Eastern Japan great earthquake disaster -The tsunami-stricken areas in Iwate as observed by a local researcher and a few proposals for recovery-

2011年3月11日に発生した東北地方太平洋沖地震の津波により，岩手県では6千余名の方々が犠牲となった。三陸沿岸で遡上高が30mクラスの大津波は過去115年で3度目であり，必ずやってくると想定されたものであった。これまで，津波浸水域マップの作成，住民への啓発活動など，様々な取り組みを行なって来たものの，多数の犠牲者が出たことについて，地元研究者の一人として忸怩たる思いである。「生業(なりわい)の再興」と「安全な町づくり」を柱とした岩手県の復興計画がまとめられたが，国の財政的支援が不確かで復興は進んでいない。発生から9ヶ月，人が流出し，町が崩壊する危倶を孕みながら，現地は厳しい冬の季節を迎える。非常事態との認識での腰を据えた国の支援が急がれる。On1 March 11，2011，the giant tsunami produced by the earthquake which started off the Pacific coast of Tohoku left over 6,000 victims in Iwate dead and missing. That was the third tsunami with the wave over 30 meters high to hit this region in the past 115 years，so the tsunami should have been anticipated to be certain to hit there. The author, who, as one of the local researchers, had been contributing to making various countermeasures，including tsunami hazard maps and raising the residents' awareness of crisis，had to feel discouraged to see such a large number of victims. A sub-committee under the Disaster Recovery Committee of Iwate Prefecture，to which the author is responsible as chair，has worked out a plan to recover Iwate from the colossal damage，with the two main pillars，namely “Recover Industry”and“Reconstruct safe towns”. However，due to the vague prospect of the nation's financial support，the actual process of recovery has not advanced far yet. Nine months after the calamity, with residents leaving their hometowns，and towns being threatened of collapse，severe winter is now going to torment the local peop1e still further. The national government is urgently demanded to realize clearly the critical situations and extend a stable financial support as soon as possible