Volume 98 - December 15, 2015

Half of December has passed by, and the mountains are decorated white with snow.

The Kokoro Hakobu Project - Iwate Festa in MEGA WEB （Koto, Tokyo）

From November 21 （Sat） to November 23 （Mon）, the Kokoro Hakobu Project’s “Iwate Festa” was held at MEGAWEB, a Toyota Motor Corporation showroom in Koto-ku, Tokyo. The Kokoro Hakobu Project is part of the disaster relief aid being provided by the Toyota Group and its affiliated companies following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The Iwate Festa was put together to introduce more people to the prefecture’s charms, and its current condition and the progress of its reconstruction.

Up on MEGA’s stage, Iwate charmed the crowd with performances of its traditional dances, like the prefecture's representative and widely-known Morioka Sansa Odori, Onikenbai （Devil's Sword Dance） and Hayachine Take-kagura. Various booths were set up in the MEGA Square, like the “Odense! （Welcome!） Iwate Prefecture Booth,” which sold Iwate’s local products. Other booths explained the efforts being taken toward reconstruction, and introduced the prefecture's World Heritage Sites, Hiraizumi and the Hashino Iron Mining and Smelting Site.

There was also a special display of the hybrid car Aqua, which is manufactured at Toyota’s factory in Kanegasaki, Iwate. The vehicle was coated with Joboji-nuri, a type of lacquer and one of Iwate's traditional crafts. There was even an area where visitors could see the manufacturing process of the automobiles.

On November 22 （Sat）, 1,000 pacific saury, shipped all the way from Ofunato, were passed out among the visitors. It was a very lively event that showed people that Iwate is doing well and working hard towards reconstruction.

Examining the Data in Vol. 16 of the Iwate Reconstruction Index

The Iwate Reconstruction Index Report is published periodically and serves to make it easier to understand the current state of affairs and recent trends in Iwate's reconstruction efforts, particularly in the 12 affected coastal municipalities.

Below are outlined the main points from volume 16 of the report （as of November 20, 2015）.

Rebuilding Lives

Progress Rate on Public Housing for Survivors: 38%
2,216 Completed Housing Units
（1,049 prefectural, 1,167 municipal）
（as of September 30, 2015）

*899 complete housing units; 16% progress rate at the end of September 2014
The number of planned residential construction projects is 5,771 （2,784 prefectural, 2,987 municipal）, which marks a 38% completion rate.

Regenerating Industries

Fisheries Catch in Fish Markets: 44,406 metric tons （67% of 3-year average）
（Current total for April 2015-September 2015）

The total market catch for fish markets has decreased by 4.5% from the same time period last year. This is seen as a result of the considerably poor catch of pacific saury and squid this year.

Ensuring Safety

Progress Rate on Construction Works: 20%
Number of Projects Completed: 1,626
（as of September 30, 2015）

The number of planned residential construction projects is 8,064, which marks a 20% completion rate.

The Birth of a New Town - Grand Opening Ceremony in Taro （Miyako）

On November 22, 2015 （Sun）, a ceremony was held in Miyako marking the near completion of elevated residential land in the city's Taro district, which received catastrophic damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Around 300 local residents attended the ceremony.

161 blocks of land were cleared around the Sanno apartments （an area of approximately 25.5 hectare） as part of an effort to relocate communities to higher ground. A land re-adjustment project elevated approximately 19 hectares of land by 2 meters, creating 180 blocks of residential land.

The mayor of Miyako, Masanori Yamamoto, spoke at the ceremony about the reconstruction, saying, "I want to make a place that people will be proud of living in." Ryuto Nishikawa （15）, a third-year student of Taro Daiichi Junior High School, also spoke up at the ceremony: "As residents of Taro, we will
do our best to prevent disasters. We will pass on our knowledge of the tsunami to the next generation, who will continue to pass it onto theirs, and we will continue to live on together with Taro."

Yoshihama Road Along the Sanriku Coast Opens （Ofunato）

On November 29, 2015 （Sun）, a commencement ceremony was held for Yoshihama Road, a road on the Sanriku Coast. The road was built as a road for reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Approximately 300 locals attended the ceremony as well as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Keiichi Ishii, and Governor Tasso. Land Minister Ishii opened up the ceremony, saying, "We will work towards completing all the roads that will support the reconstruction. We'll work diligently so that these roads will be completed even a day sooner."

Yoshihama Road is a 3.6km-long road that connects Yoshihama in Sanriku-cho, Ofunato to the Yoshihama Interchange. It spans from the Sanriku Interchange in Okirai in Sanriku-cho, Ofunato to the elevated bridge in Okirai （584m）, the Yoshihama Tunnel （1,644m）, and the elevated bridge in Yoshihama （extended 373m）.
Compared to the National Route 45 with its many sharp and sudden turns, using the Yoshihama Road shortens a 10-minute ride to 4 minutes. This is expected to be an effective asset for emergency transport of goods following natural disasters.

Features

Out of 364 entries, 5th grade student Sota Iwama's essay, "Four and a Half Years Since the Disaster （Forever Thankful）," an essay that gives strength to Tohoku, was picked as the best entry. It will be made into a short film called Mirai no Kakera （Pieces of the Future） and will be shown in February in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefecture!

Many young people are diligently helping the affected area of Sanriku move toward a full reconstruction. The section “People for Sanriku’s Future” introduces these young people and their powerful feelings.

Click the link to read about Chinami Ogasawara and her work with Miyagi Construction Company.

• Chinami Ogasawara of Miyagi Construction Co.

Casualties and Damage in Iwate （as of November 30, 2015）

• Human casualties/deaths: 4,672; Missing: 1,125
• Buildings destroyed （residences only, total/partial）: 26,166

Thank you for all of your support! （as of November 30, 2015）

Donations for survivors: Around 18.42695 billion yen （92,327 donations）
Donations for reconstruction projects: Around 19.71175 billion yen （7,536 donations）
Iwate Learning Hope Fund donations: Around 7.82058 billion yen （16,637 donations）
（注） This fund is to assist in the study and daily life of affected
children by encouraging sport and study activities.

• To make a donation to aid in Iwate's reconstruction, click here.

Contact

News from Iwate’s Reconstruction, Volume 98. December 15, 2015.
Published by the General Affairs Division, Bureau of Reconstruction, Iwate Prefecture.
Phone: 019-629-6925
Editing & Printing: SYNAPSE

*News from Iwate's Reconstruction Volume 99 will be published on January 15.