Along coastal areas, hydrographic data has been unclear due to massive topographic deformation. The data is the standard for water depth on sea charts, and thus, are essential for drawing construction plans of port facilities. Inaccurate information would greatly hinder safety for marine traffic and restoration activities. The Japan Coast Guard has been progressing works to determine hydrographic data and to reflect them on sea charts.

## Land Demarcation

To promote various restoration activities in affected areas, land demarcation is very important. If cadastral survey is done to confirm location and the boundaries of each land parcel, smooth operation can be implemented. Whether cadastral survey is done or not produces big differences in time needed for and costs of restoration of public infrastructures.

For demarcation in the areas where cadastral survey has been completed, the results can be utilized. Cadastral survey has been carried out in about 90% of the land inundated by the tsunami. However, crustal deformation makes a difference between the results of cadastral surveys and the actual places. Therefore, MLIT will amend the gap by reproducing geodetic reference points to restore the results of cadastral surveys and contribute to disaster-relief activities.

In areas where cadastral survey has not been conducted, land boundaries are unclear. It consequently take much more time and costs more for land owners to determine borderlines than for land owners in surveyed areas, which is one of the factors hindering restoration of the affected areas. It is effective to clarify at least the boundaries between privately-owned land and roads(borders between public and private land) in such areas. In order to advance restoration of public facilities, the Japanese government directly conducts the clarification works between public and private lands.

## Securing Labor and Equipment Needed for Restoration

Many local construction businesses in the affected areas were victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, while they had been in severe financial conditions before it occurred. Although their support and cooperation are essential for restoration of public infrastructures, they have been difficult to secure workforce and construction equipment needed for relief activities under such a huge disaster.

Furthermore, securing necessary construction materials became a problem. The supply of housing construction materials needed for temporary housing is not the only concern at a moment; the supply of fuel and some materials required for restoration of public infrastructures is also a concern.

MLIT requested 127 entities (e.g. the construction industry association and the material business association) to

procure construction machineries and equipment, and to secure labor on March 12, a day after the disaster. On March 29, it required those entities to stabilize supply by conducting proper orders based on actual demand, restraining excessive inventory holdings, and refraining from speculative stocks. Furthermore, public and private sector collaborated to take measures to support local construction companies in the affected areas and to secure construction materials with consideration to the balance of supply and demand, in order to promote immediate and smooth disaster-relief projects in the affected areas.

In concrete terms, MLIT has taken measures through