 22 rail lines run by seven operators,

aftershock on April 7, there was a blackout

epicenter.

including the Tohoku Shinkansen line,

again in about 3.92 million households,

were out of ser vice (excluding theincluding all areas of Aomori, Iwate, and(4) Transportation

stoppage due to the earthquake on

Akita prefectures and parts of Miyagi,

Roads: Fifteen expressways, 69 sections

April 7). Although the entire Tohoku

Yamagata, and Fukushima prefectures.

of directly controlled national roads,

Shinkansen line was reopened on April

As of May 6, the number of households

102 sections of auxiliary national roads,

29, there was no prospect for resumption

without elec tricit y was reduced toand 536 sections of prefectural roads,of service as of May 10 for parts of seven

6,000, and almost all electricity has been

including damage due to aftershocks

lines run by JR East, part of Sanriku

restored.

13)

3)

10

Because of power shortages due tosuspension of the water supply was

Regional Development Bureau, including

the shutdown of many power plants,

confirmed in least 1.8 million households,

13 dikes in the Kitakami River Systemscheduled rolling blackouts star ted

excluding those where ser vice wasand nine in the Naruse River System.

on March 14. For scheduled blackouts,

restored. Up to 355 water trucks were

There was no destruction of dikes in the

TEPCO’s service area was divided into

dispatched from 456 water-supply

area of the Kanto Regional Developments e ve r a l gro u p s, a n d t h e s u p p l y o f

corporations nationwide to provide

Bureau. In addition, damage byelectricity to these groups was stopped

emergency water supplies. At the end

liquefaction occurred in 35 locations:for a certain period of time by rotation.

of March it was found that tap water

22 in the Tone River System and 12 in

On April 8 and afterward, TEPCO stopped

in some metropolitan areas, including

the Ara River System. For rivers underscheduled blackouts in principle because

Tokyo, contained radioactive iodine withprefectural control, dikes were washedthe balance of demand and supply had

a concentration exceeding the provisionalout or destroyed in 24 locations in Miyagi

improved, and immediate shortages ofcriteria for drinking water for babies. As

Prefecture and one location in Aomori

electricity are expected to be avoidable.

a result, the demand for bottled water

Prefecture.

increased significantly, resulting in a

Coasts: Of the sea dikes extending over a

17)

Communication : Immediately after the20)

earthquake, about 1 million landlines ofshortage of bottled water .

distance of about 300 km in Iwate, Miyagi,

NTT’s telephone service and about 14,800

19)

Sewerage : Immediately after theand Fukushima prefectures, a section

stations of four cellular telephone servicee a r t h q u a k e, 4 8 s e w a g e t re a t m e n tof about 190 km was totally or partially

carriers were down at the peak. By theplants in the coastal areas of the Tohoku

destroyed. A wide area in the Pacificend of April, the NTT landline telephone

District and the Kanto District stopped

Ocean coastal area was flooded. The

switching station and the mobile-phone

operations due to damage to mechanicalvolume of flooding reached 112 million

calling area were restored, except for aand electric facilities, mainly caused by

m3 on March 13. After that, the volume of

few areas. As of May 19 the numbers of

the tsunami. As of May 10, there were 19

flooding was reduced to about 9 million

nonfunctioning landlines and cellularsewage treatment plants in Iwate, Miyagi,

m3 (8 percent of the March 13 volume)base stations was reduced to 12,000

Fukushima, and Ibaraki prefectures thaton April 14 due to emergency drainage

landlines and 481 base stations.

remained offline. Among them, sewage

measures22). The areas in which sea dikes

17)

Broadcasting : Immediately after the

inflow was found at 10 plants, which are

were seriously damaged are included inearthquake, up to 120 television relay

implementing simplified treatment as

these flooded areas.

stations and up to four radio relay stations

an emergency measure by establishing

Erosion control: 12 debris flows (three

stopped broadcasting.

temporary settling basins and disinfecting

locations each in Nagano and Niigata

Gas: Although about 500,000

the supernatant. Sections of sewer pipes

prefectures), 27 landslides (12 locations

households suffered shutdowns of

totaling 946 km were damaged among

in Niigata and six in Fukushima), 72 cliff

natural gas service immediately after thethe 66,013 km of sewer pipes in 135

failures (22 locations in Ibaraki and 18 inearthquake, the number was reduced

municipalities, based on primary visual

Fukushima), and two village avalanches

to 180,000, including households where

sur veys. For the damaged por tions,(in Niigata Prefecture) occurred withthe destruction of houses has been

emergency action has been taken bya total of 19 deaths and the complete

confirmed, as of April 10, one month after

installing temporary pipes and pumps.

destruction of 24 houses.

20)

the earthquake. By May 3, the supply of

Rural community sewerage : In 11

natural gas was restored in about 420,000

prefectures—Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi,(7) Agriculture and Forestry20), 23)

households, excluding the area where

Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima, Ibaraki,

Agriculture: About 2.4 million ha ofhouses were washed away . The number

Chiba, Tochigi, Niigata, and Nagano—689

farmlands were flooded in Iwate, Miyagi,of households for which the supply ofrural community sewerage systems wereand Fukushima prefectures, and some

propane gas remains suspended is aboutdamaged, and the damage amounted toareas were damaged by seawater. There

1.66 million in three prefectures in the28.5 billion yen as of March 30.

were 2,062 farms and 10,546 agricultural

18)

17)

facilities damaged in 16 prefectures

Tohoku District as of March 11 .
17)

Water supply : Suspension of the water

21)(6) Rivers, Coasts and Erosion Control

ranging from Aomori to Mie, and the

supply by water-supply corporations

Rivers: On rivers under national authority,

damage amounted to 375.5 billion yen for

occurred in 19 prefectures. Immediately

dikes were washed out or destroyed infarms and 305.1 billion yen for agricultural

after the ear thquake, on March 16,

25 locations in the area of the Tohoku

facilities as of May 11. Damage to crops

11extended over 13 prefectures, amounting

Chiba) that account for 50 percent ofBecause full details of the damage into 11.7 billion yen for crops and livestock

Japan’s fishery yield and one-third of its

Fukushima Prefecture are not yet known,

and 37.8 billion yen for agricultural andfishermen. Damage in Iwate, Miyagi, andthe number of damaged processing

livestock-related facilities as of May 11.

Fukushima prefectures was particularly

plants is expected to increase significantly.

Forestry and timber industry: The major

catastrophic, affecting the stable supply

Effects of the nuclear accident: In

disaster-affected prefectures are Miyagi,of seafood.

Fukushima Prefecture, the Fukushima

Ibaraki, Iwate, Fukushima, and Nagano

Fishing boats: Damage was confirmed

Fi s h e r i e s Co o p e r a t i ve s vo l u n t a r i l yprefectures. Known damage as of May

in 19 prefectures, from Hokkaido torefrained from operation. In addition,

11 amounts to 105.8 billion yen. The

Kagoshima. As of May 11, the number of

the Government of Ibaraki Prefecture

breakdown of the amount of damage isdamaged fishing boats stood at 20,718,

requested the Ibarak i Fisheries

31.4 billion yen for forest devastation (412with the damage amounting to 138.4

Cooperatives to refrain from operation inlocations), 19.3 billion yen for forestry

billion yen. Damage in Iwate and Miyagi

response to the detection of radioactive

conservation facilities (152 locations), 2.3

prefectures was particularly devastating.

material exceeding the provisionalbillion yen for forest roads and facilities

Fishing ports: Damage was confirmed inregulation value from sand eels in the(1,577 locations), 0.8 billion yen forseven prefectures, ranging from Hokkaido

northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture as

forest damage (845 ha), 50.6 billion yen

to Chiba. The number of damaged portsof April 11. Like crops, seafood has also

for wood-processing and distribution

as of May 11 is 319, with the damage

sustained financial damage from harmful

facilities (71 locations), and 1.3 billion

amounting to 411.9 billion yen. The

rumors and misinformation.

yen for special forest products facilities

damage is particularly serious in Iwate,(396 locations). Among wood-processing

Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures, and(9) Mining and Manufacturing20)

plants, plywood plants in Iwate andalmost all areas in these prefectures

Automotives: Automotive par ts

Miyagi prefectures, which account forsustained devastating damage.

manufacturers in the Tohoku District

about 30 percent of domestic plywood

Aquaculture facilities: Damage wassuffered quake damage. As a result,production, were damaged.

confirmed in 15 prefectures ranging fromautomobile production shrunk or was

Effects of the nuclear accident: Because

Hokkaido to Okinawa. The damage as of

stopped on the national scale, andof the nuclear accident, radioactive

May 11 amounts to 46.4 billion yen forautomobile production at overseas plants

material exceeding the provisional

aquaculture facilities and 54.4 billion yen

was also affected. As of April 11, there

regulation values was detected in somefor cultured fish.

is a trend of restarting manufacture ofcrops. Restriction of distribution and/orMarkets and freight handling areas:

manufacturable vehicle models while

consumption has been implemented forDamage was confirmed in sevenadjusting the pace of operations.

spinach and kakina (a leafy vegetable)

prefectures ranging from Hokkaido toElectricity: Many semiconductor andgrown in some municipalities of

Chiba. As of May 11, almost all of theelectronic component manufactures

Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Chiba

105 markets were damaged, 25 markets

stopped production. In some plants forprefectures as of April 11. For crops

were severely damaged or completely

microcomputers, silicon wafers, andgrown near the nuclear plant, there

destroyed, and 11 markets were partiallylithium ion batteries with a large global

are cases where shipping is restricted

destroyed or had buildings that weremarket share, there is a delay in thein the wholesale stage, or consumers

washed out. Damage in Iwate, Miyagi, andresumption of manufacturing (as of April

refrain from buying the products due

Fukushima prefectures was particularly

11).

to harmful rumors or misinformation,

devastating.

Nonferrous metals: Although about 25

even if restrictions on their distribution

Seafood processing facilities: Because

percent of the production capacity of wireor consumption have not been

many seafood processing facilities are

was stopped due to the impact of theimplemented.

operated by small or medium-scale

earthquake, almost all plants will restartcompanies, it is difficult to ascertain the

production in April or May (as of April 11).

(8) Fisheries

features of the damage. As of May 11,

Chemicals: After the earthquake, three

The earthquake inflicted heavyof the total 2,108 processing plants, it ischemical plants in the affected area

damage on a wide area, including

reported that 394 plants were completely

stopped production. However, two of theseven prefectures (Hokkaido, Aomori,destroyed, 101 plants were partiallythree have resumed production as of April

Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, anddestroyed, and 114 plants were flooded.

4.

20), 23)

12

Cement: The tsunami inflicted serious

Parcel delivery service: All services wereconstruction of natural energy–powereddamage on the largest cement plant in

stopped in all areas for about one weekregions. In the final meeting on June 25,

the Tohoku District, located in the coastal

after the earthquake in three prefectures

they announced a recommendation titledarea of Ofunato City in Iwate Prefecture.

in the Tohoku District.

“Toward Reconstruction—Hope Beyond

Paper: The tsunami inflicted devastating

Postal service: At 583 post offices,

the Disaster,” consisting of four chapters:

damage on major paper mills in

accounting for about 53 percent of the(I) “A New Concept for Rebuilding the

Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture and1,103 post offices in three prefectures

Region,” (II) “Restore Life and Livelihood,”Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture.

in the Tohoku District, operations were(III) “A Word Toward Reconstruction after

Shipbuilding: The tsunami inflicted

stopped as of March 14, shortly after

the Nuclear Accident,” and (IV ) “Opendevastating damage to almost all

the earthquake. In 44 areas, accounting

Reconstruction.”

shipbuilding plants in Aomori, Iwate,

for about 15 percent of the 301 postal

Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.

areas in three prefectures in the Tohoku(2) Housing

Food: The supply of food-packaging

District, delivery service could not be

On March 28, the Headquar ters formaterials has not caught up with demand

provided as of March 14, shortly after theDisaster Victims Livelihood Support

due to damage to manufacturers; this has

earthquake. As of May 19, the post offices

established the Review Meeting on

had an impact on the food industry insuspending operations were reduced toPromotion of Housing for Disaster Victims

general for products such as natto, milk,

94, and pickup and delivery operations

to sort out and consider various issues

dairy products, and beverages.

had started in all regions except the six

concerning quickly offering emergency

areas in the caution zone around thetemporary housing as well as the mid-

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

and long-term supply of housing.

Finance: Of the total 2,700 operating

Utilization of public housing: On Marchlogistics distribution centers:

branches of the 72 financial institutions

22, the Public Housing Information Center

89 wholesale markets were affected.

that have head offices in six prefectures infor Disaster Victims was establishedIn addition, gasoline stockpiles

the Tohoku District or Ibaraki Prefecture,so that information on public housing

we re re d u ce d s i gn i f i c a n t l y d u e toabout 280 branches (about 10 percent)available to disaster victims is provided

the insufficient supply of gasoline

were closed as of March 14, shortly afterin an integrated fashion so that disaster

immediately af ter the ear thquake.

the earthquake. As of April 12, about 140

victims can apply for housing more

Because logistics distribution centersbranches (about 5 percent) are closed.

smoothly. When this information center(10) Distribution and Service
Industries

17), 20): Wholesale markets andwere damaged, delays in distribution

was established, it handled only public

occurred. As of April 11, about 70 percent

housing and Urban Renaissance Agency'sof the wholesale logistics centers for
major processed food in Miyagi Prefecture
are closed.

Movement Toward
Recovery andReconstruction

rental housing, but on March 28 and after,
it also handled private rental housing andhousing for national government workers.
As of June 29, there are 35,072 housing

Stores: Immediately after the earthquake,over 40 percent of major convenience(1) Reconstruction Design Council

units for government workers throughout

stores in the affected area and about 30

On April 1, Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Japan that can accept disaster victims

percent of the major supermarkets werereferred to the relocation of tsunami-(of which 7,218 units have already beenclosed. As of March 29, about 90 percent

hit areas to higher ground and the idea

provided) and 23,358 public housing

and 80 percent, respectively, were open.

of eco-towns utilizing biomass. On April

units that can accept disaster victims

Gas stations: Six of the nine refineries in

11, he established the Reconstruction(of which 6,010 units have already been

the Tohoku District and the Kanto District

Design Council with outside experts asprovided 24) ). These housing units are

were damaged. Sluggish distribution

an advisory body to the prime minister.

located all over Japan, and Osaka, Tokyo,

caused serious shortages of gasoline andMeetings were held 12 times in total,

Hyogo, and Hokkaido prefectures arelight fuel oil in all areas in Tohoku andfrom the first meeting on April 14 throughproviding many of the housing units.

Kanto. Especially in Iwate, Miyagi, andJune 25. In the fourth meeting, on May

Emergency temporary housing 25): To

Fukushima prefectures, the operating rate

10, they announced “Seven Principles of

accept secondary evacuees, there is aof gas stations dropped to 53 percent as

Reconstruction Design” that referred torequest to provide 51,315 emergencyof March 20.

community-centered reconstruction andtemporary housing units. On March

13

14 the minister of Land, Infrastructure,

by Great East Japan Earthquake was(b) Housing support

Transport, and Tourism requested thepromulgated and went into effect on

Th e g ove r n m e n t w i l l p ro m o te t h eJapan Federation of Housing organization

April 29. As a result, it became possible

construction of emergency temporary

to supply 30,000 housing units in anotherto restrict construction for up to eight

housing and utilize housing fortwo months, and on April 5 requested anmonths. I n response to the Ac t on

government workers, public housing, andadditional 30,000 housing units in about

Special Measures, the Government ofprivate rental housing so that victims canthree months. Though there are cases

Miyagi Prefecture extended the building

move into emergency temporary housing

where houses could not be constructed

restriction period to September 11.

as soon as possible. The government aims

as scheduled due to the lack of land and

On April 29, the Cabinet Office

to abolish most of the evacuation shelters

housing-related materials, construction

accepted a Disaster Recovery Work Proxyby mid-August and to provide emergencyof 46,007 housing units was started (ofBill, which allows the central government

temporary housing to all victims whowhich construction of 35,202 housing

to per form infrastruc ture recover ywant to live in it.

units was completed) in 781 districts,

work directly on behalf of the affected(c) Securing services such as health,equivalent to 90 percent of the quantity

municipalities.

medical care, welfare, and education

requested (Table 2). The Government of

To secure the quality and quantity

Fukushima Prefecture decided to use local(4) Measures Taken by the Centralof medical and other ser vices, thecontractors for the construction of 4,000

Government at the Recovery Stage26)

government will utilize assistancetemporary housing units by public bids in

On May 20, the central government’s

from within and outside the affectedorder to take advantage of materials andheadquarters for emergency disasterarea and recover damaged facilities

companies in Fukushima Prefecture. For

c o n t ro l p re p a re d “ M e a s u re s t o B ewhile establishing temporary facilities.

emergency temporary housing that the

Taken by the Central Government for

Toward normal education activities, thegovernment provides by renting private

the Upcoming Three Months Until Fullgovernment will recover school facilities

rental housing, tenants have already been

Reconstruction Starts.” A summary ofand provide support for affected children.

determined for 31,811 units.

these measures:(d) Removal of debris(a) Improvement of living conditions at

To return the negative conditions to a(3) Special Act on Building Restriction

evacuation shelters

clean or “zero” state, the government will

On April 8, the Government of Miyagi

The government will improve the living

remove most of the disaster waste that is

Prefecture specified a restrictedenvironment of disaster victims living in

causing harm to the living environment

construction area under Article 84 ofevacuation shelters and their own houses.

by the end of August this year27).

the Building Standards Act in order to

To focus specifically on the improvement(e) Emergenc y disaster prevention

prevent the disorderly construction ofof evacuation shelters in significantly

measuresbuildings in affected areas. Although theharsh environments, the government

By the early period of the rainy season

period of construction restriction is two

will provide suppor t to prefectural(baiu) and the typhoon season, themonths from the date of the occurrence

and municipal governments, and it

government will implement requiredof the disaster at the longest, the Act on

will provide information and conduct

countermeasures against secondary

Special Measures Concerning Building

necessary consultations.

disaster for each of these seasons. The

Restrictions of Urban Districts Damaged

government will also drain the areas thathave been submerged by the tsunami andTable 2. State of emergency temporary housing by prefecture
Prefecture
Iwate
Miyagi
Fukushima
IbarakiTochigi
Chiba
NaganoTotal

Number ofunits demanded
14,00023,00014,0001020
230
5551,315

Under construction
Number of
Number ofDistricts
312
313
148
2
1
3
2
781

subsidence and take countermeasures
Number ofcompleted units

units
13,824
18,666
13,2021020
230
55
46,007

10,31015,136
9,441
10
20
230
55
35,202against liquefaction.
(f ) Recovery of lifelines, transportation
networks, farms, and fishing ports
Th e g ove r n m e n t w i l l p ro m o te t h erecovery of farmlands and fishing ports
while continuing to make efforts toward
quick recovery of infrastructure, including
lifeline utilities and traffic networks inareas where houses were washed away.

14

The government will conduct research

into which “hard” and “soft” measuresissuance of reconstruction bonds toand analysis of disaster features for all theare integrated, (b) coordination forfund reconstruction efforts and theflooded areas and provide support to theintegrated land utilization of urban areas

establishment of a reconstruction special-efforts of local governments.

and farmlands from which verticallyzone system, in which special regulatory(g) Toward rebuilding livelihoods

divided administration is eliminated,measures are applied to the specified

The government will establish aand (c) support for postdisaster urban

zone.

beachhead for the reconstruction ofreconstruction planning.

the local economy by creating jobs with

(III) Regeneration of local industry andestablishment of the Headquarters forreconstruction work, providing support

economy as well as the urban traffic

Reconstruction from the East Japan Greatfor new employment, supporting theinfrastructure supporting it (regeneration

Earthquake, with the Prime Minister as

effor t to maintain employment byof industry in the Tohoku District directly

its head, and the establishment of local

affected companies, and supporting

associated with the regeneration of theheadquarters. In this law, the previously

companies for the resumption ofJapanese economy and maintenance ofdescribed Reconstruction Design Council

business.

international competitiveness)is positioned as the advisory board for the(5) MLIT’s Measures Toward Recovery

recovery of transportation infrastructure

In addition, the law stipulates the28)

t h a t s u p p o r t s t h e re g e n e r a t i o n o festablishment of the Reconstruction

As measures to shift from emergency

industry and the economy, (b) upgrading

Ag e n c y, w h i c h w i l l t a k e c h a rg e o f

recover y to full-scale recover y andurban transportation infrastructure thatplanning, proposals, and overall

reconstruction, on June 14 MLIT

supports the reconstruction of regions,coordination for measures fora n n o u n c e d fo u r b a s i c p o l i c i e s : ( I )and (c) aggressive implementation ofreconstruction from the Great East Japan

livelihood rebuilding and stabilization of

tourism promotion measures such as

Earthquake in an integrated fashion only

disaster victims, (II) postdisaster urban

the recovery of tourism demand both infor a specified period29).

reconstruction planning from new ideas,

Japan and abroad.

(III) regeneration of local industry and(IV) Reconstruction of the land with aeconomy as well as the urban traffic

disaster-resistant structure

The basic plans include (a) quick

and Reconstruction

This law also stipulates theheadquarters for reconstruction.

[Notes, Reference]

infrastructure supporting it, and (IV )The basic plans include (a)1) Geographical Survey Institute, “The Area ofreconstruction of the land with a disaster-

reconstruction of the land with a disaster-

Flooding Due to the Tsunami (Approximate

resistant structure.

resistant land structure— reinforcing

Value), 5th Report,” April 18.

(I) Livelihood rebuilding and stabilizationindividual facilities and regions:2) Tohoku Regional Development Bureau,of disaster vic tims (harmonization

upgrading the land infrastructure to

between quick rebuilding of livelihoods

increase resistance to disasters, andand city planning that requires a lot ofproviding for disasters with systems:

time)formation of resilient land that is resistantMeeting Related to Monthly Economic Report

to disasters; and (b) examination of land

and Special Meeting on the Earthquake—policy from a broader perspective.

Analysis of the Macroeconomic Impact of the

The basic plans include (a) providing
secure and safe housing in which people
can live without fear, (b) providing

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,
and Tourism, “Land Subsidence Due to the
Earthquakes in the Sendai Plain,” April 28.
3) Cabinet Office, “Materials for Ministerial

Great Tohoku Earthquake,” March 23.

consideration for elderly people and(6) Basic Act for Recovery4) Headquarters for Disaster Control, Fire andcommunities along with support for

The Basic Act for Recovery from the GreatDisaster Management Agency, “Great Tohoku

independent reconstruction, andEast Japan Earthquake was promulgated

Earthquake (Great East Japan Earthquake) in(c) securing and maintaining public

and went into effect on June 24. As its

transportation in the region.

basic principle, the law declares that

(II) Postdisaster urban reconstruction

Japan will go beyond restoration of theplanning from new ideas (building secure

predisaster conditions in the devastated6) Web site of the Prime Minister’s Office,and safe cities into which “hard” and “soft”

areas and will perform reconstruction“Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet

measures are integrated)

aimed at the desirable future direction of

Secretary,” March 11, 12, and 15, April 21 andThe basic plans include (a)Japan in the middle of the 21st century.

22.

construction of tsunami-resistant cities

As its basic measures, it stipulates the7) Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs

2011, Report 120,” May 11.
5) National Police Agency, “Damage Features
and Action Taken by Police for the Great
Tohoku Earthquake,” May 11.

and Communications, “Preliminary Count of15

the 2010 Population Census.”16) Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry,

Victims Livelihood Support, “Provision of8) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,“Information on Damage by the Earthquake,”

Housing for Government Workers to Disasterand Tourism, “Urban Planning Status Survey,”

March 11–16, April 7–8, and May 11.

Victims,” June 29.

survey results in fiscal 2009.

17) Team in Charge of Assisting the Lives of25) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,

9) Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal

Disaster Victims, Cabinet Office, “Damage andand Tourism, “Activity of the Housing Bureau

Affairs and Communications, “Population andRecovery States of Infrastructure Focusing on

for the Great East Japan Earthquake,” July 4 at

the Number of Households in the Flooded

Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures,”10 a.m.

Area (Based on Preliminary Count of the 2010

May 20.

26) Headquarters for Emergency Disaster

Population Census),” April 25.

18) Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry,

Control of the Great Tohoku Earthquake in10) Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal“Information on Damage by the Earthquake,”

2011, “Measures for the Normalization of

Affairs and Communications, “System ofApril 11 and May 11.

Lives in Disaster-stricken Areas Related toSocial and Demographic Statistics.”

19) City and Regional Development Bureau,

Great East Japan Earthquake,” May 20.

11) For the number of medical institutions,

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,

27) According to the estimate of thethe number of hospitals plus the number

and Tourism, “Damage to Sewerage and Its

Environment M inistr y, the volume ofof clinics in the data on land numerical

Emergency Recovery States and Efforts,” as ofdebris generated in the Great East Japan

information and medical institutions as of

May 10 at 10 a.m.

Ear thquake is 24.9 million tonnes in a

September 2010 was used.

20) Cabinet Office, “Economic Influence

total of three prefectures (6 million tonnes

12) Cabinet Office (Disaster Management),of the Great East Japan Earthquake andin Iwate Prefecture, 16 million tonnes in“Operational Review for Certification ofCountermeasures (Materials Submitted by

Miyagi Prefecture, and 2.9 million tonnes in

Dwelling House Damage Related to Soil

Individual Departments),” April 13.

Fukushima Prefecture), which is 1.7 times

Damage.”21) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,

greater than the 14.77 million tonnes of13) Chiba Prefecture, “Supplementary Budget

and Tourism, “Great East Japan Earthquake

debris generated in Great Hanshin-Awaji

in May in Response to Action for the Great(Report 61),” as of May 10 at 10 a.m.

Earthquake.

East Japan Earthquake,” May 10.

22) Tohoku Regional Development Bureau,

2 8 ) M i n i s t r y o f L a n d , I n f r a s t r u c t u r e,14) Web site of the Road Bureau, Ministry of

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,

Transport, and Tourism, “MLIT Recovery andLand, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism,

and Tourism, “Emergency Drainage Measures

Rehabilitation Plan in Response to the Great“Disaster Features of the Great Tohoku

in the Great East Japan Earthquake,” April 16.

East Japan Earthquake,” June 14.

Earthquake and the Role of Roads,” April 18.

23) Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and

29) The Headquarters for Reconstruction15) Web site of the Tohoku Regional Bureau,

Fisheries, “The Great East Japan Earthquake—from the East Japan Great Earthquake was

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport,

Damage from the Great Tohoku Earthquake

abolished when the Reconstruction Agency

and Tourism, “The Reason Why Roads Could

and Countermeasures,” May 11.

was established, and its functions will be

Be Opened Quickly.”24) Web site of the Headquarters for Disastertaken over to the Reconstruction Agency.

16

A REPORT ON APPROACHES AND PROBLEMSOF POSTDISASTER RESTORATION PLANNING
IN THE INITIAL STAGE
Kunio Yamaguchi
Associate Professor, Akita Prefectural University

in uncomfortable environments. Whenof rebuilding the livelihood of victims,

asked about their future places ofplanning and implementation are always

Restoration from an earthquake andresidence, many victims answer that they

destined to be behind the timing of thetsunami can be divided into four fields:

want to rebuild their livelihoods in theirjudgement or decisions of individuals.

“life,” “housing,” “physical city,” andoriginal locations, although there are also

Le t m e e x p l a i n t h e s t a t e o f t h e“industry.” While the debris removal work

people who do not want to return to theirseriously damaged cities in Iwate andis still underway, making a reconstruction

original places. In affected areas with a lot

Miyagi prefectures. In municipalities thatplan for a physical city is in progress.

of debris, I saw people who had resumed

include Rikuzentakata City, Otsuchi Town,

This paper will report on the state of thetheir business in temporary facilities as

and Onagawa Town, where the estimatedpostdisaster restoration planning in thewell as people who had begun to rebuild

flooded area extended over a wide

initial stage and add my insights based

their houses by putting up new pillars.

range of the urban districts, most of theon listening to disaster victims, the City

Although it is rational to reconstruct andurban functions were destroyed because

Planning Division of the Government

develop cities in parallel with the processbuildings were mainly made of wood

Photo 1. Flooded urban area
(Rikuzentakata City)

Photo 2. Quake- and tsunami-stricken city
without identifiable traces (Otsuchi Town)

Photo 3. Damage to steel and reinforced
concrete structures (coastal urban district ofKamaishi City)

Photo 4. Near the boundary of the quakeand tsunami-stricken area and outlying areas(a shopping avenue in Kamaishi City)

Introductionof Iwate Prefecture, and the City andHousing Development Department of the
Tohoku Regional Bureau of the Ministryof Land, Infrastructure, Transport, andTourism (MLIT) carried out at the end of
April; on-site inspections; and information
obtained from announcements by public
institutions.

Reconstruction PlanningThat Takes Damage
Conditions into AccountBecause of the damage to housing causedby the earthquake and tsunami, 31,000
people are living in evacuation sheltersand 26,000 people are living in the homesof friends or relatives. Including people
living in temporary emergency housing,a total of approximately 112,000 people
are forced to continue living as evacuees(1)17(Photos 1 and 2). As countermeasures

structures, but the damage to outlying

municipalities: a high rate of population

against tsunamis in the future, there

areas was limited to a little flooding.

decline (5 to 9 percent in five years) andare discussions on the redeployment ofIn such a town, the reconstruc tiona high percentage of aging population

trunk roads that have disaster-reduction

plan should naturally be different from(around 30 percent) (Table 1). Because

functions, relocation of settlements toother seriously damaged towns. Such

it is not unlikely that reconstruction

higher ground, and permanent building

a town requires a hybrid type of urban

will slow this trend, population decline

restrictions in disaster-risk areas. These

reconstruction planning in which theand aging in these municipalities mustplans imply that radical reconstruction ofcoastal urban district (Photo 3) is radicallybe taken into account when making

cities is required, and there is a possibility

reconstructed and the hinterland, with

an urban reconstruc tion plan. I t isthat the predisaster image of the city will

relatively little damage (Photo 4), is

necessary to develop a highly feasible

have to be abolished.

recovered and redeveloped.

city reconstruction plan while inspiring
people’s feelings for the reconstruction of

On the other hand, in municipalities

Although the urban reconstruction

like Kamaishi City, the tsunami hit theplan differs depending on the features

coastal urban district and caused fatalof the damage, as discussed above,

Next, let me explain the state ofdamage to steel and reinforced concrete

certain phenomena are common to these

postdisaster restoration planning in thesustainable cities in the affected area.

initial stage.
Table 1. Population decline and aging rates in flooded municipalities
Population(2010)

Population of
the estimatedflooded area

Population
increasedecrease rate(2005-2010)

Aging
rate
(2010)

Miyako City

59,442

42.0%

-6.5%

30.4%

Ofunato City
Kuji City
Rikuzentakata City
Kamaishi City
Iwate Otsuchi Town,
Pref. Yamada Town
Iwaizumi Town
Tanohata Village
Fudai Village
Noda Village
All IwatePref.
Miyagino-ku
Wakabayashi-ku
Taihaku-ku
Ishinomaki City
Shiogama City
Kesennuma City
Natori City
Tagajo City
Miyagi Iwanuma City

40,73836,87523,302
39,57815,277
18,625
10,804
3,843
3,088
4,632
1,330,530
190,485
132,191
220,715
160,704
56,49073,494
73,14062,979

38.0%
2.5%
58.1%
23.6%
51.3%
62.9%
11.2%
28.0%
4.8%
43.6%
6.2%
6.6%
1.1%
63.9%
30.6%
40.3%
16.6%
21.7%

-6.0%
-5.8%
-5.7%
-7.9%
-7.5%
-7.5%
-9.3%
-9.4%
-8.0%
-7.7%
-3.9%
4.3%
1.7%
-0.8%
-4.0%
-4.8%
-5.8%
6.5%
0.4%

30.9%
25.7%
33.5%
34.4%
31.6%
31.2%
37.4%
32.4%
31.2%
29.2%
26.8%
16.9%
18.7%
20.0%
26.8%
26.7%
30.1%
19.0%
18.1%

44,198

16.5%

0.6%

19.4%

42,90834,846
16,711
15,08920,41934,00010,051
17,431
2,347,975
128,056,026

76.9%
37.8%
55.9%
12.9%
46.2%
0.7%
87.7%
76.3%

-0.8%
-0.8%
-5.7%
-6.8%
-3.1%
5.4%
-6.3%
-6.5%
-0.5%
0.2%

22.6%
22.8%
30.8%
30.1%
21.4%
15.4%
33.7%
29.3%
22.2%
22.7%

Pref.

Higashimatsushima City
Watari Town
Yamamoto Town
Matsushima Town
Shichigahama Town
Rif Town
Onagawa Town
Minamisanriku Town
All MiyagiPref.
All Japan--

indicates areas where at least 50% of the population is living in areas that are expected to
be flooded.
Based on processed data from the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications. (http://www.stat.go.jp/info/shinsai/index.htm)

18

Efforts and Issues Related
to Urban Reconstruction
Planning(1) Efforts in Miyagi Prefecture
Twenty-seven days after the disaster, on
April 7, Miyagi Prefecture announced
a support policy for making a draft of
postdisaster urban reconstruction plan(2).
The policy shows rough planning ofresidential or commercial and industrial
areas to be reestablished in affectedareas while taking into account theintentions of municipalities on behalf ofcities and towns that are hard-pressedto support the victims. The next day,the Government of Miyagi Prefecture
enforced building regulations under
Article 84 of the Building Standards
Act in three cities and two towns. The“Basic Disaster Reconstruction Policy(Draft)” announced on May 11 states theorientation of reconstruction as follows:“…it is necessar y for city and town
governments to drastically reconsider
the way they think in regard to longterm plans for residential areas, farming
areas, fishing-port areas, port areas, andcommercial areas and industrial areas,
to create a new reconstruction model.”This policy lays out concrete contents(2) Efforts in Iwate Prefecture(3) Issues on the formation of an urban

such as support of the implementation

Iwate Prefecture announced thereconstruction plan with a focus on theof reconstruction plans of affected“Basic Policy for the Great East Japan

initial stage

municipalities under the initiative of the

Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction[Disaster Victims]

prefecture. The Government of Miyagi

Efforts” on April 11 and demonstrated

For disaster victims, the pressing issues

Prefecture stated that the prefectural

the urgent action that the prefectural

are the improvement of or departure

government was planning to prepare

government must take, along with afrom their current life of evacuation andthe plan by September and announced

vision of reconstruction and a policy

rebuilding their livelihood in the future.

a draft of the secondary reconstruction

for creating a reconstruction plan. The

To decide where to rebuild their houses

plan on July 6.

points of discussion submitted to the firstin such circumstances, information on the

Of the municipalities in the prefecture,

meeting of the Tohoku Earthquake andurban reconstruction plan is essential. For

Sendai City announced its “Basic

Tsunami Reconstruction Committee list

victims in cities where the entire urban

Disaster Reconstruc tion Polic y ” onthe points to be considered in creating a

district sustained devastating damage, in

April 1. It demonstrated the concept ofreconstruction vision and suggest that itparticular, the situation is more serious

reconstruction as well as the orientationis necessary to present a variety of options

because substantial constraints areof immediate measures, such as

as a guide to form a common ground that

expected to be imposed in the selection

total care for victims, quick recovery

meets both the requirements of disasterof their residences. In addition, theof lifelines, and stable supply of life

prevention and community construction,schedule clarifying when they can rebuild

services. Higashimatsushima City also

depending on regional characteristics andtheir houses is an essential element in(3)announced “Guidelines for Recovery

features of the damage . For the urban

determining their actions in the future.

and Reconstruction,” and Kesennuma

reconstruction plans of municipalities, theWithout these information, there is no

and Ishinomak i cities showed their

Government of Iwate Prefecture seems tochoice but to fall into the moratorium

intention to be specified as recovery-

provide support in response to requests

of stopped thinking. Because victims

promotion areas based on the Act on

from municipalities instead of taking thethink from the standpoint of individuals(4)

Special Measures Concerning Disaster-

initiative on their reconstruction plan . In

trying to reconstruct their livelihoods,

stricken Urban District Reconstruction. In

this respect, the stance of the Government

the interest of victims in the urban

this stage, however, urban reconstructionof Iwate Prefecture is somewhat different

reconstruction plan is focused on what

policies announced by municipalities

from that of Miyagi Prefecture. For thecompensation is provided for land andare still abstract, and concrete physicalplanning development schedule, thehouses at the time of relocation and whatplans have not been presented. After that,

Government of Iwate Prefecture also

support is provided when rebuilding

municipalities examined various plans,announced that it would prepare a plan

their houses. They are inevitably passive

such as zoning for land utilization and

by September, like Miyagi Prefecture.

toward the overall vision of urban

relocation of communities in units, and

On June 7, the Government of Iwate

redevelopment and the reconstruction

presented them to residents. However,Prefecture announced the “Earthquake

schedule. Therefore, victims’ involvementno municipality could make a decision.

and Tsunami Reconstruction Basic Planin immediate reconstruction planning

These municipalities are in circumstances(Draft).” After that, the government invited

d o e s n o t e a s i l y l e a d t o “p l a n n i n gwhere they can not afford to establish

the public to offer their opinions and held

requirements” but is mainly focused ona system for making plans because

an explanatory meeting in affected areas.

the “life requirements” such as housing

sufficient information on the actual

As a charac teristic movement ofdisaster situation has not been collected,

municipalities, Ofunato City, which isand the civil service is pressed to provide

not a specific administrative agency,[Municipalities]

immediate support to victims. However, I

requested temporary building restrictions

I n cities that suffered devastating

consider that there are more fundamental

in the affected urban area on April 10.

damage, the urban structure that had

problems in the procedure for planning

Though it does not have compelling force

been formulated or targeted will be

and the locations of authorities andbecause the measures are not required byradically changed. In this case, apartfinancial resources. This issue will belaw, the attitude of the city and the aimfrom the whereabouts of the basic

discussed later.

of its announcement can be evaluateddecision-making authority, the action

highly as the city’s voluntary efforts.

of planning the land use policy, which is

19

reconstruction.

essential to the reconstruction of housing

accumulation, it became necessary tohigh-standard highways constructed

and commercial facilities, is naturally

take radical planning action in whicho n e m b a n k m e n t s a c t e d t o re d u c edifferent from that before the disaster.

urban facilities and the land use aredamage from the tsunami this time,

This is because the placement of key

determined in an integrated manner.

there is discussion on active utilization

urban facilities, the financial measures

However, as the statement “roads,

and improvement of their damage -to be taken, the way of doing business,bridges, and rivers are the roots;

reduction function by changing the lines

and the method of adjustment become

waterworks, housing, and sewerage are

and structure of highways. However,(5)

more and more variable and fluctuating.

branches ” indicates, we cannot ignore

municipalities cannot determine the

Until now, the existing land use andthe steps that should be taken to makeplan of urban facilities in such a wide

key urban facilities were regarded

the plan because the plan for basic

area ahead of the national government.

as stable elements, the target urban

facilities must be determined before

Desirable action for municipalities is to

structure was laid out based on them,

the plan for associated facilities candraw an image of the reconstructed cities

and plans for upgrading, development,

be determined. For example, Nationalthemselves in which local characteristics

and maintenance accumulated andRoute 45 played a role as the main trunk

are reflected, as well as to consider

were implemented. This was so-called

for logistics in the vertical direction

various options such as the strengthening

progressive planning. However, as a

for affected cities, and land has beenof breakwaters and seawalls, expansion

result of the collapse of stability andused based on it. Because regionalof green spaces in the coastal area,

New urban districts are constructed inareas at least 10m higher than sea
level

Construction of regional high standard
highways is planned on the assumptionthat they will not be affected by disasters.
国道

高規格幹線道路

Recoated industrial parks are sited aroundhighway interchanges on higher ground.
Areas located less than 20m above
sea level
農用地

住宅地

工業用地

公園

IC
公園

ＰＡ
（二次避難施設）

港湾用地

Hub port (Megafloat)Ｎ
0Compact central urban district.
The railway Station and the highway(National Route 45) are moved to the
new urban district.
Central urban facilities are concentrated
intensively.

500m

The remaining land is restored to natural
terrain (part of the disaster affected-affectedarea is left as-is).

Disaster Scale
Large

Small
Urban Area
Ofunato City

Miyako City

Kuji City

Kamaishi City
Rikuzentakada
City
Rsconstruction and Recovery
of Urban Functions

HironoTown

YamadaTown

Iwaizumi
Town

Otsuchi
Town
Relocation andRebuilding

Restoration of Functions
Fudai Village
Collective Relocation and Village Consolidation
Fishing Village

Tanohata Village

Noda Village

City Planning Area

Non City Planning Area

Figure 1. Example of examination of the image of reconstructed cities—Created by Nippon Engineering Consultants Co. Ltd., April 12, 201120

relocation of residential areas to higher

placing importance on consensus

relationships between the framework andground, use of artificial ground in urban

formation by saying, “When making adetails of planning. However, previous

areas, and regulation of the permanent

reconstruction plan, it is important tostudies point out that they were notuse of building sites and to determine

have residents consider that it is not aguaranteed in the Great Hanshin-Awaji

their combinations and concrete spacialplan created by an external body but the

Earthquake (Shiozaki 1998). In light ofplacement. However, such measuresplan of the residents themselves.”

this lesson, if the problem of differencesin decision-makers depending on the

could end up as pie in the sky unlessthe business system is amended or a[Planning Technique]planning target or changes in the legal

financing system is determined that

Related to planning in circumstances

framework and financing are unavoidable,

differs from that in use during ordinary

where there are many uncertainties,

it will be necessary to handle decisions ontimes.

P r o f e s s o r Yu k o Fu j i g a k i ( 2 0 0 3 ) ,the urban reconstruction plan in a step-

As long as it is difficult to set a

specializing in science and technology

by-step manner and to allow flexibility

framework for planning, municipalities

studies, explains that scientific rationality

in the planning so that the decision can

c a n n o t d e t e r m i n e c o n c re t e u r b a n

d o e s n o t n e ce s s a r i l y m a tc h s o c i a lbe changed depending on the results ofreconstruction plans in advance, althoughrationality. She points out that “we must

examination in the later stage.

they can present their images. Even ifbear in mind that waiting for reliable

they determine concrete measures for the

results will result in the failure to come up[Building Regulations]use of land and buildings at the district

with effective measures.” Her statement

In severely affected areas, lifelines suchlevel to meet the needs of victims, there

refers to “a problem that requires social

as electricity, gas, and water supplies

is a strong possibility of the occurrence

consensus ‘now,’ although even scientists

along with sewerage systems have notof rework as long as the fundamental

cannot answer because it contains many

yet been recovered. At this point, there

facilities that are the framework of theuncertain factors” in decision-making

are few construction activities in places

city are not determined. The action

about public space. Her statement is also

where no plan has been made. However,to be taken by a municipality for thesynchronous with the issue of making an

quick recovery of infrastructure is clearlytime being is to promote its intentions

urban reconstruction plan.

declared in the reconstruction policy ofextensively in order to hasten various

In terms of planning techniques in

the prefectural and city governments.

elements of required coordination and toresponse to this issue, the two-stage

After the infrastructure is graduallyenvision several images of the desirable

urban planning decision method, which

restored, reconstruction activities onreconstructed city together with some

was adopted by Hyogo Prefecture after

housing and facilities would becomecase studies that assume points of

the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, mayconspicuous. As discussed above, it

compromise for various uncertainties.

provide some hints. In this method, thetakes a relatively long time to determine

Narrowing to one plan is not appropriate

process is divided into a framework andthe urban reconstruction plan inat this stage.

details when determining postdisasterseriously damaged municipalities, andTo form consensus with residents on

urban reconstruc tion planning. To

it takes substantial additional time tothe image of reconstructed cities, thedetermine the framework in an early

determine the district level plan. Frommunicipal government should provide

stage in the event of an emergency, thethe standpoint of securing the time toresidents with information on the basic

decision in the first stage handles only

form the consensus required for planningorientation and process of the plan by

the type of implementation measuressurface readjustment and the rationality

using the public involvement method

and the project areas. Based on theof development investment by the private

and trying to understand the awarenessdecision, the second stage secures thesector and the administration, how toand intentions of the residents in order tocitizen participation that is not sufficiently

control the occurrence of construction

reflect their “life requirements,” explained

secured in the first stage when discussing

activity in this period is also a task atabove, on the image of the reconstructed

the details of the plan. In this method,

hand.

(6)

it becomes necessary to guarantee the

Building regulations related toenhancing “life requirements” to “planning

retroactivity and reversibility against thethe reconstruction of affected urban

requirements” is important. In this regard,

decisions of the first stage, depending

districts include emergency evacuation

at the hearings of the Tohoku Regionalon the results of examination in theregulations, regulations on securing a

Bureau of MLIT, they make a comment

first stage, because there are closeplanning period, business mortgage

city . At the district level, the action of21

regulations, and land use regulations(7). To

Kahoku newspaper. The target is six cities—

Measures Concerning Reconstruction ofcontrol the occurrence of building activity

Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, Higashimatsushima,

Urban Districts Damaged by Disaster tothat causes new constraints in making a

Ta g a j o , N a t o r i , a n d I w a n u m a — a n dsecure a planning period for urban planningfive towns—Minamisanriku, Onagawa,and the execution of land readjustment

Shichigahama, Watari, and Yamamoto.

projects up to two years after the occurrence(3) In response a committee member said,of a disaster. Business mortgage regulations“It is important that the selection is left toinclude the building regulations under Article

postdisaster urban reconstruction plan,
it is important to regulate construction
by specifying “urban disaster recovery
promotion areas” that fall underlocal municipalities and that the central and

53 of the City Planning Act to secure theregulations on securing a planning

prefectural governments fully respect theirconstruction of city planning facilities andperiod. However, in this specification,

intentions as much as possible and provide

the implementation of urban development

reconstruction of wooden houses with lot

support in response to their intentions.”

projects. Land utilization regulations include

areas of less than 300 m is not regulated.

(4) From a hearing of the Iwate Prefectural

the building regulations under Article 39 of

Therefore, this specification is not

Government’s City Planning Division, April

the Building Standards Act to permanently

sufficient to control construction in urban

28, 2011.

eliminate building activity in disaster-risk(5) At the time of city and ward amendments

areas. On April 29, 2011, the Act for Special

in Tokyo, the Deputy Minister of the Interior,Exceptions to Building Regulation in Urban

Akimasa Yoshikawa, described the procedure

Areas Severely Damaged by theof planning by saying, “The design of roads,

Great East Japan Earthquake was2

districts mainly consisting of woodenbuildings. On the other hand, there is aninconvenience in this regulation because
a building that is not used as a residence

bridges, and rivers are the roots. When they

promulgated, making it possible to impose

or business by the owner is not subject

are determined, the design of waterworks,

building restrictions until November 11, 2011,

to permission even if it is on a small-scale

housing, and sewerage can be determined

regardless of the provisions of Article 84 of

lot of less than 300 m2. As a result, thiseasily” (Ishida 2004).

the Building Standards Act.

regulation restricts the resumption of(6) Ishinomaki City carried out a basic

business by a person who is engaged inquestionnaire survey of disaster victims

References

commerce or industry. Apart from this, toconcerning urban infrastructure1) Fujigak i, Yuko. 2003. S enmonchi tointroduce a system of permanent land-development in the period from May 1 toKoukyousei (Expertise and Publicness). Tokyo:

May 15. The results revealed that individuals’

University of Tokyo Press, 101, 112.

intention to continue to live in their present

2) Ishida, Yorifusa. 2004. Nippon Kindai Toshi

places in the community significantly differed

Kekaku no Tenkai (Development of Modern City

depending on the affected area and theirof compensation or purchase by the

Planning in Japan). Japan Institute of Localage.

government.

Government, 70.

(7) Emergenc y evacuation regulations

use restriction in areas that have beenused in an urban style, it is also necessary
to combine this system with a system

include regulation of building (up to twoNotesmonths after the occurrence of the disaster)(1) Values as of June 16, 2011. Material forunder Article 84 of the Building Standards

a press release from the Headquarters forAct. Regulations on securing a planning

Emergency Disaster Control of the Cabinet

period include the “building regulation

Office.

in the urban disaster recovery promotion(2) From an April 8, 2011, article in theareas” under Article 7 of the Act on Special

223) Shiozaki, Yoshimitsu. 1998. “Evaluation of‘Two-step Planning Determination Procedure’in the Postearthquake Recovery Program,”Collection of Academic Papers. Tokyo: City
Planning Institute of Japan, 97–102.

PROPOSALS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION
DESIGN COUNCIL IN RESPONSE TO
THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Takashi Onishi
Professor, The University of Tokyo
Member of the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Reconstruction Design
Council in Response to
the Great East Japan
Earthquake and Its
Proposals

Council will now focus solely on fulfilling

the tsunami. Chapter 2, Restore Life andits role related to item (2).

Livelihood, covers rebuilding important

The governor of Fukushimaindustries and employment and social

Prefecture is a member of the Council,

systems such as those related to welfare,and discussions have covered not only

medicine, and education in addition tod a m a g e f ro m t h e e a r t h q u a k e a n dreconstructing physical facilities. The

The Japanese government establishedtsunami but also damage from problems

last section of the chapter discusses

the Reconstruc tion Design Council

at the nuclear power plant. The Basicfinancial resources for reconstruction. In

in Response to the Great East JapanAct allows the creation of a separate

Chapter 3, Work Towards Reconstruction

Earthquake (the Council), composed

council to deliberate on issues related

After the Nuclear Accident, proposals areof 16 members including experts into the recovery of the area impacted byprovided regarding various measuresvarious fields, in order to deliberate on

problems at the nuclear power plant;that will be important in the future,reconstruction policies related to thetherefore, if the problems related to thesuch as support for victims, monitoring

Great East Japan Earthquake that hit

nuclear plant are brought under control

radioac tive material and radiation,

March 11, 2011. The first meeting of thea different body than the Council may

measures to deal with soil contamination,Council was held on April 14. The Council

examine reconstruction policies for thatand health management, but it isalso includes study groups to conductarea.

impossible to say that these topics were

technical investigations. After the Council

A summary of the minutes of thesufficiently covered in the report since

met 12 times and study groups 8 times,

Council are posted on the website of thethe situation at the nuclear power plants

a report on the Council’s proposals titled

Office of the Prime Minister, and the June

has not been brought under control yet.

Towards Reconstruction “Hope beyond

25 report on the Council’s proposals,

In chapter 4, Open Reconstruction, we

the Disaster ” was submitted to thealong with an English version titleddiscuss how it is important to consider

Prime Minister on June 25. Immediately

Towards Reconstruction “Hope beyond thethe reconstruction process from a wide

before that, on June 24, the Basic Act

Disaster”, have been made public. The

range of perspectives including the idealon The Great East Japan Earthquake

report consists of the main body withform of the future Japanese economy andReconstruction (the Basic Act) camefour chapters, an introduction, and asociety, connections extending outside

into effect, which gave the Council legal

conclusion. Chapter 1 of the report, A New

Japan, and building a country resilient toauthority to examine and discuss (1)Concept for Rebuilding the Region, covers

disasters.

important reconstruction related issues

the important issue of reconstructingand (2) how reconstruction related

villages and cities, not at their original

policies are being implemented. Having

location, but at safe locations wheresubmitted its proposals on the overall

they will be protected from tsunamis

image of reconstruction measures, thein the future, a unique issue related to23

time a tsunami has hit causing casualties.

whole town or village from normal events

This tendency was particularly strong

such as typhoons but only residential

after the Showa Sanriku Earthquake whenareas, not other areas, from flooding

C re a t i n g s a fe a n d s e c u re re g i o n s,

the government pressed people to movecaused by major tsunamis. Many local

which is discussed in chapter 1, is

to higher ground, which resulted in more

residents of areas hit by the tsunami haveparticularly important for the areas hit

than 50 villages being moved. This was

close ties to the ocean, such as working inby the tsunami. How to ensure safety iswhen villages were most recently moved

the fishing, agricultural, or marine producta pressing issue since the Sanriku area,

to safe higher ground. The results of those

processing industry, and they would have

which was hit by the tsunami on Marchefforts, however, were not very good as

difficultiy in maiking a living if they lived

11, and the area that stretches from theless than five of these villages can beon higher ground cut off from the ocean.

Sendai plain to Fukushima Prefecture

considered to have been constructed

Therefore, homes, facilities for the elderly,

are areas susceptible to tsunamis as

on safe ground. There were only two

medical facilities, education facilities,

they have frequently been hit by them,villages that I visited, Yoshihama andand similar ones should be constructed

and most victims from the area think

Shirahama (Ofunato-shi, Iwate), that canon higher ground so that people canthey will likely be hit by another major

say they escaped major damage fromproperly respond even if a tsunami weretsunami during their lives, or the lives of

the tsunami directly because of having

to hit with little warning or at night. On

their children or grandchildren. Records

been moved to higher ground. Different

the other hand, areas including industrial

show that numerous ear thquakes

villages sustained damages for different

zones could be located on low-lying

including the Jogan earthquake (869),

reasons. Taro (Miyako-shi, Iwate) gaveland if certain conditions are met such

Keicho Earthquake (1611), Meiji Sanriku

up moving to higher ground since there

as there being tsunami shelters and a

Ear thquake (1896), Showa Sanriku

was no appropriate higher groundsufficient number of shelters for residents

Earthquake (1933), and the earthquake

close by and built a seawall insteadand escape routes being wide enoughthat struck off the coast of Chile resulted

but sustained major damage; Ogatsu

so that people could flee by car. Thisin large numbers of victims. Of these(Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi) and Tanohama

would balance daily-life convenience withearthquakes, the one that hit off the coast(Yamada-cho, Iwate) thought they had

safety. The critical question is whetherof Chile, which is on the other side of the

moved to higher ground but the location

it is possible to find higher ground near

Earth, was of course not felt in Japan, andwas not high enough and the villages

villages damaged by the tsunami so

the Meiji Sanriku Earthquake was small

were damaged by the recent tsunami;

they can be moved. Several villages havebut caused a major tsunami. People haveand Toni (Kamaishi-shi, Iwate) and Oya

already selected possible land and arelearned that one of the scary things about(Kesennuma-shi, Miyagi) moved to higher

rushing to create concrete plans, but ittsunamis is that they can suddenly hit

ground and while households on higher

may be difficult to find sufficiently large

without clear omen.

ground avoided damage, those on low-flat area on higher ground for villages

lying ground were damaged so the overall

located at the foot of steep hills.

How to Create Safe andSecure Regions

Based on the these experiences,the most effective countermeasure

village was not safe. The list goes on.

against tsunamis is adhering to the

The Council, therefore, stressed in

tradition of living on higher ground

its proposals the importance of movingthat tsunamis cannot reach, and somecities and villages to safe locations

villages traditionally prohibited people

by expanding the related system andfrom living in low-lying areas. However,financial resources. At the same time, themany local residents work in the fishingCouncil divided areas damaged by the

Just as important as ensuring theand agricultural industries and there

disaster into several types depending

safety of physical structures of towns

is flat ground near harbors and theon topological traits and suggested

a n d v i i l a g e s i s e n s u r i n g i n d u s t r y,ocean, making it impossible to resist thecountermeasures for each type such

employment, and various t ypes oftemptation of living on the seashore andas residential areas the municipality tosocial services such as welfare, medical

flat land that are convenient in terms ofhigher ground, raising the ground ortreatment, and education. If services

both transportation and daily life. Even so,

creating artificial ground, or adopting

and sources of income necessary forsince the Meiji Era, efforts have been madethe concept of damage mitigation, using

daily life are lost, residents will move

to move people to higher ground eachbreakwaters and seawalls to protect theaway no matter how safely a village

24

Rebuilding Work and the
Future Reconstruction
Process

is rebuilt. In terms of industr y andof actual benefits. Therefore, I propose

use of land currently zoned for various

employment, it is important to sustainthat "Machidukuri companies", private

purposes such as existing urban land,

local traditional industries such as

and public partnership entities, should

agricultural land, and mountains andfishing, manufacturing including marine

be established to bring new community

forests, supplying community-based

product processing, and agriculture.

businesses and job opportunities.

power, allowing the entry of the private

However, even these industries face

Finally I would like to discuss thesector into industries such as fishing, andthe danger of dying out for various

development of reconstruction efforts.

promoting public-private collaboration

reasons including owners and workers

Based on the proposals of the Council,

for rebuilding industries.

growing old. Therefore, in addition to

the government laid down basic

On the other hand, the process ofpreserving these traditional industries,

reconstruction guidelines at the end ofcreating reconstruction plans for cities

it is impor tant to adopt aggressive

July. It was particularly important that thedamaged by the disaster is entering its

measures to develop new industries andgovernment gave a general indication

final stage. The most important issue isexpand employment opportunities inof the cost of reconstruction, which wasachieving agreement among residents toorder to make the recovery possible in

not clearly stated in the proposal, and themove to safe higher ground. At the samethe long term. Possible new industries

source of funds to cover the cost althoughtime, it is necessary to recruit participants

include local energy industries thatthe details were not shown clearly. As ofin and supporters of reconstruction fromsupply natural energy to the community;

the writing of this paper, reconstruction

the private and public sectors in areas thatthe biotechnology industry that makes

is expected to cost around 23 trillion yen;were not damaged by the disaster and touse of marine resources; the automobile

19 trillion yen will be used during the firststrengthen the system for reconstructionindustry, which has been growing infive years, which includes 6 trillion yen

so that victims of the disaster can leadthe area in recent years; and a tourism

in the first and second supplementary

future reconstruction efforts throughindustry based on the ria coast withbudgets that have already been decided

public-private sec tor cooperation.

picturesque scenery. The key to theu p o n . A ro u n d 1 3 t r i l l i o n ye n f ro m

Horizontal partnerships between thereconstruction process is moving fromhigher taxes and non-tax revenue will

private and public sectors in areas hit by

the stage of possibilities to the stage ofbe allocated to reconstruction. The

the disaster, vertical partnerships among

attracting actual investment. In addition

government needs strong coordinating

the central government, prefectures,to the residents of areas hit by theabilities to secure the source of funds.

and municipalities, and various forms ofdisaster, there are many entrepreneurs

In addition, the Act on Special Measures

support provided from throughout Japan

who would like to contribute to these

Concerning Reconstruction must be

must be harnessed to make it though thedisaster areas. It is vital, however, toeffective for achieving various objectives

coming period of intensive reconstruction

create a process so that investments arethrough the use of special zones such

effort, which will last at least 5 years.

made not out of sympathy but because

as comprehensively coordinating the25