4 years after Japan disaster, more than 200 seawalls exist only on paper

[bananas]

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun

With Wednesday marking the fourth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, construction of almost 40 percent of seawalls planned in the three prefectures most severely hit by the disaster — Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima — has not even begun.

<snip>

The central government, the three prefectures and coastal municipalities, as the main construction entities, planned seawalls at 537 locations stretching about 400 kilometers. Construction costs are estimated at $8.2 billion.

Only 46 of 573, or 8 percent, have been built, while 316, or 55 percent, are still under construction, and the remaining 211, or 37 percent, have seen no construction.

<snip>

The three prefectures initially aimed at having all seawall construction completed within fiscal 2015, but they now predict completion to be in fiscal 2018 or later following a series of changes in the plans due to construction delays.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/4-years-after-japan-disaster-more-than-200-seawalls-exist-only-on-paper-1.333869