Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Reconstruction Plans and Planning Process
After the Great East Japan Earthquake
and Tsunami
Michio Ubaura
Abstract
This paper aims at showing the numerous gaps between the ideal concept
and reality in the reconstruction process after the Great East Japan Earthquake and
the following tsunami within 2 years from the disaster. The gaps are mainly attribut-
able to the misunderstanding or incomprehension of spatial planning by the local
government, which puts too much weigh on acceleration of the planning process
and lacks in preparation to deal with the disaster in the ordinary time.
Keywords
Great East Japan Earthquake Spatial planning Disaster prevention
planning Reconstruction projects
2.1
Introduction
Three years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it is noteworthy
that most of the municipalities in the affected area had made reconstruction plans
within the fi rst year after the disaster caused by the natural calamity. Since these
plans contain only general policies about the recovery from the disaster and often
have abstract contents especially as for land use, the municipalities have decided to
tackle the problems associated with the implementation of the plan and the related
projects. However, many of them are facing diffi culties and the recovery planning
process is proceeding very slowly compared with those of previous disasters that
have occurred in Japan, such as the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 or the Niigata
Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake in 2004.
This paper aims at clarifying the reconstruction planning process and its prob-
lems by comparing the theory with the actual situation according to the following
aspects; relationship between spatial planning and disaster prevention planning,
necessity of additional plans on district level, importance of planning with a time
perspective, citizen's participation, and role of experts.
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