Japan: In the Aftermath of Disaster

Affected areas Prefectures most heavily affected: Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba Major cities affected: Sendai, Tokyo Coastal regions with small towns were the hardest hit by both the earthquake and tsunami, while further inland the earthquake damaged roads and halted transportation services.

Current Issues Power Housing/relocation Economy Cleanup Relief Efforts

Fukushima Power Plant and Surrounding Areas Plants are presently stable, and safety measures in the event of future earthquakes are currently under construction. Radiation levels continue to be monitored around the plant and all affected areas to ensure the safety of workers, as well as evacuated residents. An evacuation zone with a radius of 20 kilometers is maintained around the plant. Food monitoring and restrictions are in place, especially for Fukushima prefecture. Some foods include: milk, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and turnips.

With the loss of the Fukushima power plant, many cities around Japan are trying to ration/conserve power to decrease the burden on other power plants throughout the country. One such example from this summer is controlling the use of air conditioning in many buildings, and encouraging people (including many office workers) to wear lighter, cooler clothing instead of suits.

Housing and relocation Efforts are now focusing on moving people from evacuation centers and emergency shelters, to longer term temporary housing. Towns located within the evacuation zone are being prepared for decontamination, which is expected to take place in September, in hopes of allowing people to return to their homes. In some areas, homes remain intact, yet are flooded with debris from the tsunami. Governments are deciding on the amount of money houses receive based on the level of damage.

Economy Local economies have suffered the most with the majority of local businesses destroyed. Because housing has become a priority, rebuilding shops and businesses has been slow going. The fishing industry in the affected coastal areas has been without work for months, efforts to reconstruct the ports have been slow. Exporting livestock from Miyagi prefecture has been suspended, putting a lot of pressure on local farmers. Due to the damaged economy in northeastern Japan and rationing of power, overall production and exports have slowed, leading to a decrease in GDP.

Cleanup Cleanup efforts have cleared away some areas. However, large amounts of debris have yet to be even touched and are piled up into huge mounds. Many roads within towns have been cleared, allowing crews to work more efficiently. While the majority of the work is done by bulldozers and cranes, volunteers continue to remove debris from homes, while victims sift through the wreckage for any salvageable belongings.

Relief Efforts Five months after the earthquake, there are still some areas where it is difficult to transport supplies, especially island communities where their ships have been heavily damaged or destroyed. Due to the difficulty of pinpointing the needs of each community, much of the donated funds are distributed as cash grants to local governments and smaller, local non-profit organizations, which can more easily assess the needs of the communities where they operate. Volunteer work ranges from cleanup, construction, and delivering basic supplies such as water and food, to services such as day care and psychological and medical care. Recent material donations include such things as appliances (refrigerator, microwave, washing machine, rice cooker for the temporary housing units), and cars and scooters to facilitate transportation for residents.

Japan/USA Relationship in Times of Crisis 1906 – The Great San Fransisco Earthquake occurs. According to reports, there was minimum of 3,000 deaths. This was the greatest recorded natural disaster and loss of life in California history. There was an outpouring of donations and support from the international community, and Japan donated the most with a total of $244, – The Great Kanto Earthquake occurs. Casualty reports estimate between 100,000 and 142,000 deaths, including missing persons. This is the most deadly recorded earthquake in Japan. The United States led the charge by sending naval vessels filled with supplies, and raising $12 million dollars for relief efforts. Let’s continue to keep this spirit of generosity and friendship strong!

Thank you for your continued support and concern for Japan and the Japanese people during this long and difficult rebuilding process. Money donated from the Riverport Business Association will help contribute to these relief efforts in many ways.