After tsunami, some Japanese are feeling walled-in

After tsunami, some Japanese are feeling walled-in

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When a massive earthquake struck in 2011, Japanese oyster fisherman Atsushi Fujita was working as usual by the sea. Soon after, a huge black wave slammed into his city and killed nearly 2,000 people.

Seven years on, Fujita and thousands like him along Japan's northeast coast have rebuilt their lives alongside huge sea walls that experts say will protect them if another giant tsunami, which some see as inevitable in a seismically active nation like Japan, was to strike.

. Rikuzentakata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Atsushi Fujita sails his boat as he leaves a dock where seawalls are installed.

The 12.5-metre (41-ft) concrete wall replaced a 4-metre breakwater that was swamped in the March 11, 2011 disaster. The earthquake and tsunami, which reached as high as 30 metres in some areas, killed nearly 18,000 people across Japan and triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plant.

"It feels like we're in jail, even though we haven't done anything bad," the 52-year-old said.

. Miyako, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Residential houses and commercial buildings stand behind a seawall.

Since the disaster, some towns have forbidden construction in flat areas nearest the coast and have relocated residents to higher land. Others, such as Rikuzentakata, have raised the level of their land by several metres before constructing new buildings.

A common thread, though, is the construction of seawalls to replace breakwaters that were overwhelmed by the tsunami. Some 395km (245 miles) of walls have been built at a cost of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.74 billion).

"The seawalls will halt tsunamis and prevent them from inundating the land," said Hiroyasu Kawai, researcher at the Port and Airport Research Institute in Yokosuka, near Tokyo.

"Even if the tsunami is bigger than the wall, the wall will delay flooding and guarantee more time for evacuation."

. Rikuzentakata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Vending machines stand in front of a seawall.

Many residents initially welcomed the idea of the walls but have become more critical over time. Some say they were not consulted enough in the planning stages or that money spent on the walls has meant that rebuilding elsewhere, such as housing, has fallen behind.

. Fudai, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A wave breaks at Fudaihama beach.

Others worry the walls will damage tourism.

"About 50 years ago, we came up here with the kids and enjoyed drives along the beautiful ocean and bays," said Reiko Iijima, a tourist from central Japan, who was eating at an oyster restaurant across from the seawall.

"Now, there's not even a trace of that."

. Kesennuma, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A man looks through a window of a seawall at a port

Part of a wall in the city of Kesennuma, further south, has windows in it - but these, too, draw complaints.

"They're a parody," said Yuichiro Ito, who lost his home and younger brother in the tsunami. "It's just to keep us happy with something we never wanted in the first place."

. Rikuzentakata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
An oyster farm is seen behind a seawall.

Fisherman Fujita said that while the tsunami had improved oyster farming in the area by stirring up sea floors and removing accumulated sludge, the sea walls could block natural water flows from the land and impact future production.

Many municipalities said the giant walls had to be in place before permission could be granted for reconstruction elsewhere.

. Rikuzentakata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
'Miracle Pine', a tree which is said to symbolise hope and recovery after it survived the 2011 tsunami, stands next to a damaged building in front of the newly built seawall.

"I can't say things like 'the wall should be lower' or 'we don't need it,'" said Katsuhiro Hatakeyama, who has rebuilt his bed and breakfast business in the same location as before.

"It's thanks to the wall that I could rebuild, and now have a job."

. Tanohata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A high wave hits a seawall.

But many find the wall hard to adjust to.

"Everyone here has lived with the sea, through generations," said Sotaro Usui, head of a tuna supply company. "The wall keeps us apart - and that's unbearable."

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Slideshow

A seagull flies over a wave.
. Fudai, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A seagull flies over a wave.

A fisherman on a boat sprays water on oysters which he harvested from an oyster farm.
. Rikuzentakata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A fisherman on a boat sprays water on oysters which he harvested from an oyster farm.

A labourer works at a construction site.
. Taro, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A labourer works at a construction site.

Large bags containing construction materials are placed at a construction site to reinforce and extend an old seawall.
. Tanohata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Large bags containing construction materials are placed at a construction site to reinforce and extend an old seawall.

A fishing boat is seen through a window of a seawall.
. Miyako, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A fishing boat is seen through a window of a seawall.

A man walks along a path on a seawall.
. Yamada, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A man walks along a path on a seawall.

A woman walks on a road close to a seawall.
. Ofunato, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A woman walks on a road close to a seawall.

The Aketo seawall which was damaged in the 2011 tsunami.
. Tanohata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

The Aketo seawall which was damaged in the 2011 tsunami.

A fisherman watches waves hitting a seawall.
. Tanohata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A fisherman watches waves hitting a seawall.

A seawall under construction is surrounded by scaffolding.
. Tanohata, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A seawall under construction is surrounded by scaffolding.

A seawall is illuminated at night.
. Yamada, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A seawall is illuminated at night.

A seawall is pictured at night.
. Yamada, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A seawall is pictured at night.

The sun rises over a seawall at a beach.
. Kesennuma, Japan. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

The sun rises over a seawall at a beach.