"Build back better" Case studies list
This page introduces the 5 case studies about reconstruction from Great East Japan Earthqake in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
| City, Prefecture | Abstruct | Time |
| Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture | ・Kamaishi City of Iwate Prefecture, with a population of about 40,000 (before the earthquake), is one of regions seriously damaged when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. About 30% of the total households was damaged mainly due to the tsunami, and a large number of casualties was suffered. ・Reconstruction and town development of the city is promoted in two different ways, “Urban style” and “Fishery village style”. The former mainly promotes development by readjusting land parcels, and the latter mainly promotes population resettlement. ・As for the promotion system for reconstruction, Council of Reconstruction & Town Development and Liaison Council of Landowners have been established. They are promoting the reconstruction by determining projects suited to the actual situations of disaster affected 21 districts. | Status of February 2016 (PDF形式：803.9KB) |
| Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture | ・In Ando district, Otsuchi Town of Iwate prefecture, in order to improve the disaster management ability of the district, residents were interviewed in detail on the damages caused by the earthquake and tsunami at the time of Great East Japan Earthquake, as well as on their evacuation behaviors. By reflecting lessons learned from the earthquake, a disaster management plan for the district was developed. ・Furthermore, based on the district disaster management plan, a comprehensive disaster management drill is voluntarily conducted. By repeatedly conducting drills and verifying the plan, efforts are made to refine the plan and to prevent people from forgetting the lessons learned. Iwate Prefecture and Otsuchi Town are also cooperating for the drill. In particular, Iwate Prefecture supports the Ando District in verifying the district disaster management plan, by mobilizing helicopters for drills. | Status of February 2016 (PDF形式：455.7KB) |
| Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture | ・Ishinomaki City promoted the introduction of an energy system combined with solar power generators, storage batteries, and BEMS to elementary and junior high schools within the city and in Shin-Hebita District where disaster public housings were concentrated. The city aimed to built a town that could secure the power generated by renewable energy in the event of a disaster, while utilizing the power generated by renewable energy in the peacetime. The city also created mechanisms to foster environmental awareness through the “visualization” of electricity. ・Since disaster management bases, which will become shelters in time of emergency, will be equipped with solar generators and storage batteries, electricity can be used without any problem, even when the power supply from the power company is interrupted. Also, the city has energy information on each facility. The city is considering to use electric vehicles (EV) for the transfer of power to a facility that is short of power from other facilities that have power surplus. | Status of February 2016 (PDF形式：521.4KB) |
| Higashi-matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture | ・Higashi-matsushima City of Miyagi Prefecture, with a population of about 43,000 (before the earthquake), was severely damaged from the Great East Japan Earthquake. About 97% of the total households was damaged mainly due to the tsunami. In particular, concerning seven seriously damaged districts, such as Nobiru District, relocation to hilly areas and surrounding areas of existing urban areas is planned, while ensuring the security of inland area with the use of disaster prevention green spaces and high embankment. ・In addition, considering the requests of local communities, it was decided to collectively relocate the residential areas to upland, and reassign the disaster damaged entire area south of Touna Canal as a non-residential area to be used for the location of industries, parks and green spaces, etc. | Status of February 2016 (PDF形式：530.9KB) |
| Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture | ・Among the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Fukushima Prefecture which had suffered damage caused by the nuclear accident, is forced a longer evacuation compared to other affected areas. In such a case of long-term evacuation, it will be important to design step-by-step returning processes; such as community development at evacuation sites of evacuated residents, relationship development with affected areas, and development of administrative functions, along reconstruction and town development in the affected areas. ・Odaka District of Minamisoma City has been designated as evacuation order area. Odaka District is working on developing an environment to return, aimed at the lift of evacuation order in Spring 2016. In the case of Odaka, it is remarkable that not only the city administration but also the local residents are making voluntary efforts to create an environment to return. | Status of February 2016 (PDF形式：625.8KB) |