Reconstruction Plans and Planning Process After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami - Post-Tsunami Hazard: Reconstruction and Restoration - page 15

2.2 Problems of Provincial Areas Before the Disaster

A preliminary discussion of the general problems faced by provincial municipalities
in Japan before the disaster is important, as many of the problems that occurred after
the disaster can be ascribed to these issues (Fig. 2.1 ).
Two major issues are population decline and aging society. Although the Japanese
population began declining since 2005, the provincial municipalities registered a
declining population earlier in comparison. In Ishinomaki city, which is the municipal-
ity most affected by the Tsunami, the population declined from approximately 182,900 in
1990 to 161,600 in 2010 (Fig. 2.2 ), at a rate of approximately 12 % in 20 years.

Urban planning for expanding development

- Low density diffusing urban structure

- Centralized and top-down decision making process

- Structural project oriented urban planning

Deficit of budget
Population decline
Aging society
Conservation of environment
Deterioration of inner city

Resourceful residents

Development of
self-governance

Community planning for sustainable development

- Compact and networking urban structure

Fig. 2.1 Problems and future
perspectives in Japanese
provincial cities

- Decentralized and bottom-up decision making process

- Non-structural community planning

Fig. 2.2 Changes in Population and aging rate in Ishinomaki city (Actual number until 2010,
prediction from 2015) (Source: Ishinomaki city government)