Abstract
The damage resulting from the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and subsequent tsunami necessitated a re-evaluation of the way land is used in the affected areas. Despite receiving various reconstruction subsidies, many disaster-affected municipalities have struggled in their rebuilding efforts under various difficulties: scarce resources, a sharp increase in construction costs, a shortage of expertise, and the strict application of the new tsunami mitigation rule (Two-Two Rule). However, it has been difficult to track these continuous challenges and struggles. Most reconstruction decisions are made at the municipal level, and the information is not widely shared.
The author has participated in many reconstruction projects as an architectural planner and a reconstruction advisor. Based on the outcome of recent studies and the author’s own practical experiences, this article aims to show the actual status and challenges of reconstruction works after the GEJE.
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Notes
- 1.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) released the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2015 (UNISDR 2015b). The Build Back Better (BBB) principle is one of the four priorities stated in the framework.
- 2.
An exception is the Kesennuma area, where the bay mouth and inner harbor are categorized in the same “regional coast” (see: http://www.thr.mlit.go.jp/Bumon/B00097/K00360/taiheiyouokijishinn/kaigann/kaigann2.pdf).
- 3.
Population of Rikuzentakata City is 19,472 (October 2016) and the area is 231.94 km2.
- 4.
Population of Kamaishi City is 36,372 (October 2016) and the area is 440.34 km2.
- 5.
Indicators for the analysis were (1) budget for urban-planning projects, (2) rate of budget for urban-planning projects to total budget of surface-construction projects (includes all projects towards revitalization of the town’s living environment and housing, except public-housing projects) and (3) number of damaged and destroyed residences.
- 6.
Population of Shichgahama Town is 18,571 (October 2016) and the area is 13.19 km2
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Prof. Mikiko Ishikawa, Prof. Hitoshi Abe and Assistant Prof. Ayano Toki for providing figures. We would also like to thank Prof. Michio Ubaura, Prof. Katsuya Hirano from IRIDeS and Prof. Yoshimitsu Shiozaki from Ritsumeikan University for their general support as colleagues of the research group. We greatly appreciate officials in Shichigahama Town, Yamamoto Town, Iwanuma City, Ishinomaki City and Kamaishi City for sharing information. The study is supported by Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 25303023. Last but not least thanks for Ms. Melissa Heng for proof reading.
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Onoda, Y., Tsukuda, H., Suzuki, S. (2018). Complexities and Difficulties Behind the Implementation of Reconstruction Plans After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 2011. In: Santiago-Fandiño, V., Sato, S., Maki, N., Iuchi, K. (eds) The 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: Reconstruction and Restoration. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 47. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58691-5_1
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