Japan marks 11 years since quake disaster, Fukushima crisis

As soon as the Olympics were given to Japan, I knew that Tohoku would get the short end. And it has. I live in Iwate. There is so much that could have been done with all that money that was wasted on a two-week sporting event that no one wanted.

Much of the area destroyed by the disaster is already "dying". The young are moving out in droves to the big cities. The pace of this move has only increased after the earthquake. I think the government doesn't want to waste money putting in infrastructure that will not be used. Better to put it elsewhere. Somewhere it will actually be needed. In 30 years much of Tohoku will be abandoned, populated by a few very old fishermen and farmers surviving on government subsidies for their industries.

No more nukes!

Thats 111 years of the government and TEPCo fighting any compensation for those forced to relocate. I might be wrong as I haven’t read the 10000 page document that walks me through the process.

None have experienced the ‘triple blow’ these poor souls have suffered.

Despite Japan’s DAILY reminders, the government continues dragging feet on many issues:

May all RI Peace.

I arrived in Japan, 2011.

My sympathies and condolences.

I think of Naomi Hiratsuka, who lost her 12 year old daughter, Koharu. I read about her quest over the year to find her missing daughter. The villagers called Naomi Hirasuka,  Akiramena, the one who never gives up.

Naomi Hiratsuka, speaking of Koharu:  “She was a tall girl with unruly, shoulder-length hair and a plump, humorous face.” 

The Hiratsukas’ village lay sufficiently upstream as to be out of sight of the tsunami. Moreover, public communications had failed following the earthquake. Immediately after the quake, Naomi prepared to collect Koharu. But her father-in-law informed her, “This is not the moment.” At first Naomi felt little worry; people said the school would be evacuated by helicopter. Of course, the next day, having heard nothing, she wanted to check on her daughter. Her father-in-law chose to make the trip himself. On his return, he said, “I think it is hopeless. You need to give up.” On the following day Naomi made her first visit to the improvised mortuary.

In April, returning over and over to the death site, she frequently encountered a heavy-equipment operator seeking to unearth his seven-year-old boy. Eventually Naomi found Koharu’s backpack and one of her shoes. Over her father-in-law’s objections, she became a licensed earth mover and began to dig. In August some fishermen found Koharu’s remains in the ocean. Naomi insisted on viewing them. “The hope that I would recognize her . . . was not fulfilled.” Perhaps this explains why, after the headless, limbless body was cremated, Naomi kept digging, now with the aim of uncovering the school’s last four missing children. Later she returned to teach “at the school where Koharu would have gone.” 

 Lloyd Parry who wrote about the tragedy, “Of all the Okawa mothers I met, Naomi was the clearest-sighted, even in the intensity of grief,” which “was glittering and sharp and appallingly bright, . . . the opposite of consoling.”

It's on Friday, the same day back in 11 years ago, raising a clear memory.

RIP to all who lost their life in this tragedy.

I saw a heartwarming documentary during the Seoul Olympics last summer.

Japanese guy lost his boat that had tremendous sentimental value to him, as a result of the Tsunami.

A lot of wreckage drifted from Japan all the way to North America. This boat ended up washing ashore somewhere on the USA coast, some small town, and some people found it. By that time it was a mess, full of barnacles etc.

The folks who found it - located the Japanese owner on the internet via an add he must have had.. lost boat, great sentimental value.

The guy says YES I would like the boat back.

The folks polished it up and fixed it like new and sent it back to him.

This started a communication between the 2 communities, and ended up with folks sending their kids to each other's towns for visits. Learn each other's culture.

Incredibly touching story. One little Japanese girl was talking about having lost her parents, grandparents, pet as a result of the Tsunami. Just heartbreaking.

I still remember this fresh in my head and it was at the time where I was getting a massive surge of interest in Japanese anime which went onto Japanese culture, history and the country itself. And 3 years later this happened and I thought my favourite country that I had such an attachment to was just turning into a mass of destruction and carnage. The survivors you saw on the footages, you tend to wonder what they are doing now and how many nights they have had dreaming of that day, repeating in their heads. Its crazy. But Im glad Japan just managed to squeeze past the disaster. Although the affects are still being felt to this day Im glad people didnt give up hope