NEWSWORTHY
Prayers offered on 10th anniversary of deadly Iwate-Miyagi quake
People offered prayers Thursday as the Tohoku region marked the 10th anniversary of a major earthquake in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures that left 17 people dead and 6 unaccounted for. In Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, relatives of the victims and others affected by the magnitude 7.2 ...
The government on Wednesday held its first meeting with leaders of local governments which will host exchanges between residents and athletes of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics as it aims to improve hospitality in the communities. "We would like to deepen cooperation among local ...
Kamaishi mounts a soft-power recovery to revive tsunami-hit community
The city of Kamaishi is quietly combating its population decline with PR, career-advancement and tourism measures designed to revive its tsunami-battered community.
Tohoku communities slow to regroup as tsunami-hit cities rebuild on higher ground
Takashi Ito's family-owned book and stationery store is one of the 20 or so shops occupying a new mall that opened last year in Rikuzentakata, a tsunami-ravaged city in Iwate Prefecture once known for the towering pine trees that lined its scenic coast. The mall ...
Isolated deaths are on the rise in the temporary housing complexes in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures as their tsunami-shattered communities struggle to rebuild anew. The three prefectures have plans to build a combined 30,000 units of so-called disaster-recovery housing for those displaced. About 90 ...
41 structures in Tohoku preserved as witnesses to March 2011 disasters
At least 41 structures in three prefectures in Tohoku have been preserved to commemorate the damage caused by the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters, a tally shows. The structures spread across 23 municipalities in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures are being saved in ...
Finding a little historical perspective in Iwate's Hiraizumi
World Heritage site steeped in history remains largely free of tourists.
Kanayama rice terraces 'an impressive feat of human ingenuity'
Looking out the window as the bullet train crosses into northern Iwate Prefecture, the mighty Tohoku mountains stand tall behind deep forests, rice paddies and the occasional sleepy town. Long gone is the constant buzzing of cars and a view that stops on the ...
Tohoku looking to lure foreign visitors to 3/11 disaster-hit areas
Areas hit hard by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami are making an effort to create a more welcoming environment for foreign tourists in preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. The city of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, is one, which ...
Rent hike looms for 70% of 3/11 disaster victims in state-run housing
The government moves to reduce financial support for people with low incomes affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
Japan researchers create more comfortable tongue-operated wheelchair
A group of researchers has developed an electronic wheelchair that users can operate with their tongue using a silicone sheet attached to the chin. The invention is cleaner and more comfortable than previously developed models, as it does not require a device to be placed ...
Abe hails 3/11 reconstruction progress on six-year anniversary of deadly disasters
Prime minister touts Tohoku region’s “steady” recovery in annual speech.
