Key Points
- Six months after the devastating Noto Peninsula earthquake, recovery efforts remain severely stalled, with collapsed buildings still dominating the landscape in cities like Wajima.
- The “public demolition” (ko-hi kaitai) system is facing a massive bottleneck due to administrative complexity, a shortage of specialized labor, and logistical challenges in the mountainous region.
- Displaced residents living in temporary housing express a growing sense of isolation and anxiety as national media attention fades while their lives remain in limbo.
- Journalist Jun Hori emphasizes the critical role of independent media in documenting the “invisible” struggles of disaster victims to ensure they are not forgotten by policymakers.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Jun Hori): I have returned to Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture. It has now been six months since the earthquake on January 1st. As I walk through the central part of the city, the scenery is shockingly similar to what I saw shortly after the disaster. Collapsed houses still line the streets, and the smell of dust and rot remains in the air.
Host: One of the biggest issues right now is the progress—or lack thereof—of public demolition. This is a system where the government covers the cost of removing destroyed homes. However, in many neighborhoods, not a single house has been cleared yet.
Guest (Local Resident): We submitted our application for demolition back in February. We were told it might start in May, then they said summer. Now, we are being told it might be the end of the year or even next year. We can’t even begin to think about rebuilding our lives until this rubble is gone. It feels like our time has completely stopped.
Host: Why is this taking so long? When we speak to local officials, they point to a few major factors. First, there is a severe shortage of demolition workers. Many contractors are already overwhelmed with work in other parts of Japan. Second, the roads in Noto are narrow and damaged, making it difficult to bring in heavy machinery. Finally, the paperwork required to prove ownership and get consent for demolition is incredibly complex, especially when owners have evacuated far away.
Guest: It’s hard to stay positive. When the earthquake first happened, everyone was talking about Noto. Now, when I turn on the TV in the temporary housing, the news is all about the Tokyo elections or the high cost of living in the cities. We feel like we’ve been left behind in a different era.
Host: This is exactly why we continue to visit and report. The “recovery” that the government speaks of in press conferences often doesn’t match the reality on the ground. If we don’t keep showing these images and sharing these voices, the pressure to fix these administrative bottlenecks will disappear. We need to bridge the gap between the disaster zone and the rest of the country.
Host: The people of Noto are not asking for miracles; they are asking for the basic ability to move forward. We will continue to follow this story as long as it takes.
