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Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, March 11Roundup: Japan Commemorates the 10th Anniversary of the “March 11” Earthquake, the Long Road to Rejuvenation in Disaster-affected Areas
Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Qiaomei
March 11 is the 10th anniversary of the “March 11” earthquake disaster in Japan. On the same day, various activities were held throughout Japan to mourn the victims of the “March 11” earthquake and tsunami.
At the National Theater in Tokyo, the Japanese government held a ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of the “March 11” earthquake. The Japanese emperor and his wife, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the presidents of the Senate and House of Representatives, and representatives of the families of the victims attended the ceremony.
At 2:46 p.m., the time of the earthquake that year, all the members of the National Theater got up and observed a minute of silence. At the same time, Japan mourned the entire country. Police sirens sounded in the worst affected areas, such as Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, and people stood on high ground facing the sea with their hands folded, mourning their loved ones in their hearts and praying that disaster-affected areas will embark. on the road to recovery ASAP.
Yoshihide Suga said in his speech that 10 years have passed since the earthquake and that the reconstruction of the disaster-affected area is progressing steadily. The new corona epidemic has had a major impact on the lives, industries and livelihoods of residents in the disaster-affected areas. The government will provide assistance to rebuild the lives of the victims and ensure a good response to the epidemic.
Emperor Naruhito expressed his condolences to the victims of the earthquake in his speech. He said that in the past 10 years, people in disaster areas have helped each other to overcome difficulties, and people across Japan and around the world have assisted disaster areas in various ways. He paid tribute to those who have made tireless efforts to promote the recovery of disaster-affected areas and said that it should learn from the experience and lessons of the “March 11” earthquake and turn Japan into a disaster response powerhouse.
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the northeastern part of Japan and triggered a huge tsunami. Affected by the earthquake and tsunami, a large amount of radioactive material leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing the most serious nuclear accident since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Soviet Union.
The latest statistics released by Japan’s National Police Agency on the 10th of this month showed that the “March 11” earthquake caused the death of 15,899 people and the disappearance of 2,526 people. In addition to the 3,775 people who died after the disaster due to “prolonged evacuation and deteriorating health,” the “March 11” earthquake has so far caused at least 22,200 deaths and disappearances.
After the “March 11” earthquake, the Japanese government established the Department of Reconstruction of the Temporary Agency in charge of post-disaster reconstruction and handling of nuclear accidents. In the past 10 years, the Japanese government has invested about 37 trillion yen (approximately 2.21 trillion yuan) for the rehabilitation of disaster-affected areas, and the construction of local infrastructure has achieved initial results.
At present, 29,000 public houses have been built in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. Construction of the 431-kilometer breakwater between Aomori and Chiba, which was hit by the tsunami that year, is 80% complete. A total of 550 kilometers of roads and highways connecting the coast and the interior have been completed, and the entire line is expected to open to traffic this year.
However, there is still a long way to go to achieve the recovery of the areas affected by the disaster. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which has the most serious level 7 accident in the international classification of nuclear incidents, has not yet begun to dispose of around 880 tons of nuclear waste from core fusion, and the continued increase in Nuclear wastewater treatment problems is also imminent. Some Japanese media commented that the disposal of the waste furnace at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is extremely difficult and can take decades. The results of a public opinion poll published by the Japan Broadcasting Association recently showed that around 30% of those interviewed believed that the restoration of the disaster area had not improved, and more than 60% of those interviewed believed that the Fukushima nuclear power plant had improved. no progress in eliminating nuclear contamination.
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【Editor in charge: Liu Yang】
