Japan, Seven Years Later: Shadow of a Tsunami

Seven years ago, Japan was devastated by an earthquake off its coast that sent a massive wall of water towards its coastline. The ensuing tsunami displaced approximately four-hundred-thousand people while fatalities were measured at almost twenty-thousand. Japan has since recovered from this terrible tragedy, although to the survivors this recovery has come at a great cost. In the aftermath of the tsunami, a massive seawall was erected in order to prevent future catastrophes. Megumi Lin states that “395km (245 miles) of walls have been built at a cost of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.74 billion).” This massive wall is said to be adversely affecting tourism and urban recovery in the region. Kim-Kyung Hoon documents the once-idyllic beach locations and highlights the contrast between the natural environment and this new wall. [1 image, 2 links, 1 quotation, 129 words]