The Future of Community Support: The Noto Peninsula Earthquake
10/01/2025
One year has passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake. In Noto region, which suffered from “double disaster” with the earthquake in January 2024 and the heavy rainfall in September, people continue to work hard to rebuild the region. AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) is providing mid- to long-term community support in villages in danger of extinction. Here is a report from the field in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Crisis of District Survival
“During the water cutoff, a government official asked me, ‘What do you need?’ I said, ‘I need 30 pumps to pump water from old wells,’ and he went silent. But AAR said, ‘We can’t afford 30 pumps, but…’ they immediately brought us two. I can’t tell you how much everyone was saved.
Mr.Mitsunobu Inoike, the mayor of the Kanakura district in Machino-cho, Wajima City, looked back on the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. This district is in a mountainous basin and was selected as one of the “500 Most Beautiful Paths to Walk in Japan” for its beautiful scenery of terraced rice paddies. However, many of the rice paddies were overgrown with weeds in November and there was not what it used to be.
The earthquake destroyed two private houses in Kanakura area, and many houses were partially destroyed. Following the delivery of water by the Self-Defense Forces on January 4, AAR delivered vegetables, food, underwear, and other items by a land route on January 17. Asfterwards, we installed two washing machines and two pumps at a well in a district meeting place that had become an evacuation center and dispatched a “bathing car” converted from a truck for the elderly residents.
The damaged water pipes were finally restored in the summer after construction work was hampered by a lack of manpower, but soon after, the area was hit by the heavy rain. Mr.Inoike said, “Two private houses were buried under earth and sand, and water was cut off again until early November. We were saved by a well pump that was given to us at the time of the earthquake.” Landslides occurred again on nearby roads, and the prefectural road, which is essential for daily life, is being considered for reconstruction through a different route.
Before the earthquake, there were 95 people living in 53 households, but now the number has been halved to 45 people in 25 households. There are 21 people in 16 households living in temporary housing outside the district, and 29 people in 12 households living far away, such as outside the prefecture. “We requested the city of Wajima to build temporary housing in Kanakura, but we were not successful.” Mr. Inoike said.
There are no rivers in Kanakura area, and the entire community maintains 11 reservoirs, two of those were damaged by the earthquake and heavy rains, and two of those cannot be seen due to landslides. Due to the damage to the reservoirs and the decrease in the number of residents, many of the rice paddies will not be able to be cultivated for 2025. After a year of inactivity, the paddies are overgrown with weeds, and it is estimated that it would take three years to be restored. Many residents have evacuated to distant areas, making it difficult for them to exchange opinions on reconstruction.
Learning from the Great East Japan Earthquake
Since the earthquake, local residents have been trying to maintain their community by meeting regularly at a meeting place and publishing a quarterly “Kanakura Newspaper”. AAR has dispatched a local reconstruction specialist and provided printing costs for the newspaper. AAR Ohara said that based on his experience in supporting the Great East Japan Earthquake, “I have seen many towns and villages where the tsunami and the nuclear accident have caused widespread evacuation. In those areas, many towns and villages become ghost towns with low return rates even after infrastructure has been restored. I feel that we need to provide support with an eye to the future so that communities and residents can maintain their ability to help each other immediately after a disaster.”
Kanakura community is currently considering various options, including whether to request the construction of public disaster housing within the community. Mr.Inoike said, “We are grateful for AAR’s support, not only in terms of relief supplies, but also in providing us with many experts and knowledge.” AAR will continue to support the community in its efforts to rebuild the area. We appreciate your cooperation.
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