Minamisoma City Revitalization Plan (outline) ~All hearts united for the rebirth of Minamisoma~

The Great East Japan Earthquake that struck on March 11, 2011 and the subsequent enormous tsunami, took precious lives, destroyed property, and inflicted severe and unprecedented damage on its community, devastating historic and cultural heritage, local businesses, and housing and transport networks that they had accumulated over generations. Meanwhile, the nuclear disaster continues, together with the associated reputational damage. The situation is grave, as residents have been forced to evacuate from their homes, student activities have been restricted in the local elementary and junior high schools, limits have been placed by the national government on rice planting and in light of tough living conditions and the decline of local industry, businesses in Minamisoma-city have been closing down or moving elsewhere, and people have been made redundant or forced to relocate to work. 

Based on the lessons Minamisoma-city has learned from the natural disaster and globally unprecedented nuclear accident, the Plan for the Revitalization of Minamisoma City has been formulated in the aim of creating a city whose residents can cherish dreams for the future and lead safe, secure lives. 

This involves providing secure housing to the residents living in evacuation shelters and temporary housing and restoring the livelihoods of survivors as soon as possible. Fundamentally, it means striving to revive and develop local industry for the revitalization of disaster-stricken communities and requires the greatest possible effort be made to overcome the nuclear disaster and develop a town where people live and work with peace of mind.