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How did rebuilding plans reduce the risk to coastal communities after the 2011 tsunami?
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Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011
Aerial view of damage to a portion of the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, following the offshore earthquake and resultant tsunami there on March 11, 2011.
Following the 2011 tsunami, the Japanese government, through the Reconstruction Agency, implemented strategic rebuilding plans to mitigate future risks to coastal communities. These efforts focused on two primary approaches:
- Coastal Infrastructure: Authorities initiated the construction of extensive coastal defenses, such as seawalls, designed to provide a physical barrier against high-energy wave action.
- Relocation: A significant component of the recovery strategy involved designating and developing higher-ground sites for rebuilding. By moving residential and community infrastructure away from low-lying, vulnerable coastal areas, planners aimed to reduce the exposure of populations to future tsunami events.1
By 2015, the government reported that work was underway on nearly all designated higher-ground sites and approximately three-fourths of the planned coastal infrastructure projects.1