Poll: Over 50% Say Disaster Recovery Slow
March 11 marks 10 years since a massive earthquake and tsunami caused extensive damage to the Pacific coastal areas of eastern and northeastern Japan. An NHK survey of people affected by the disaster has shown that over half of the respondents think there has been little or no progress in reconstruction.
The survey was conducted in December and January. It targeted more than 4,000 people who were living in the three most severely-affected prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima at the time of the disaster. The poll drew responses from 1,805 people.
When asked how they felt about the current status of reconstruction, 12 percent of respondents said the work had been completed, while 33.7 percent said there had been more progress than expected.
In contrast, 43.3 percent said there had been less progress than expected, while 7.4 percent said they haven't noticed any progress at all.
People with a negative view made up 50.7 percent of the total, outnumbering those with a positive view by 5 percentage points.
However, the ratio of people with a positive view was up about 6 percentage points from a year earlier.
By prefecture, those who said reconstruction has been completed or that more progress has been made than anticipated accounted for 28.6 percent in Fukushima.
The figure was substantially lower than the 58.9 percent in Miyagi and 44.9 percent in Iwate. The gap apparently reflects the lingering effects of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Evacuation orders are still in place in areas surrounding the plant.
When asked how the current state of reconstruction compared to what they had initially imagined it would be, 22.7 percent of respondents said it is better than imagined, 20.4 percent said it is the same, and 53.1 percent answered it is worse.
Of those who responded that it is worse, 59.3 percent gave as the reason "a lack of community ties," 46.7 percent said the community isn't as lively as before, and 39.5 percent said there was a lack of improvement in commercial facilities. The survey shows that challenges remain in reviving communities.
By prefecture, those who said the state of reconstruction is worse than imagined accounted for 64.5 percent in Fukushima, 54.7 percent in Iwate and 43 percent in Miyagi.
Moreover, the survey shows that 50 percent of all respondents said they think that with 10 years having passed since the disaster, the public's interest in disaster-stricken areas is fading.
Also, 69.1 percent said that physical and economic support is likely to decrease.
University of Hyogo Professor Kimura Reo, an expert on disaster prevention measures, said the results show respondents are worried that the public thinks the disaster-stricken areas are managing fine now that a decade has passed, and that support may end for the time being.
He also said various challenges arise as time passes following a major disaster, so it is necessary to continue to keep an eye on the affected areas and people.