Shape of new Tohoku should emerge in five years: Iokibe (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

Tohoku under snow prior to the Tsunami

The rebuilding of communities and businesses in quake-and-tsunami devastated areas is likely to take shape in around three to five years, according to the head of the government panel drawing up the blueprint for the plan.

In a recent interview, Makoto Iokibe, who is also president of the National Defense Academy of Japan, said the nation as a whole can become stronger if rebuilding proceeds in a way that makes the Tohoku region internationally competitive.

The Reconstruction Design Council, which he heads, has been asked by Prime Minister Naoto Kan to present its first set of proposals for the project by the end of June.


Akita Magoroku Onsen (baths) in the Tohoku reigon prior to the tsunami.

"We will probably see the shape of community building and industry reconstruction emerge in three to five years, but it will easily take 10 years for reconstruction to be completed even in areas that are quick (to recover)," Iokibe said.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110519a4.html
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Makoto Iokibe