This year’s memorial events for the Great East Japan Earthquake have been canceled one after another due to the spread of the COVID-19.
Even in Iwate, the only prefecture in the country that has so far had no cases of infection, most events around the Golden Week holidays in May were canceled. Organizers are now worried that the pandemic may have a lasting impact on holding disaster-related events next year, when it observes the 10th anniversary of the deadly March 11 quake and tsunami, as operations of nonprofit organizations supporting victims are having trouble continuing their activities.
Iwate Art Support Center, an NPO based in Morioka, canceled a recital event for disaster-related literary works that was scheduled for April 26.