Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
## Restoration of Lifeline Infrastructures

In order to push out waste water from town areas, surveys on whether sewage pipes preserved their flow functions were conducted in the early stages after the disaster. For this research, officials were dispatched from municipalities nationwide to help the affected municipalities figure out the damages quickly. When pipes were damaged or pumping functions were stopped, temporary pipes and pumps were used for ensuring public health.

Among the 120 waste treatment plants that were damaged, those whose damages were relatively less have been temporarily restored; 95 facilities are at least temporarily back to their normal capability of treatment. However, the operation of 16 facilities is still suspended due to damages by the tsunami on their machinery or electric equipment (as of August 8). In 13 plants that received waste water out of the suspended plants, countermeasures have been progressed like temporary treatment by precipitation or sterilization. In addition, the Japan Sewage Works Agency has supported temporary measures and the formulation of a restoration plan in cooperation with related organizations.

This disaster also revealed new issues such as the cut-off of external power sources and the damages to waste water treatment plants (most of which are constructed in coastal areas). In addition, emergency measures had to be conducted for public health, such as countermeasures against pooled waste water in town areas. Since plans were needed for temporary restoration in case that it took a long time to realize actual restoration, the MLIT announced the basic outline in improving treatment levels step by step.

## Column - Early Restoration of Sewage System via Private and public partnership

In Rikuzen-Takata City, a coastal area, the wastewater treatment plant (Rikuzen-Takata Purification Center) was damaged. Fortunately, about 400 households on higher ground suffered little damage. Because the facility and a relay pump station broke down, management of wastewater discharged from the area became an issue.

Accepting a suggestion from Hitachi Plant Construction & Service, the city decided to introduce Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) mobile units. Delivery, installment, and test operation of the system were promptly carried out, and actual operation started within a month. Thanks to MBR, a better technology for wastewater treatment, the quality of treated water has improved. The proposal from a private sector and the quick decision-making of the city resulted in securing a hygienic environment in the affected area.

Wastewater Treatment Area

Source: MLIT

Mobile MBR Unit
Securing toilets is always a big problem for shelters, etc. In Higashimatsushima City, manhole toilets, which were constructed using the Japanese government's support system to promote earthquake countermeasures for sewage system, were put to good use. Since they did not have steps though portable toilets usually do, they were popular especially for elderly people.

## 72 : Manhole Toilet Used at Shelters

Source: MLIT

## Securing Housing for the afflicted

Early construction of temporary housing was necessary in order to improve and stabilize life for evacuees and the afflicted. Immediately after the earthquake, on March 14, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism requested the Japan Federation of Housing Organization to provide 30,000 housing in 2 months. On April 5, the Minister requested the federation to provide 30,000 more housing in the subsequent 3 months.

The number of requests for temporary housing construction was 52,352 (13,983 for Iwate; 22,054 for Miyagi; 16,000 for Fukushima; 10 for Ibaraki; 20 for Tochigi; 230 for Chiba; and 55 for Nagano, as of August 11). The numbers surpassed the requests for housing after the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (48,300 for almost 7 months).

Initial construction for a housing facility was begun in Rikuzentakata City in Iwate on March 19, and on April, it was ready for local residents to move into. As of August 11, the construction of 49,866 housing facilities was begun, and 47,170 in 856 districts have since then been completed.

## 73 : Construction of Temporary Housing

Sources: Rikuzen-Takata City, Iwate (left); Sendai City (right)
74: Number of Temporary Housing Planned and Completed

Source: MLIT

75: Construction and Occupancy of Temporary Housings in Comparison to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

Constructed	Occupied
East Japan (8/11, 152nd day)	47,170	85,090 $ {}^{*} $
Hanshin-Awaji (6/21, 157th day)	39,241	36,971

$ ^{※} $ Including 49,937 units, the number of units rented from private housing owners as temporary housing for the affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. In the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the total number of rented private housing units was 139. However, the number on 6/21 is unknown.

Source: MLIT
In addition, MLIT has been sharing information about available privately leased houses with the afflicted via print advertisement. For example, on April 18, it started publishing a magazine about privately rented accommodations, in cooperation with real estate businesses and private corporations.

Since construction of temporary housing takes a certain time, accommodations at hotels, inns, etc. have been promoted to help alleviate the suffering caused by living in shelters. The Japan Tourism Agency has worked together with related ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare to support accommodating victims beyond prefectural boundaries by utilizing the Disaster Relief Act.

77: Availability and Occupancy of Public Housing

Source: MLIT
The number of evacuees taking advantage of accommodations certified as eligible for the Act has been about 24,000 within Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, and about 3,400 in other prefectures (accumulated totals as of July 21). The private sector has developed support for the afflicted so that they could stay at hotels and inns at special discounted fees.

## Column - Village Made an Immediate Decision to accommodate 1,000 People in Hotels

Three days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Katashina Village in Gumma Prefecture announced it would accommodate evacuees in hotels and inns within the village free of charge under the cooperation of the hotel association. Nearly 1,000 evacuees from Minami-Soma City in Fukushima came to the village, whose population is a slightly

over 5,000, and were accommodated at 35 hotels and inns starting March 18.

Villagers were keen to engage in volunteer activities. Local government officials, the hotel association, and local residents worked together to support the afflicted and to offer warm hospitality.

Source: Katashina Village, Gumma

To support the repair and reconstruction of damaged houses, MLIT provided victims with consultation for housing problems via the telephone hotline "Smairu Dial"; carried out free on-the-spot $ ^{1} $ diagnoses and consultations; and offered victims free consultations and estimates by experts (e.g. lawyers) to advice them regarding consumer issues. In the Condominium Management Center, a contact point for condominium apartments affected by the disaster was set up, and has been providing consultation relating to disaster damages and planned outages for condominium management associations since March 14.

The Japan Housing Finance Agency has not only improved loans for recovering residences (e.g. 0% interest for the initial 5 years) of the afflicted who try to rebuild or renovate their houses by themselves, but has also created loans for those whose lands were damaged. With existing loans, the payment period or the payment postponed period can be extended for up to 5 years and interests can be decreased during the postponed period.

MLIT has also offered other forms of assistance, such as support for the construction of public housing, land acquirement, the development and maintenance of local high-quality homes for the afflicted that can be leased to the afflicted. In addition, it supports the establishment of facilities for the support of livelihood in public housings in order to provide services for the elderly, the handicapped, and families with children.
### 3. Securing Immediate and Smooth Recovery

## Disposal of Debris

The Great East Japan Earthquake produced a great deal of debris. The debris from buildings destroyed in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima alone has been estimated to be about 22,600,000 tons. $ ^{1} $ The number greatly surpasses that from the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (about 14,500,000 tons, excluding debris from public facilities). The rubble impeding livelihood near shelters and residential areas were supposed to be taken away immediately. For such debris, there was a policy to move them to temporary junkyards or intermediate treatment facilities by the end of August 2011 $ ^{2} $ .

Delay in handling the rubble greatly hampered the normalization of the life of the afflicted and the reconstruction of the affected areas. MLIT has tried hard to remove debris from public facilities such as roads, rivers, ports, etc., and it has also created a policy regarding the treatment of damaged automobiles and vessels. It requested the construction industry to respond immediately to requests from municipalities, and has arranged support systems for municipalities (e.g. consultation at the Tohoku Regional Bureau for municipalities that try to remove rubble and need to secure construction machineries or personnel from construction companies).

Additionally, it provides local municipalities with information about the kinds of waste that can be accepted and recycled at ports (including MLIT-designated recycling ports) and about possible disposal sites.

In addition, to collect debris that had drifted into the sea and that were impeding boats and ships, MLIT dispatched ocean cleaning vessels that usually collect wastes and oil in closed waters (e.g. Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay, and the Seto Internal Sea) to Sendai Bay and coastal waters along Sanriku.

## Restoration of Geodetic Reference Points

Since geodetic reference points changed during the disaster as a result of horizontal crustal deformation (up to 5 meters horizontally) and ground sinking, their use has been suspended in wide areas in eastern Japan. $ ^{3} $ These reference points provide location information which is used as standards for public land measurement and demarcation cadastral data by the Japanese government and local municipalities. If this information is inaccurate, restoration activities of public infrastructures would be greatly affected. Thus, the Geographic Survey Institute has actively progressed restoration of geodetic reference points.

## 78 : Recovery of Geodetic Reference Points

* These are schematic drawings, excluding the no-tresspassing area of the Fukushima Nuclear power station.

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan
the national government and the municipalities to suspend public works as necessary and to make the advance payment guarantee system more flexible so that construction businesses can conduct cash management well. It also prepared brochures summarizing governmental support policies regarding finance and employment of construction companies, and information contacts. Furthermore, it set up a hotline for construction operators.

As for measures regarding construction materials, MLIT has reinforced systems to collect and provide information. For example, it utilized the "Local Liaison Meeting on Measures for Construction Materials" – which is set up in each MLIT regional bureau and which consists of prefectures, construction industry associations, material business associations for information exchange, and it has created information contacts for construction materials. MLIT has also taken measures such as sharing information about construction materials with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Forestry (which also administrates the production and distribution of construction materials) to secure the balance of supply and demand of materials.
# Column - Recovery from Tsunami Disaster Caused by Off South-West Hokkaido Earthquake (Okushiri

## I sland, Hokkaido)

Okushiri Island suffered great damage, such as 198 casualties and missing persons, demolished settleveits, etc. due to the huge tsunami that was caused by the Off South-West Hokkaido Earthquake in June 1993. The local and national governments promoted town reconstruction with consideration to disaster protection. Listening to the requests of local residents, they built embankments behind coastal levees that can withstand tsunamis, repaired roads, built shelters, etc. so that residents could return to their former neighborhoods. As for other areas, residents were moved into new housings on higher ground.

Source: Okushiri Town, Hokkaido

## Column - Town Restoration and Community Rebuilding (Kobe City, Hyogo)

As a result of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, 80% of the buildings in the Matsumoto district of Hyogo Ward collapsed. A Town Building Council was created 4 months after the earthquake so that residents could propose ways to reconstruct the town based on their experiences with fires during the earthquake. One example is "Seseragi", a beautiful stream that runs along the streets and utilizes highly-treated waste water. Residents-led community building was promoted as the Council made an agreement with the city about the management of "Seseragi". The residents regularly clean their neighborhood.

Source: Kobe City, Hyogo

Consistent Implementation of the "MLIT Approaches for Restoration and Reconstruction from the Disaster by the Great East Japan Earthquake"

Based on the problems that have been mentioned, MLIT showed orientation of a concrete policy in the "MLIT Approaches for Restoration and Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake". Its ideas are used in the Japanese Government's "Basic Policy for Restoration from the Great East Japan Earthquake".

First, "restoration and stabilization of victims' livelihood" is to be pushed forward to balance the urgent rebuilding of livelihood and time-consuming town building. In order to secure safe and untroubled residences, MLIT not only comprehensively supports to develop residential sites, to supply affordable residences, and to maintain public facilities, but also promotes the securing of residences and town building with consideration to the elderly and local communities, and support for residence rebuilding though the decrease of interest rates for housing loans and the reduction of loan defrayments. In addition, for the areas where large-scale land embankments collapsed or where liquefaction occurred, MLIT promotes the notification and application of enhanced support policies for land owners,
and secondary disaster protection for social foundations including city infrastructures. Furthermore, it is pushing forward the restoration and reconstruction of damaged train networks, as well as the securing and maintenance of public transportation (e.g. buses, ferries for isolated islands, etc.) in the affected areas.

Second, MLIT promotes the construction of safe and comfortable towns by integrating both hard and soft policies such as "town restoration and reconstruction by new innovative ideas". For this, MLIT is going to create a system to promote "tsunami-resistant town building" by changing ideas for town building from "one-line protection" to "multi-line protection", based on the building of local communities whose backbone is to "escape". Discussions about concrete policies for the promotion of the system have been progressing. In addition, MLIT has been reviewing the suspension of existing land use plans, a "one stop" system to implement approval procedures and the management of lands whose owners are unknown in order to promote integrated land use adjustments of urban areas and farm lands. Furthermore, MLIT supports such town building with manpower, technology, and information, and promotes approaches such as PPP (public-private partnership).

Third, keeping in mind that industrial restoration in the Tohoku area directly affects Japan's economic revitalization and the securing of international competitiveness, MLIT not only tries to implement early restoration of city and traffic infrastructures as part of the "revitalization of industry and economy, and the support of city and traffic infrastructures", but also promotes support of early restoration and reconstruction of the shipbuilding industry that is essential to the marine products industry, and an early reinstatement of MLIT related industries such as the management and maintenance of trucks, commercial warehouses, construction facilities, automobiles, etc. Moreover, MLIT is pushing forward the urgent management of the restoration roads and restoration-supporting roads that are necessary for the restoration of the affected areas (e.g. roads along Sanriku coastal areas); the creation and maintenance of port facilities that will be resistant to earthquakes and tsunamis; and the active development of tourism promotion policies such as the recovery of tourism demands inside and outside of Japan.

Fourth, MLIT progresses not only the restoration and reconstruction in the affected areas, but also promotes approaches with consideration to predictions of another big earthquake occurring in the future and the "reconstruction of disaster-resistant national land". It also progresses reviews on policies from regional wide scale, the development and management of infrastructures with higher readiness for disaster, and the creation of a flexible national spatial structure that can withstand disasters as a whole or as local communities.
ones for damage reduction such as improvement on the earthquake-resistant housings and public facilities, flood control, seacoast protection.

As for soft measures, issues and problems to be improved or reinforced are still being accumulated such as the monitoring of various disasters and observation systems; the enhancement and reinforcement of immediate communication systems for disaster and evacuation information; the preparation and enhancement of hazard maps for sharing local disaster risks. $ ^{1} $

Along those approaches, it is important to prepare detailed and flexible response systems and structures in advance, including immediate and smooth evacuation and rescue, support for victims, and further restoration and reconstruction of damaged areas.

This cannot be realized in a day. However, it is necessary to accumulate continuous measures without forgetting the lessons learned in this disaster.

## Reinforcement of Cooperation through Self-Help, Community-Help, and Public-Help

For realizing disaster-resistant national land, not only national and local governments, but also various entities are required to review the best preparations that they can perform depending on each of their roles. After the earthquake, there was a great deal of efforts made by people, enterprises, volunteers to aid victims. For reducing disaster damage, the triple approach of self-help, community-help, and public-help is fundamental.

Especially in such situations where local communities have been losing their powers and capabilities both in urban areas and countrysides, and their disaster protection function accordingly has been weakening, it will be necessary for each community to amass daily approaches to figure out various and unique disaster risks, and to analyze factors that enlarge damages, in order to share knowledge regarding disasters, to prepare concrete measures for avoiding risks, and to carry out drills as they deepen risk communication among those who are concerned.

Through such approaches, local capabilities of protecting themselves from disasters should be enhanced so that the foundation of damage reduction is that local people protect their own community.
## Section 2: Urgent Issues with Preparations for Future Disasters

Japan locates in one of the most disastrous lands in the world, where various natural disasters can occur: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, storms and floods, heavy snows, etc. It has therefore promoted measures to decrease social vulnerability against such disasters and to reduce damages by reinforcing disaster countermeasures in each step (protection, temporary restoration, and reconstruction and restoration) based on a myriad of past experiences.

A natural disaster may hit Japan at any time. Experts point out the urgency of the Tokai, Tonankai, or Nankai earthquakes and of trench-type earthquakes that may possibly cause huge tsunamis. Japan can not avoid the danger of great earthquakes (e.g. the capital central earthquake) or massive tsunamis, and the devastation they would cause if they occur. There are other disaster risks due to changes in natural conditions, like the increased frequency of heavy rain caused by global warming.

In social aspects, new approaches are required because of an aging society, local depopulation, and shifts in city structures, etc.

According to the survey $ ^{1} $ conducted by MLIT in February in 2011 (hereinafter called the MLIT survey), more people pointed out factors causing disaster risks to increase: "dilapidation or insufficient strength of houses or other buildings against earthquakes", "increase of disaster-affected population like the elderly", etc. In smaller municipalities, more people were concerned about the "weakening of community bonds due to aging, depopulation, etc.", "deterioration of administrative capabilities of managing disasters due to reduction of budgets, personnel, etc.", and "weakening of community strength for restoration due to decline of local industries". In large cities, more people were concerned about the "increase of complexity in city structure such as skyscrapers, underground malls, etc."

84: Factors Worsening Disaster Risk (Results from MLIT Opinion Survey)

Q: Do you think disaster risk has risen or will rise in the future in your neighborhood? Choose all risks you feel anxious about.
### 1. Increase of Natural Disaster Threats

Earthquakes are Possible to occur Anytime and Anywhere; Imminence of a Huge Earthquake and Tsunami

The area around the Japan islands is located over 4 plates where more than 20% of earthquakes of magnitude 6 or stronger occur. $ ^{1} $

Of particular concern are imminence of huge earthquakes like trench-type earthquakes or like the Tokai, Tonankai, and Nankai earthquakes which would devastate widespread areas, and the capital central earthquake predicted to hit the metropolis of Tokyo. Experts point out their imminence based on past occurrence cycles.

According to a survey by the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion in Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology $ ^{2} $ there is an 87% $ ^{3} $ probability for the Tokai Earthquake to happen within 30 years; 70% $ ^{4} $ for the Tonankai Earthquake; 60% for the Nankai Earthquake; and 70% for the Capital Central Earthquake.

The Japanese Government announced the estimated damages in case of such occurrences and has reinforced countermeasures for reducing such damages. In addition, it carried out disaster drills on September 1, 2011 with the presumption that the three massive earthquakes (the Tokai, Tonankai, and Nankai) will occur in combination. It also plans to start discussions on widespread disaster countermeasures in preparation in case those 3 earthquakes occur at the same time. However, there are still many issues and problems to work on. It is necessary to make good use of the lessons learned in the Great East Japan Earthquake to promote countermeasures that are effective in reducing damage.

85: Plates Under and Around the Japan Archipelago

Source: "Seismic Activity in Japan – Regional Characteristics Analyzed from Past Earthquakes 2nd Edition", edited by The Earthquake Research Committee, the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion