In Otsuchi, one of the worst-hit towns, much of the debris has now been cleared, with only the foundations left of many of the houses which were destroyed by the tsunami. Asuka Suzuki/JRCS
A year on from Japan’s worst recorded disaster, the area that was devastated by the tsunami is showing clear signs of recovery. Most of the debris has been cleared, survivors have moved into temporary housing and businesses are reopening. But progress is slow, particularly in the hardest-hit towns where unemployment rates are high and there is uncertainty over the lack of reconstruction plans. The situation is particularly stressful for families evacuated from their homes after the Fukushima nuclear accident, where the long term health affects of the disaster are causing acute anxiety.
The Japanese Red Cross, which deployed nearly 900 medical teams and hundreds of psychosocial workers to support the initial relief operation, is now focused on addressing the needs of more than 300,000 people living in temporary housing. Among other activities, volunteers are organising social activities to help bring community members together.
The Japanese Red Cross is also committed to bringing the issue of preparedness for nuclear accidents into sharper focus and, together with the IFRC, will host an international conference in Tokyo to start work towards new guidelines on nuclear accident preparedness.
View a 7 minute video highlighting some of the achievements of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Francis Markus's Diaries from Japan: