Volume 89 - August 1, 2015

People are having a blast during the short summer in the coastal regions of Iwate - the sunlight blazes down on us and sounds of laughter can be heard from families and children playing on the beach.

Swimming Season Begins as Beaches Open Along the Coast

Beach season has begun! On July 12, 2015 （Sun）, the beaches along Iwate coast were formally opened beginning with Funado Beach in Kuji.

This year there are 8 locations in total: Edogahama Beach in Taneichi-Kaihin Park （Hirono）, Funado Beach （Kuji）, Samuraihama-Iwaba Swimming Pool （Kuji）, Fudai Beach （Fudai）, Jodogahama Beach （Miyako）, Fujinokawa Beach （Miyako）,Fujinokawa Beach （Miyako）, Aragami Beach （Yamada）, and Kirikiri Beach （Otsuchi）.

As we face the dog days of summer, it’s hoped that the high number of beach-going visitors from both within and outside the prefecture will contribute to the reconstruction of tourism along the coast.

Contact

• Edogahama Beach, Taneichi-Kaihin Park （Hirono）/Hirono Town Department of Maritime Commerce and Industry 0194-65-5916
• Funado Beach （Kuji）/Kuji City Department of Commerce, Industry and Tourism 0194-52-2123
• Samuraihama-Iwaba Swimming Pool （Kuji）/North Samuraihama Campsite 0194-58-3855
• Fudai Beach （Fudai）/Fudai Village Department of Commerce, Industry and Tourism 0194-35-2111
• Jodogahama Beach （Miyako）/Miyako City Department of Commerce, Industry and Tourism 0193-68-9091
• Fujinokawa Beach （Miyako）/Miyako City Education and Lifelong Learning Department 0193-68-9120
• Aragami Beach （Yamada）/Yamada Town Tourism Association 0193-34-3775
• Kirikiri Beach （Otsuchi）/Otsuchi Town Administrative Department of Commerce, Industry and Labour 0193-42-8725

An Iwate First! The Temporary Shopping Street “Sanriku Saiko” Opens Permanently （Ofunato）

Amidst the severe damage of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, a temporary shopping center was set up in Okirai （Sanriku Town, Ofunato）. On July 12, 2015 （Sun）, the site opened permanently as the Sanriku-Saiko Shopping Association. This is the first time that a temporary shopping center along the coast has been established as a permanent fixture.

The Sanriku-Saiko Shopping Association was set up in a new location by members of the Urahama-Saiko Shopping Association, who came together in 2012. The site has 9 shops in total, including a restaurant, clothing store and barbershop. A meeting place has also been established for local residents.

The shopping center is situated next to a local council office, a medical clinic, and a construction site for public housing for disaster survivors. It is expected to take its place at the heart of the community.

Announcement - The 2015 subsidy for solar energy installation in homes affected by the disaster

For those whose properties （homes, offices, etc.） were partially or completely destroyed by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the prefecture will issue a subsidy for the installation of solar energy systems into your repaired or new home. （\20,000 per kw, up to, but not including, 10kw）. *Refer to the homepage for more information.

*Information only available in Japanese.

Contact: Department of Environment and Residential Life,
Office of Environment and Residential Life Planning, Iwate Prefecture.
Phone: 019-629-5326

Taro Daiichi Junior High School Students Get Hands-On Experience at Road Construction Site （Miyako）

From July 9 （Thu） to July 10 （Fri）, 30 third-year students from Miyako City’s Taro Daiichi Junior High School （Principal Masayuki Sugai, 100 students total） took part in a work experience program in the Taro region.

The students visited companies and construction sites in the Taro area. The purpose of the trip was to deepen their understanding of these workplaces, and to give them a chance to hear the workers’ thoughts regarding the reconstruction. The locations on the work experience program included the Miyako-Taro road along the Sanriku Coast, fire stations, nursing homes for the elderly, confectionary shops, lodging facilities, etc.

Three students on July 9 （Thu） and four students on July 10 （Fri） visited the construction site along the Miyako-Taro road, which is undergoing reconstruction after the disaster. They observed the construction on tunnels in Kashinai district and learned about the building process. Afterwards they took part in various other activities, like the evaluation of raw concrete, the construction of reinforced concrete, and land surveillance.

U.S.-Japan High School Students Summit in Rikuzentakata 2015

On July 11, 2015 （Sat）, U.S.-Japan High School Students Summit in Rikuzentakata 2015 （sponsored by Rikuzentakata City Association for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Development Aid TAKATA） was held at the community hall in Rikuzentakata.

The participants consisted of 32 American high school students who are a part of the Japan Foundation’s project to visit Japan and 25 students from Ofunato High School. This year the summit focused on community building, with a focus on making “normalization”* something “normal.”

The high school students were split into mixed groups of eight and sent around the city to look for problems faced by the elderly, people with disabilities, foreign residents, and children.

They then thought up solutions to these problems and presented on them. These solutions will be submitted to the city as a written proposal.

*Normalization: Making life as close to “normal conditions” as possible to people with disabilities and other disadvantaged people. Rikuzentakata City is focused on welcoming people from all walks of life.

Feature

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 Kagumi Ogasawara and her efforts as part of Manabi no Heya, an organization for children in the disaster-affected areas.

• Kagumi Ogasawara of Iwate Prefectural University

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

• Human casualties/deaths: 4,672; Missing: 1,129
• Buildings destroyed （residences only, total/partial）: 26,163

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

Donations for survivors: Around 18.39738 billion yen （91,638 donations）
Donations for reconstruction projects: Around 19.68654 billion yen （7,378 donations）
Iwate Learning Hope Fund donations: Around 7.63508 billion yen （15,843 donations）
※ 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 89. August 1, 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 90 will be published on August 15