No.12 Visit to the disaster areas of Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture

(Inagi Newsletter October 15, 2012 issue)

On August 24, 2012, I visited Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture during a joint training session of the Tokyo Mayors' Association.
In Sendai City, a vast flat area of 4,633 hectares in the coastal region suffered damage from tsunami flooding. I climbed to the rooftop of an elementary school in the severely affected Arahama district and looked around, but it was hard to imagine that the vacant land covered with endless summer grass was once a thriving residential area.
While the collective relocation and facility reconstruction are still ongoing, the removal and processing of debris have progressed significantly. Originally, there was a vast equestrian facility along the coast, which allowed that location to be used as a temporary storage site, facilitating smooth intermediate processing from sorting to incineration. In Miyagi Prefecture, there was no impact from radiation, allowing scrap metal to be sold for 25,000 yen per ton, resulting in an annual income of 700 million yen, indicating that recycling is also advancing.
During a major disaster, the removal and disposal of debris will impact subsequent recovery efforts, so I believe securing temporary storage sites is a challenge for Inagi City.
After the site inspection, we received a lecture from Mayor Emiko Okuyama. Her firsthand account, as someone who took command at the scene of 3.11, provided specific insights that I hope will be useful for future disaster prevention measures.
On the 25th, we separated from the mayor's conference and entered Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture. We signed a mutual support agreement for disaster response in June of last year, and we are currently dispatching civil engineering staff for one year to support reconstruction. We visited Mayor Hideki Tachiya to encourage the staff and presented a donation.
In Soma City, the damage in coastal areas such as the Isobe district is severe, and recovery is still a long way off. I was relieved to hear that this year, the Soma Nomaoi festival, which had to be scaled down last year, was able to be held at nearly the usual scale, attracting many tourists.
Through this inspection, I am glad to know that the disaster-stricken areas are gradually regaining their vitality. Let us continue to provide support within our capabilities.