One Year After The Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami

On March 11, 2011 at exactly 2:46 pm local time, the eastern part of Japan (Tohoku region) was hit by a devastating 9.0 earthquake. It was soon followed by a raging tsunami. According to Japan’s National Police Agency, 15,786 people have been confirmed killed or missing as  at the end of February this year. Out […]

On March 11, 2011 at exactly 2:46 pm local time, the eastern part of Japan (Tohoku region) was hit by a devastating 9.0 earthquake. It was soon followed by a raging tsunami. According to Japan’s National Police Agency, 15,786 people have been confirmed killed or missing as  at the end of February this year. Out of the number, 14,308 or 91 percent, drowned, 145 were killed by fire and 667 died from other causes, such as being crushed or freezing to death. Nearly two-thirds of the victims were also aged 60 or older.

Others died of debilitation or starvation in buildings in or near the no-entry zone set up around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant after the disaster knocked out the plant’s cooling systems and triggered meltdowns. About 2.4 million people were left without access to water and 222,000 households without power. About 300,000 buildings were destroyed and a further one million damaged, either by the quake, tsunami or resulting fires. Almost 4,000 roads, 78 bridges and 29 railways were also affected.

The death toll could have been much higher, according to officials, had the government failed to adopt some proactive measures.

Recovery and reconstruction efforts have since begun. To both state and non-state actors, the best way to honour the dead is to make life more secure, safer and more comforting for the living – not through lamentations. Yet in so doing, all the actors seem very much aware of the need to respect the environment, and remain firmly committed to the international community, which contributed a lot to the country after the disaster.

Memorial for the dead

On March 11, 2012, at exactly the time the earthquake struck, the whole of Japan stood still in memory of the dead. Even in Tokyo’s busy shopping district of Shibuya, pedestrians briefly stopped and fell silent before carrying on. A memorial service was held for the victims of the earthquake and the tsunami disasters across the country.

At a memorial service in Tokyo’s National Theater, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, 78-year-old Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko all stood in silence with hundreds of other people dressed in black, as they paid glowing tributes to the dead, including rescuers who died trying to save others.

Prime Minister Noda, in a speech televised live throughout the country, said that the Japanese people have overcome disasters and difficulties many times in the past, and pledged to rebuild the nation and the area around the tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant , so that the country will be “reborn as an even better place.”

“Our predecessors who brought prosperity to Japan have repeatedly risen up from crises, every time becoming stronger,” Noda said. “We will stand by the people from the disaster-hit areas and join hands to achieve the historic task of rebuilding.”

The Emperor, speaking after the prime minister, said “In order to make the area (Fukushima Daiichi) inhabitable again, we face the difficult problem of removing radiation,” Akihito said, adding that “We shall not let our memory of the disasters fade, pay attention to disaster prevention , and continue our effort to make this land an even safer place to live.”

Guidelines for the reconstruction

To ensure effective response to the disaster, a Reconstruction Headquarters was established on 24 June 2011 in the cabinet based on the Basic Act on Reconstruction, and headed by the then Prime Minister Naoto Kan (who later resigned as prime minister on 26 August 2011, amid widespread criticism of his handling of the aftermath of the 11 March disasters). Dr Makoto Iokibe was the chair of the Reconstruction Design Council.

On July 29, the headquarters finalized the government’s basic guidelines for reconstruction. The guidelines incorporated initiatives from the following four perspectives as basic concepts for reconstruction and measures towards recovery: (a) building disaster resistant and resilient regions, (b) restoration of life in communities, (c) revival of local economic activities, and (d) nation-building which incorporate lessons learnt from the Great Earthquake, in addition to incorporating (e) initiatives towards reconstruction from the nuclear accident.

Based on these guidelines, the government approved the third supplementary budget, totalling 12.1 trillion yen, on November 21. On December 7, it enacted the law aimed at creating a system for designating “special zones for reconstruction.” Special measures and incentives will be applied to both domestic and foreign enterprises based on the non-discrimination principle.

Fukushima nuclear plant

The earthquake and tsunami disaster triggered another crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant. It knocked out power at the station and emergency diesel generators were inoperable because of the tsunami. There were reports of highly contaminated water leaking into the sea and forcing more than 100,000 people to flee the area. But the government quickly responded with some temporary measures.

On April 17 Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced its Roadmap towards Restoration from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. An “Investigation Committee on the Accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations of Tokyo Electric Power Company”, was set up to conduct a thorough investigation. In September, the Government presented an additional report (final Report) on the progress in dealing with the nuclear accident since the IAEA Ministerial Conference in June on the occasion of the IAEA Board of Governors and General Conference in Vienna. It also held a briefing on the accident at the IAEA General Conference.”

The report was written to provide (a) additional information on the accident gleaned following the report that was submitted in June and the current status of efforts to settle the accident, (b) the status of efforts on the 28 lessons from the accident listed in the report submitted in June, and (c) the status of response to the nuclear accident victims (off-site plan) and the status of investigations into the mid- to long-term plan (on-site plan) at the power station after the settlement of the accident.

In December last year, Japanese prime minister announced that the Fukushima could shutdown, but did not clearly say when residents can return.

Prefabricated houses

Immediately after the disaster, makeshift evacuation centres sprang up which were mostly school gyms, packed with hundreds of survivors, officials said. Children were made to play indoors for fear of radiation. An official cited the case of a school gym where about 800 people took shelter shortly after the disaster. Telephone companies provided free services at the gym.

According to the Japanese authorities, the number of evacuees three days after the outbreak of the disaster was about 470,000. It stood at 334,786, with 687 of them staying at evacuation centres as of January 16, 2012. Most of the evacuees, about 330,000, have already moved into temporary houses, or rented accommodation paid for by the local governments concerned. The construction of temporary houses is completed in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, while it is nearing completion in Fukushima prefecture.

Iwate set aside 2,500 units for local contractors out of 14,000; Fukushima earmarked 5,000 out of 15,000 for locals; and Miyagi only 300 out of 23,000.

Quite a number of survivors of the March 11 disaster are living in temporary shelters, mostly prefabricated houses.  The average size of each unit is 29.7 square meters. Tens of thousands of units were ordered in all three prefectures within weeks of the disaster. But because the demand was high and time was of the essence, the prefectural governments felt that the larger general contractors should get the bulk of the contracts.

The prefabricated houses, aside the beds and blankets, are equipped with a washing machine, refrigerator, 20 inches television set, microwave and containers meant for recycling of waste.

New energy policy

In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Japanese government pledged to reduce reliance on nuclear power, which used to supply about 30 percent of the nation’s energy needs before the disaster, even as it made a case to restart some nuclear plants during the transition period. For instance, officials said, only two of Japan’s 54 reactors are now running while those shut down for regular inspections undergo special tests to check their ability to withstand similar disasters.

And though no one has died from radiation exposure, the Prime Minister acknowledged failures in the government’s response to the disaster, including being too slow in relaying key information,  and believing too much in “a myth of safety” about nuclear power.

Japan has since reviewed its energy policy, reducing the use of electricity by 15 percent. Many businesses and government buildings had to reduce their use of electricity. While the country has since shifted its focus to the promotion of renewable energy use, energy saving.

‘Our message to the world’

At a briefing, Mr Masaru Sato, Assistant Press Secretary/Director of International Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the Government of Japan has been working hard with the affected local governments towards reconstruction based on the basic guidelines outlined. He appreciated his country’s sincere gratitude for the tremendous assistance and condolences extended from all over the world. He said the country wishes to provide timely, accurate information to the international community so that “the international community can act based on scientific evidence.”

Sato said, while strengthening bonds (kizuna) with the international community and incorporating various types of vigour from foreign countries, it is also a goal of this basic concept to strive for a reconstruction that is open to the world, rather than being focused inwardly. We also wish to show the world that the appeal of Japan is unchanged despite the disaster, as well as Japan’s resilience displayed during the earthquake.

He said Japan remains committed to international peace and security, as well as being interested through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the growth and stability of the African continent, which he described as important to the global economy in the nearest future.

He said though Japan is susceptible to earthquakes due to its many mountains, the government wants to ensure at anytime that the concept of human security, emphasis on education, social security to take care of elderly citizens remain realistic. “Indeed, we feel obliged to share our experience and knowledge with the international community. It is also our aim to let the world know that Japan is on a steady path to recovery and reconstruction,” he said.