The Famine in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima - 1906

The following clipping from The New York Times, 5 March 1906, provides an interesting perspective on last year's disaster.

Miyagi Fisheries Recovery Zone - New JF Miyagi chairman still rejects zone, claims fisheries now open to corporations

The fisheries recovery zone promoted by Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai took a small step toward realization with JF Miyagi's newly selected chairman, Shinetsu Kikuchi.

Reconstruction Minister Blasts Tohoku Official — for ‘Bad Manners’

Update: 2011-7-6: Matsumoto resigned

New Reconstruction Minister Ryu Matsumoto lost his temper when Miyagi Governor Murai kept him waiting for a meeting, then blasted the Governor for his lack of manners and failing to remember his military training, and finally threatened to destroy any media company that reported his outburst.

[Cabinet Recovery Commission] A Top-Down Vision: Building Anew Out of Tsunami's Rubble

In Yoree Koh's article in the Wall Street Journal, architect Tadao Ando, a member of the Cabinet Recovery Commission, presents his view of how Tohoku's ravaged coast should be rebuilt.

Mr. Ando is taking upon himself the task of designing a rebuilt Tohoku. The vision is grand but omits a key component: the input of the people of Tohoku. Mr. Ando is acting as if a doctor diagnosing and prescribing for a patient.

Curiously, the article makes no mention of Miyagi Prefecture's competing vision, which is further along in its development. It also makes no mention of Iwate Prefecture's bottom up approach.

Mr. Ando, like others, wants to write his views on Tohoku. Does Tohoku want to be written on?

Citation:

Yoree Koh, "Building Anew Out of Tsunami's Rubble," Wall Street Journal - Asia, 2011/6/6, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304906004576366643979766836.html (accessed 2011/6/6)

Sendai City initial recovery plan calls for building up highways to make double seawall

Almost a month after Miyagi Prefecture released initial reconstruction plans for its other coastal municipalities, Sendai City released its initial concept and began hearings.

Sendai's "Recovery Vision" calls for moving about 2,600 families away from the coast into new municipal development zones. A double seawall system will replace them. A traditional seawall on the oceanfront will be backed by forested barriers laced with drainage canals. Behind them, two existing major highways will be built up into seawalls using rubble left by the earthquake and tsunami. Farmland will take up the space between these highway-cum-seawalls.

Watari to recruit personnel experienced in Hanshin recovery

Consistent with Miyagi Prefecture's seeking recovery expertise from all over Japan, Watari has announced that it will recruit personnel from Hyogo Prefecture who experienced recovery efforts after the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995. The intent is to hire this person or persons under Japan's traditional seconding practices.

Source: Kahoku Online Network, 2011/5/21, http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2011/05/20110521t11027.htm