More than two years after the 3/11 disaster, a tremendous amount of tsunami debris remains uncollected throughout Japan's Tohoku region.
In municipalties like Rikuzentakata, Kamaishi and Ofunato that were slammed by the massive tsunami, only
37 percent of the concrete, debris and household materials that litter the ground has been picked up so far.

As locals ponder whether to exit their often isolated, low-quality temporary housing to move inland toward cities like Morioka and Sendai, they look closely at the conditions in the area. Aesthetics matter to residents who remain undecided about whether to rebuild their wrecked homes or move on to greener pastures.

The inaction is partly due to cities, towns and villages being plagued by bureaucratic gridlock; many local communities have not yet reached agreement on issues such as collective housing relocation, with younger residents seeking to move to higher ground and older ones hoping to remain by the ocean.

See the full OpEd at
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/opinion/AJ201
304070014

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